There are many things I don’t understand. Some of these things are complex enough to keep me from emotional attachment and anger.

Two exceptions are coincidentally the only two news stories I’ve cried while reading. I’ve already given you my take on gun violence in America, but I’ve always felt just a little too ignorant to write about the Syrian Civil War.

I don’t understand geopolitical conflict, repression, religious division, or even foreign foods. I do not have a very deep understanding of the Syrian Civil War, but that shouldn’t have kept me from writing about it. It shouldn’t stop anyone. 

The least we can do as human beings who care about the lives of other human beings is refuse to let this be ignored.

It’s shocking to me that during a period of time when songs can circle the globe overnight, 90,000 deaths get virtually no mass viral attention. Viral attention, as Kony 2012 has proved, hardly means anything in the long run anyway, but it is always the least that inactive internet putterers (read: me) can do.

Why isn’t this the story? What would global action take? Budget showdowns and confirmations and stranded cruise ships are all important stories. When lives are being lost in a complex and entrenched fight for freedom, however, I just can’t even fathom why the simple action, excitement, or thrill (assuming you’re ignoring the devastating and inconceivable loss of human life) of it all isn’t enough to garner massive attention.

If something isn’t going to be done about this crisis, at least let something be said. There is not much we can do individually to help end this crisis, but at least let we can let our leaders know it matters to us.