PEACE community, consider thoughtful words of Syrian Americans as you think about Congress' vote next week. http://t.co/yduqX4kIt0
— Rep. Keith Ellison (@keithellison) September 5, 2013
You can bet that with that kind of nuance, Rep. Ellison isn't going to be asked to appear on any of the cable network shows.
But I'd ask you to do what the Congressman has requested: take a moment to read the letter to the anti-war movement from the group known as United for a Free Syria.
While based upon good intentions, the anti-war movement today may inadvertently be standing with forces that support a continuation of the conflict in Syria. The conflict in Syria has reached a new level after the Syrian regime carried out large-scale chemical weapons attacks on August 21, 2013, killing more than 1,400 people in the suburbs of Damascus. This large scale use of chemical weapons is a serious and dangerous escalation, a bold sign of the regime’s disregard of US warnings, and a clear indication of the regime’s willingness and capacity to engage in future attacks on an even greater scale...No matter where you find yourself on the political spectrum, surely the words of these particular Americans should be factored in to your opinion about what our country should do. Thank you Rep. Ellison for being willing to listen.
Although you may still remain skeptical of action, non-acting only costs more civilian lives. Just last week in Syria, on September 1st, the Syrian regime launched 43 airstrikes on the country killing dozens of civilians. As Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, the International Red Cross, and other non-government organizations have documented the use of air power by the Syrian regime against its civilian population is a war crime. Syria is already being bombed but by its own government. The use of chemical weapons by the regime to kill over 1400 civilians is a significant escalation and truly a red line that goes against basic international norms, peace, and human decency. By not acting, the Assad regime and other dictatorships around the world will only be emboldened to use these weapons in large amounts against their civilian populations when their regimes are challenged.
Unfortunately, his colleagues in the House respond to nuance the same way cable tv does.
ReplyDeleteI take these words and this insight very seriously. If it is not our responsibility to stand against tyranny, whose IS it?
ReplyDeleteThe media in this country has learned nothing at all. They pushed for the Iraq war giving the mic to the majority of people who wanted war. Today they give the mic to the majority of those who do not want intervention into Syria. When will the media learn what should be their true purpose - give truth to the public. If an issue is complex the media needs to expose its audience to "sane" discussion and not just give one side. All I see are opponents of intervention, but they never give an alternative. Of course at Rangel implied that it's Muslims killing Muslims so what the hell. Grayson laughed at the whole Syria problem and then set up a fundraising page.
ReplyDeleteThe media makes the false equivalency between intervening in Syria and the Iraq war. Personally, I have turned of MSNBC because they have an agenda and it is now and has been for a long time - oppose President Obama. Hayes and Maddow are either libertarians or lean libertarian. Maddow has never said she is a supporter of President Obama. The pundits on MSNBC support Greenwald, Snowden, Putin and Assange. So that tells me all I need to know. They are giving more credit to Putin than to President Obama.
Soon, at least one of them will start telling Democrats not to vote in 2014 like they did in 2010.
What troubles me is this you people had nothing to say when Bush lied and took this Country to war time and time again, This isn't about a war in Syria any more this is about President Obama, and I find it interesting that the Republicans Congress would take the word of Putin over our President Obama, it's becoming damn right embarrassing for the World to see how our President is being treated, and the Democrat ed Congress is no better , you line up to go on television to say how you feel about our President , and this is at a time when he's away trying to talk to other World leaders , you have something to say to him say it to his face not to the World, I don't give a damn any more how you vote.
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