Voices for the Voiceless

[BOSTON]

On September 19, hundreds of Bostonians gathered in Copley Square to stand in solidarity with the 4 million refugees that have fled the war in Syria. The HPR spoke with some of the attendees, who expressed a variety of reasons and perspectives for the joining the event.

Many people at the vigil emphasized the mislabeling of refugees in media discourse. “They are referring to them as migrants,” said Tariq, holding his son on his shoulders. “This is a big, big mistake. Migrants are the people who are leaving their country for better life, better conditions. … But refugees? They are fleeing their country because they are not safe. They want to live.”

Nada Safadi and Daliah Salem spoke of their relatives back in Syria: “We check up on our grandparents and my uncles and aunts [in Syria]. It’s really sad when they say they’re doing okay, and then the next minute we’re watching CNN and it’s just so horrible down there. But to them? Having electricity, or water even for a few hours is a big deal.”

“I’ve been really inspired by the solidarity of the refugees who have banded together to force their way into Europe successfully, and the solidarity amongst ordinary Europeans who have really embraced them. We need to translate that to the United States, and I’m hoping to build that solidarity here,” said Khury Peterson-Smith.

“We [the United States] are either the weapon, selling weapons, or arming the guys doing the killing. I’m with ‘Food, Not Bombs.’ Look it up online,” said the man pictured, who referred to himself as “Dan the Bagel Man.”

“Every time I see the picture of that baby, it just breaks my heart. These are my kids: (aged) five, three, and two. It could be us. We need to stand up for those people. We need to let them in, and welcome them,” said Warda Kahn, the mother of the girl pictured above.

“I’m a nurse. A year ago, I traveled to Jordan on a medical mission to help with the refugees. Once I saw what was happening—over half a million refugees in Jordan—it changed my life. … It saddens me that it took seeing those kids drown on the beach, because already 200,000 people have been killed in that country. It’s a political situation, but we have to remember the humanity,” said Jennifer Grace.

“Not only is this a huge humanitarian crisis, but this is also pretty clearly caused by climate change, among other things. [This crisis] is an environmental consequence of things we are doing, and participating in.” Siblings Gordon Schultz (left) and Meryl Schultz (right) draw the link between a changing climate and political destabilization.

Image credit: Solange Azor