Some people seem to naturally understand the humanitarian concepts of giving and caring for the family of man. Others might never have learned these values, while still others reject them outright. The members of East Carolina University’s chapter of Omicron Delta Kappa National Leadership Honor Society have demonstrated their grasp of this core human value. They set an example they hope others will follow, but that could prove easier said than done, sadly.
The ECU students are collecting linens, bedding and basic hygiene items for hundreds of Syrian refugees who now call North Carolina home. Senior Aenia Amin, vice president of service for the chapter, said many of the families being relocated are starting over with few belongings, which will become a bigger problem as the temperatures drop.
The drive has been ongoing since September and will wrap up Dec. 10. The items are being donated to the Islamic Center of the Triad Refugees Committee, which is helping immigrants settle across the state. A total of 13,960 Syrian refugees have settled in the U.S. so far this year, including 644 in North Carolina, according to the U.S. Department of State’s Refugee Processing Center.
Not everyone has welcomed the refugees with open arms, including Gov. Pat McCrory and Donald Trump, who have expressed concerns that refugees could be radicalized ISIS terrorists.
The Associated Press reports daily on the 5-year-old civil war in Syria and its impact on the civilian population. Renewed airstrikes killed at least 10 civilians Tuesday in the besieged eastern part of Aleppo as they were fleeing government advances in the opposition held-enclave, opposition groups reported. The United Nations said up to 16,000 people have already been displaced in the most recent days of fighting. United Nations and UNICEF officials place the 5-year death toll at between 400,000 and half a million people, mostly in government and Russian air raids, but many by U.S. bombs as well. U.S. television reports show children, parents and elderly civilians ravaged by any number of means, from bombs to improvised explosives and small arms.
Again demonstrating the meaning of “honor” in the Honor Society, Chapter President Stephanie Strong said the divisive political discussions surrounding the issue are all the more reason for ECU students and Greenville residents to help.
“Whether or not you believe Syrian refugees should be here, they are here, right now,” she said. “It’s important to show them that not all Americans are hateful and many of us are welcoming.”
“Our duty as humans, as fellow citizens is to give back and welcome them to this community, regardless of whether they are immigrants or not,” she said. “We’re not going by political party or race or ethnicity. It’s just human to human.”
These ECU students’ outreach is as much about hope for America as for Syrian refugees.
— The Daily Reflector, Greenville