The War in Ukraine, A girl who escaped North Korea, and a trip to the supermarket.

Summary

The article discusses the global response to the war in Ukraine, contrasting it with the international community's indifference towards other ongoing conflicts and humanitarian crises, using the personal story of North Korean defector Yeonmi Park and a supermarket's selective charity drive as examples to illustrate the selective outrage and aid.

Abstract

The piece begins with an acknowledgment of the widespread coverage and calls to action regarding the war in Ukraine, noting the strong response from Western nations, including sanctions against Russia and asset seizures from Russian oligarchs. It then critically examines the perceived hypocrisy in this outpouring of support, questioning why similar concern is not shown for other conflicts, such as the war in Yemen or the plight of Palestinians. The author reflects on the reactions to a book review they posted about Yeonmi Park's 'In Order To Live,' which sparked a debate on the selective empathy for refugees based on their country of origin. The article concludes with a personal anecdote about a supermarket customer who declined to donate to Ukrainian relief efforts, citing the lack of similar initiatives for other crises, prompting the staff member to reflect on the selectivity of charitable efforts.

Opinions

The author suggests that the global response to the Ukrainian conflict highlights a double standard in how different wars and humanitarian crises are perceived and addressed.
There is a sentiment that the Western benevolence towards Ukraine is making people uncomfortable due to the apparent duplicity and double standards.
The article implies that the British Government's willingness to support Ukrainian refugees contrasts sharply with its efforts to exclude refugees from Middle Eastern and African conflicts.
The author points out that the selective outrage is evident in the public's and media's focus on the war in Ukraine while other conflicts receive significantly less attention and aid.
The public's reaction to the author's book review indicates a broader awareness of and frustration with the inconsistent concern for victims of conflicts outside of Europe.
The anecdote about the supermarket interaction underscores the commonality of selective charity and the need for a more equitable approach to humanitarian aid.

War in Europe

There is so much that is being written about the desperate situation in Ukraine and everyone is being urged to help. Even if you don’t read the news, you can’t ignore the situation. A country is being invaded by a foreign power and the West has stood up and taken notice. British politicians are taking unprecedented actions to condemn and punish the actions of Vladimir Putin. Sanctions are being placed on Russian produce and businesses. Russian oligarchs are having their assets seized. Schools and colleges around the country are collecting for Ukrainians, and even supermarkets are getting in on the benevolence.

But all this benevolence is making peoples’ stomachs turn. Not because people are evil and love to see suffering, but because of the duplicity and double standards that have been made entirely undeniable by a war in Europe.

A Girl Who Escaped North Korea

Earlier today I finished reading ‘In Order To Live’ by Jeonmi Park. It’s an incredible book and I immediately recorded a book review. Somewhere in the review I must have said something about the horrors that people go through fleeing wars, starvation and dictators. That led me on to speaking about Ukraine and all the other wars going on right now. Less than an hour after posting the video, my phone started buzzing with comments and messages. People were upset. “What about the other wars?” they chorused. What about the hundreds of thousands being killed in Yemen by Saudi Arabia, armed to the teeth by the British? What about the Palestinians denied the right to return to their homes? What about the countless children killed by American and British guns in Syria, Libya and Afghanistan? Why is only Putin evil? Why is the British Government saying it will pay the British public to take in Ukrainian refugees whilst doing its utmost to keep out refugees fleeing wars in the Middle East and Africa?

Talking about a girl who escaped North Korea had opened a whole can of worms.

A trip to the supermarket

One of the messages I received was from a friend who’d seen the book review and shared it widely. He told me his cousin had phoned him whilst shopping in Waitrose. At the till she’d been asked if she’d like to make a donation to ‘help Ukrainians.’ She thought about it and said she wouldn’t. s”Why am I being asked to help Ukraine? I’ve never been asked to help the people being killed in Yemen? Or the Palestinians, or anyone else. Why Ukraine?”

The customer service assistant smiled and replied. “I never thought about that before.”

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