Concern! Where Should it Stop?

Today I see a very concerned America. An America very concerned about the thousands of people in Kosovo who have been displaced from their homes, raped, or killed. A country concerned about the tragedy in Colorado, it has deserved our attention. Our prayers must go Out to the families and friends that have suffered such terrible and senseless losses.

But this is a big world and I often wonder why this same concern seems to stop when it comes to the continents of Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Do you know that there are tens of thousands of African people who are refugees from wars in Angola, Sudan, Sierra Leone, and Ethiopia? And in our own country, here in America, our inner cities have been devastated by the loss of a whole generation of young people who have died because of acts of senseless violence, or who are wasting their lives away by sitting in a jail cell. I want to know why these tragedies don't get the attention that they deserve.

It is very important that the idea of cultural diversity, understanding and respect be more then words that are talked about. These ideas will only be truly meaningful if they are backed up with an honest commitment to take action in our own neighborhoods, in our schools, and throughout the world.

Obinna 0. N., 18
Boston, Massachusetts

* Reprinted from Positive Teens Magazine Volume 1 Issue 4, Sept/Oct 1999

{ Back to Commentary }