Humanitarianism

Humanitarianism is an important theme in the book “The Heart and the Fist: The Education of a Humanitarian, The Making of a Navy Seal” by Eric Grietens. Humanitarianism is the belief and practice of the alleviation of suffering for imperiled people based on their moral worth as human beings. Humanitarianism is not only an important theme in Eric’s book, but in Eric’s life. He considers humanitarianism to be equal and as equally important as his being a SEAL –requiring both courage and compassion to assist others in need.

When Eric is in college, he spends most of his vacation time traveling around the world, learning about the history and cultures of other countries. Eric meets student anti-Communists in China, and is inspired by their courage and heroism, knowing how brutal the Chinese government has been toward its own people. This makes him want to reach out...