A civil war has been occurring in the country of Syria for almost five years, and now as it's capital city of Aleppo has fallen, there is sparse media coverage and a plea you may see from a few of your Facebook friends to "talk about Aleppo" or to better educate yourself on the situation. But Aleppo is in a state of destruction that most of the American public will never have to comprehend. While it is incredibly important to talk about Aleppo and to learn about the incredible devastation and ongoing violation of human rights, there is more to be done and more important ways to help.

Back in August, a video of this boy being put into an ambulance after an airstrike attack in Aleppo went viral. It is a horrific image that has led to the comparison of the children who washed ashore in Greece a few months previous, simply to escape the Assad regime. When children are affected, we are never supposed to turn a blind eye. Yet these atrocities continued until eventually the city fell and families were wholly displaced or met even worse fates. So what is there to do?

Unfortunately we have already elected a president who was vocally against taking in Syrian refugees, he even went so far as to say that they are nothing more than a "Trojan horse" for terrorism. But we as a country are so much more than Donald Trump and his policies. There are many opportunities to donate to charities that desperately need help to do the bare minimum. These charities include UNICEF, The Syrian American Medical Society, and Islamic Relief USA, though there are plenty more that are just as deserving and reputable.

America is a country full of people that were born into assumed privilege whether they'd like it or not. As a country we continue to be active in world politics and affairs, yet here is a war that has caused enormous ruin and the world and America as a whole have essentially turned a blind eye. Do more than talk about Aleppo. Make your distaste for our apathetic attitude known. The mainstream media will continue to ignore events like this if we as a public do not begin to insist that this coverage is necessary. Now is the time to be the empathetic people that we know ourselves to be. This is only one example of the devastation that has befallen a city that dared to stand up for their rights. The United States was formed by the decision to stand up for their rights. Talk about Aleppo. Donate to the organizations that can help Aleppo. Do not think that just because it will never affect you that it is not important or not what you and the American spirit represent.