If you haven’t heard of Sophie’s Choice (both William Styron’s book and Alan Pakula’s film adaptation featuring Meryl Streep are top notch), you should definitely check them out. The story involves a woman who, upon arriving at Auschwitz with her son and daughter, must choose which child will be immediately “eliminated” and which will be allowed to live … well, as much as life in a concentration camp can be considered “living”.
Unquestionably a work of fiction, right?
Except that something very similar is going on in Africa right now … yup, in 2011.
The tales pouring out of east African nations, notably Somalia, of terrible choices faced by mothers are heartwrenching.
Wardo Mohamud Yusuf walked for two weeks with her 1-year-old daughter on her back and her 4-year-old son at her side to flee Somalia’s drought and famine. When the boy collapsed near the …