Rescuing 'Titanics' vs. Refugees: Poor Lives Matter Too!

 

Is it just me or is there a clear dichotomy in the rescue attempts surrounding the Titanic submersible vessel versus the refugee boat tragedy off the Greek coast.

It seems like rescuing a handful of wealthy people – no matter what their individual merit – generates more robust endeavours than saving scores of poor lives.

Photo by Pixabay: https://www.pexels.com/photo/hard-cash-on-a-briefcase-259027/

A small submarine used by a handful megawealthy individuals to satisfy a 'bucket list' adventure goes missing and an army – or in this case a navy – of assets to locate the submarine is immediately activated with great fanfare.

Meanwhile, there remains considerable uncertainty about what steps were taken by European Union national coast guards to save the few hundred souls desperately seeking to escape poverty at home.

Photo by Ahmed akacha: https://www.pexels.com/photo/smiling-little-ethnic-girl-looking-out-of-window-in-tent-5524147/

To be sure, this is not an indictment of wealth or the need to save all persons in distress. On the contrary, all people – rich, poor, straight, gay, black, white, etc. - deserve every humanly effort possible to be rescued.

A death is a tragedy, there's no denying that. Everyone is missed by someone. However, as recounted countless times in the annals of history, the voice of the poor is hardly audible over that of the rich and powerful.

Indeed, these two incidents coming close on the heels of each other demonstrate that wealth and privilege matter while poor lives are cheap and expendable.

I know we've seen all this before in different settings. After all, the world is hardly ever fair. I'm not even sure why I'm bothering to write about it.

But if I can get just one reader to express more empathy with the plight of 'ordinary' sufferers then it's worthwhile. I hope.

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I am a Singapore based Tour Guide with a special interest in arts and history. I have lived and worked in several countries during my career as an international banker. I enjoy traveling, especially by train, as a way to feed my curiosity about the world and nurture my interest in photography. I am available on twitter (@grandmoofti); Instagram(@imranahmedsg) and can be contacted at imran.ahmed.sg@gmail.com.