I can feel the tears brewing in my eyes......

I agree, travelsafar. It's horribly worrying. I fear and dread that this war might spread. I can't believe that my early life was all about European war (I was born in 1937) and now might end
with another one. It's sickening. All those poor innocent people being killed or having to flee their country.
I hate Putin.

The other thing is that in Syria, Lebanon, Myanmar, they are not places we can give real tangible help for, give things away, go and deliver them to collction points. All we can do is give money, we are distanced, fill a form in transfer money, so impersonal and distanced

We certainly could send goods for Syrian refugees, there are charities in Turkey who are helping, brave volunteers were making runs into Idlib with goods and flour to help set up bakeries. I was helping for years (but got told off on GN for "virtue signalling when I posted about it with a link to a charity) Syria hasn't gone away, btw

Agree with people reflecting on the Uk connection with Ukraine
Another thing, many of us will have had grandfathers fighting in Europe in ww1 and parents in WW2. Watching the exodus from Ukraine had me reflecting on my grandfathers and my dad, peace loving men who saw ww1 as a desperate disaster and WW2 as a war that had to be fought. “ there was no negotiating with Hitler” was their view
The build up to the tanks rolling into Ukraine had me reflecting on 1938

I understood what Granny23 meant too. Because of the freedom of movement within the EU we will have worked with and become friends with many people directly or indirectly involved in all this too. It is horrifying.

I also agree that Granny23’s post is very honest and I feel understandable. I too feel that Ukraine is so much closer to home, many of us may have visited because it’s possible to drive there and a short flight away. Also it’s Europe, which just like the Balkans war, is geographically our continent. Yes, the people look like us, but I don’t think that it’s necessary for the victims to look like us in order for us to feel pity and to feel shocked at what’s happening. It’s definitely the closeness of the country. And the fear also that Putin could attack the whole of Europe, including the UK, and that attack would likely be nuclear. In other words we could be drawn in.

When I visited Vietnam, I definitely felt closer to the country and the people. In the seventies Vietnam felt very far away. Although who could ever forget that picture of the little girl running screaming down the road with her skin peeling off. The result of a napalm bomb I think. But when I stood on Vietnamese soil I felt so much closer to what had happened even though it was so long ago.

I also agree that Granny’s post was honest, as was Violetskys but being honest I don’t agree with Granny. I am not going to say what I think on this thread as at the moment I am very emotional about my daughter.

Also upset by all the ghastly things happening, and so would the Russian people be if they were allowed to know about it.

I decided that I'd done what I could to help for now and that the only way to deal with it for myself was to do something positive for my little bit of the world, so joined a litter-picking group on Saturday morning.

I think Granny23 was honest although I do feel differently and have wept over other wars and crises, sometimes tears of impotent rage.
She is honest and I can understand why she might feel like that.

The reason I think I feel even more anxious and upset this time is because it is happening in Europe (again) and there is the threat of nuclear weapons being used.

I am shocked that people are crying now but didn’t shed their tears when the Syrians were being and still are bombed out of their homes and having to flee with their babes in arms to get out of their country
Granny23 s post maybe honest but I don’t like it one bit

Neither do I like the fact that the 500 plus black students who are in Ukraine and trying to get out are being turned away from the countries so rightly offering support and homes to Ukrainians
Why do you have to have visited the country to feel empathy why do you have more empathy for nearby countries than those that look different… ffs don’t we all have a heart and bleed the same
I have no understanding of views like these and really feel more at one with people from outer space than people who look like me and hold such horrible views

Please don’t assume I wasn’t weeping over Syria

Violetsky you did say to Granny23:
I hope you have apologised to your daughter for saying that

Then you said:
I cannot apologise for my honest reaction to someone else's words

^Granny23 doesn't need to apologise to her DD for saying that and it is not our business to suggest she does, even if we feel differently.

Iam64

Please don’t assume I wasn’t weeping over Syria

me neither! All war and human suffering is horrible

BlueBelle - to add supporting the people of Ukraine doesn’t mean not caring about racism

The reason I think I feel even more anxious and upset this time is because it is happening in Europe (again) and there is the threat of nuclear weapons being used.

