The action and the principle

I hope that when future generations talk about the tragedy at Bondi Beach in Australia that happened last week, in the same breath, they will also talk about Ahmad al-Ahmad - the brave fruit seller, who was a bystander and risked his life to save countless innocent persons.

If we only pay attention to the rhetoric that encompasses us all, and one that we often are a part of amplifying, he does not fit the bill of a likely hero. Here is someone who is an immigrant, someone who is not affluent, and is a member of a faith community different from the one that was being attacked. He is a complete outsider in a world where we reward self-interest, reject the idea of sacrifice for others, and view others who may not look like us with deep suspicion. Yet, his extraordinary actions speak to something deeper inside us - something that feels just right, perhaps even perfect. People from all over the world are proud of knowing him and want to help him in any way possible. He embodies something special - an authentic humanity that is well above the ties of faith, national origin, economic status and many other filters by which we decide who is ours and who is not. So, the question to ask is, if we are inspired by the actions, why are we not motivated by the principles? The principle of taking care of others, the principle of rejecting tribalism, the principle of sacrifice.

People like Ahmad are extraordinary - and if we look closely we will find those who live by the principle of care and concern in communities all around the world. We choose not to focus on them, and may not find them interesting, but they are there. In refugee camps all around the world - far from cameras and cellphones - there are many who take care of the weak, sick, frightened and the vulnerable. I have met many such people. They do not work for large international NGOs, do not draw hefty salaries, travel in big cars with blackened windows, have a press pool present with them or are looking to pad their resumes. They work, day and night, live in difficult conditions for an extended period, far from the comfort of their own homes. They do not have to be in miserable conditions - yet in every camp I have gone, I have seen them. They work because of the principles - the principles of kindness, concern, justice and care above all. It is impossible not to be inspired by them, and by the honesty of their values. I am certain the readers of these words have seen these values lived by others in their own experiences. Yet, there seems to be a gulf between what moves our hearts and what motivates our actions. We admire those who care beyond the labels that separate us, but are quick to condemn everyone who may be living in a country across the border. We get teared up to read the story of an unlikely hero from the margins of the society, but treat the poor, the weak and the vulnerable in the society with the utmost indignity. We cheer for an immigrant in another country, but would shut all conversation when it comes to humane treatment of refugees in our own. Sacrifice sounds great only when someone else does it.

I have not had the honour of meeting Ahmad al-Ahmad. But one day, I hope I get to meet him, and others like him, who remind us that there is a better way to live, not just as an individual but as a community.