Hello citizens of Aleppo,

I don't know if you can read this; by the time this article is published your city may lay in ruins. But if you are reading this, I want to say that I am sorry.

We have seen your videos. We have heard your cries for help. We have listened to your calls for freedom from a regime that cares only for its own power.

And we have done nothing.

And I am so sorry.

I know next to nothing about international politics. I do not know what America's representatives may risk by aiding you. But I am a human and you are human and I do know this: they should have tried harder. All of us should have.

You see, my America is a fast-paced society. We read gossip on social media about the Kardashian's latest outing and we laugh at photos of cats and dogs on the Internet. And we see terrible things happen to our fellow humans, and we do nothing. It appears as though we see the evil in the world and think that simply sharing a video about it will make that evil go away.

We are wrong. We do not like to admit this to ourselves, but we are wrong. Our country has been great for many reasons, but our decisions to leave people behind is not one of them.

I wish I knew what to do. I wish I knew how to help you. Instead of sharing your last cries for help, I wish I could do something about it. But I do not know how. I do not know enough, and I am so sorry.

I can write to you and apologize, but that does not save your people, your homes, your city. It will not save your freedom or protect you from a regime that intends to destroy you.

But I will do what I can. I will protest my government on your behalf; I will write to my government and plead for your aid; I will donate my time and my money to relief efforts to help you; and I will open my arms and welcome you into my country.

You need our help, Aleppo. You have been crying out for years, searching for ears that will listen and come and join your efforts for freedom, and we have done nothing.

Nothing.

I am so sorry.