Yes; exactly this. Ukraine is geographically much closer to us and it's much clearer to see the threat of nuclear war affecting us all. But feeling a closer connection to a country because it's geographically closer to us shouldn't be interpreted that the wars in other, more distant continents mean less to us; its perfectly possible to empathise and sympathise with both without being castigated by the thought police for perceived racism. Every one of us will be dealing with this tragedy in our own way and no one has the right to tell you what to think or what to say; we can safely leave that in Putin's hands.

Neither do I like the fact that the 500 plus black students who are in Ukraine and trying to get out are being turned away from the countries so rightly offering support and homes to Ukrainians

I don't think the problem is that the students are black, I think the problem is that they were students visiting Ukraine on visas and, whilst they were fleeing Ukraine, they will now be able to go back to their home countries.
They will be be relieved to do so and I hope they are given every assistance to get back home. Their studies have come to an abrupt end and they will be able to decide on their futures, unlike Ukrainians who have no idea what to expect.

The first casualty of war is truth, didn't somebody say that once?

I think that the criticism of people who say that they are more affected by what is happening to people in Ukraine is misplaced. Of course its more affecting. We've had peace in Europe for 80 years. I'm aware of the conflicts in the Balkans but there has been no existential thread to Europe for 80 years. But now we've got an invasion of a sovereign country by another larger, more powerful neighbour for no other reason that to feed the ego of a man who wants to go down in history and has a chip on his shoulder about Mother Russia. We can see that the people who are affected had lives just like ours, the night before their invasion they were going to the cinema and eating in restaurants. We look at Kyiv and see Prague, or Vienna, or Helsinki. Places where I have visited and where I know people.

Its not right to take the moral high ground and criticise people for "not caring" about Syrians, or Rohingya, or any others. We wouldn't be human if we didn't think a conflict in Europe was something to be devastated about. And I'm afraid anybody who says otherwise is just trying to prove a point., or doesn't really understand the situation.

Spelling is all to pot this morning, sorry, but you know what I mean.

I also feel like our own government has contributed to the situation too and it has most probably contributed to how insecure and anxious some people feel, especially after a pandemic.

volver

Spelling is all to pot this morning, sorry, but you know what I mean.

Yes, I completely agree with you.

BlueBelle
You do not know what others have shed tears over or not.

You do not know what others have shed tears over or not of course I don’t luckygirl I only know what I read on here on this thread and the points of view that were expressed that the war in Ukraine is upsetting people so much because it’s nearby and because it’s in Europe and some even mentioned them looking like us wearing clothes like us !!! I find that very very upsetting
If people are saying it’s frightening because we ve had peace in Europe for so long etc that’s quite a different thing and very understandable but saying it’s because we ‘look like them’ is just plain awful

It's not awful BlueBelle. It's an emotional gut reaction which we're all entitled to feel especially at times these.

BlueBelle actually I think you’re being very judgmental about some of the posters on this thread and you are not displaying any empathy towards them.
I agree with volver and Chewbacca. The reason some people find it easier to identify with what’s happening in Ukraine is because it’s nearer geographically and because of the threats made against us by Putin and the threat of a nuclear strike.
A lot of money and charitable gifts were given and are still being given to other areas of war including Syria and Afghanistan.
There is no moral superiority in claiming I care more because I care about all wars.
Posters are distressed about this war now, but are perfectly able to feel empathy and offer contributions for other wars now and in the pst/future.

I heard part of an interview on R4 this morning; an American citizen of Ukrainian birth who was now able to move his family out and get away. When asked what the rest of the world could do, he said put up with potential shortages caused by cutting on oil and gas supplies from Russia, whatever we have to go short of, it is never as bad as sitting underground, on a concrete platform, clutching your children and a suitcase of belongings. The report that did it for me last night was of the coach full of orphans with learning difficulties, their terrified and uncomprehending looks, and their brave carers.