America’s attention deficit that’s killing Ukrainian children

The “breaking news” cycle is exhausting. Everyday something happens which trumps everything that came before it. This keeps the news cycle fresh, but is anyone stopping to ask, “what are we missing?” 

Just think about two weeks ago. An assassination attempt on a former president Saturday. On Monday, attention shifted to the 2024 Republican National Convention, the announcement of Trump’s running mate and entertainers like Kid Rock and Hulk Hogan. To bookend the week, President Biden announced he will drop out of the presidential race and has endorsed Vice President Harris. 

So much is happening, and so fast. These events are relevant to our present and future; they deserve our attention. Still, our chronically brief attention span means we move on too quickly from significant events.

For example, just days before the assassination attempt on the former president, Putin’s missiles targeted a Ukrainian children’s hospital — a children’s hospital! The BBC reported that 36 people were killed and 140 people were injured.

Even before this terrorist attack, UNICEF noted a 40% rise in the death of Ukrainian children because of Russia’s war against Ukraine. The trauma of war will scar millions more children and teenagers for a lifetime. As a parent, I cannot imagine putting my children to bed not knowing if they will make it through the night. What happens to the minds, bodies, and souls of children when they must run to bomb shelters daily? If a hospital — a place of healing — isn’t safe, what will become of their sense of security and self-worth?

The missile that struck the hospital was one of nearly 40 launched at Ukraine that day, many of which were thankfully shot down by Ukrainian armed forces. But it’s become harder for Ukraine to defend against Russia’s missiles on its own. Just weeks before the hospital attack, Iran launched more than 300 missiles and drones at the nation of Israel. Unlike Ukraine, 99% of those missiles and drones were intercepted with the help of Western partners. As a fierce defender of human life, I celebrate the fact that the Iranian attack was thwarted and that lives were preserved, but I’m angry at the double standard that’s killing Ukrainian children.

At the RNC, Speaker Mike Johnson made a reference to the innate value of human life. Our — and the world’s — muted response to Putin’s terror attack against children gives one the sense that some human lives don’t have the same value as others.

On multiple occasions, President Biden has said that the U.S. will not walk away from Ukraine and will give Ukraine the support it needs. But support has been limited and slow, and for a long time, it has come with restrictions. Former President Trump has claimed that he will end the war in Ukraine in 24 hours. It’s unclear how he plans to do that while maintaining the territorial sovereignty of Ukraine and ensuring that Russia will be held accountable for its crimes.

The U.S. and its allies know that Russia is killing Ukrainian civilians, including children. Western forces can stop terrorist attacks, as they did in Israel earlier this year. Ukrainians, and Ukrainian children, will keep dying until someone has the moral courage and integrity to provide decisive global leadership.

I don’t care if you’re a Democrat or a Republican, Ukrainian children shouldn’t be pawns in our presidential election. Regardless of who is sworn into office on January 20, 2025, that person must lead with integrity and consistency. This means fewer strong words and more, clear actions. Russia must be stopped from destroying the lives of Ukrainian children. Every single missile and drone that enters Ukrainian airspace must be destroyed with help from allies. Ukraine needs the funding and weapons to defend itself against Russian aggression — not two years from now, but right now. 

If, like me, you’re frustrated by what you’re seeing, you can find a way to make a difference without waiting on the government to intervene. Educate yourself on the real issues surrounding the war against Ukraine. Thoughts and prayers can certainly be encouraging, but you can also use your voice, your hands and your resources to advocate for those in need. Consider investing some of your dollars to deliver aid to Ukrainians in need. At The Renewal Initiative, we see the difference that ordinary people can make by committing to restore dignity and hope where it’s been stolen or lost.

I don’t know the outcome of our November election or what kind of difference it will make in Ukraine, but I want the killing of Ukrainian children to stop. All terrorism must be held to the same standard — whether it’s terrorism against a presidential candidate, or Israel, or Ukraine, or even against innocent civilians in Gaza. We cannot allow the torrent of breaking news to distract us from appropriately grieving the loss of innocent human life and holding aggressors accountable.

Tyranny advances in a world where evil against others is unaccountable.