to think we could all do something positive - and ask UK govt to take in a lot more Syrian refugees?

[findmeunafraid]

I get the rage. The fear. But behind all that it is hard to somehow focus on the story of all the Syrian refugees. On the people behind the headlines.
Couldn't we channel some of this vast emotion into campaignjng to take in far more refugees from Syria. To balance the gates being shut by Trump?

I know all the arguments that "we don't have space" etc etc but it is actually quite hard to believe that is really the case when many wealthy people have second, even third, homes.....

I can't start a petition, but maybe someone could?

Well first of all I disagree on the point - of getting into others people's wars.

But the West is partly responsible for these wars. Not entirely, of course, there's a huge number of complex factors, but we have an awful lot to do with it!

I don't think bringing unlimited refugees here is the right thing to do, but I think doing a lot more to help overseas is something we must do.

Why should people give up their second properties. Is it because you have no hope of owning or owning more than one? Why do such people have to be punished?

I agree yet I disagree.
When our current government stops underfunding the NHS and privatizing it and closing down A+E's and reverses austerity then we can have this discussion. Until then - I don't see how an already failing country can take in more people who will need support.

I looked at this leaflet tonight to try to understand what exactly the Syrian children refugees face:

childrenofsyria.info/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/SYRIA5Y-REPORT-12-MARCH.pdf

• It says there are 2.9 million children in Syria under 5
• 2.8 million children out of school
• Children as young as 3 are working
• 66% of water in Syria is untreated sewage water
• 500 children were killed in 2015 and 400 maimed

TBH I never looked at the cold hard facts and it is horrifying. The UK is a privileged country by unbelievable leagues in comparison. Lord Dubs recently presented Theresa May with a petition objecting to the closure of the unaccompanied child refugee scheme - it was meant to welcome 3000 children but has only welcomed 350 children. I really really hope something comes of the petition. Here is a link:

www.google.co.uk/amp/www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/dubs-amendment-refugee-petition-close-child-theresa-may-a7575296.html%3Famp

Key points from the article I linked

The petition follows a bruising intervention by the the Archbishop of Canterbury, who said he was “saddened and shocked” by the Dubs closure and appeared to compare the Government’s position with that of Donald Trump.

He warned that halting the initiative would see more children being trafficked, exploited and killed and said it would be “deeply unjust” to leave the burden of caring for such children on Italy and Greece.