Alan would have turned 4.

Bombs are falling over civilian homes and people are fleeing towards the only safety they can imagine. When they reach the borders, soldiers and tall fences stop them and tell the fleeing to turn back. Soldiers shoot at children and old people. Politicians talk of a refugee crisis and the need to stop refugees from coming to their country. Children are drowning, getting shot, or starve to death along railway lines and in forests as they are running from bombs and soldiers, gas attacks and unlawful imprisonment.

The year is 1940, 1964, 1985.

The year is 2015.

In safety, the people asked to lend a hand scream about stolen jobs, freeloading bastards, and children eating our food. They look at an 8 year old boy in shock and call him a terrorist. They look at a young mother cradling a dead infant and sneer at her desperate, silent tears.

We who have everything have a chance to prove that we are humans, but all politicians can talk about is "room to breathe" and "systems falling apart". They refuse to see that it is humans we are talking about. The people running, fleeing for their lives, want nothing more than going home, but their homes are gone.

German bombs 1941. British bombs 1944. American bombs 1945. Russian bombs and Syrian chemicals 2015-2016.

We look at history and say "Never Again", then turn around and cheer the same politics repeating. In Sweden, we say that we don't have the resources to help fellow humans, then boast about the cleanest drinking water in the world and our food exports. We say there is no room for humans, then close down refugee housing and impromptu camps.

During World War 2, Sweden let Nazi walk through our country to invade Norway, then accepted Norwegian refugees. We grudgingly accepted Finnish refugees. During the Cold War, Sweden said nothing, and established research into "keeping the race clean".

In 2015, our Prime Minister calls for open hearts and accepting homes, then passed a law that would divide families, leave children without parents, and parents desperately searching for their children. The politicians are closing down housing for refugees, yet still claims to be a the forefront of humanitarian aid.

We are all humans. It is time to raise up against the de-humanization and show off our infinate potential for empathy, understanding, and to do good. Prayer is fine, but action is far superior and unless we want a repetition of the 1930-40s, we need to act now to push down xenophobia, hatred, and fear mongering.

Do not let Alan Kurdi have died in vain.

DFTBA