Where does Humanity draw the line?

I like to torture myself on a regular basis, so I watch and listen to the news, the commentators, the party and national leaders. And each time a statement is made, a claim, a justification, a proposition, a decision, I ask the same question. Really?

Is that really what you feel? Is that what you believe to be true? Does that come from a careful consideration of all the potential ramifications?

I have, on occasions been accused of being both naive and a cynic. Fundamentally, I like to think that I am a human being. Which means that I should believe in humanity, in looking to do the least harm, the most good. And for all, because we are all members of humanity.

I am naive enough to think, and hope, that most of us place some priority on the world outside our front door. And I am cynical enough to not hold my breath when that doesn’t happen as often or as continually as I would hope.

But we all place our reliance, with similar levels of naivety and cynicism, in those chosen to represent, decide and lead our communities, parties and nations.

We make our choices for many reasons, with varying amounts of understanding, awareness and empathy. But what of those we choose?

They present a picture, a scenario, devoid of doubt. There is never uncertainty, no shading, no slide room. Even when the statements put forward totally lack any semblance of reality, it is done with total conviction.

And so I continue to wonder, does that certainty come from an assessment of the humanitarian costs, or a pragmatic dismissal of them for an objective determined by alternative criteria.

Some leaders appear to present the conflict inherent in any decision, and at least imply that the conclusion was only arrived at after the ramifications were assessed.

An acknowledgement of humanitarian consideration is the least we can expect. And yet, with so many public pronouncements of late, there is no such evidence.

This is reflex politics. Pragmatic party preservation. Or potential megalomania.

In far too many cases these days, the line has been drawn, and most of the decision makers are too far behind it for humanity’s comfort.