We’ve lived so long under the spell of hierarchy—from god-kings to feudal lords to party bosses—that only recently have we awakened to see not only that “regular” citizens have the capacity for self-governance, but that without their engagement our huge global crises cannot be addressed. The changes needed for human society simply to survive, let alone thrive, are so profound that the only way we will move toward them is if we ourselves, regular citizens, feel meaningful ownership of solutions through direct engagement. Our problems are too big, interrelated, and pervasive to yield to directives from on high.
—Frances Moore Lappé, excerpt from Time for Progressives to Grow Up

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Activists in Syria: Muffled by Violence

Click here to access article by Anas Zarzar from Al Akhbar. 
Many opposition activists are dismayed by the militarization of the uprising, which began as peaceful demonstrations, even though they blame the regime for initiating the violence. Opinions are divided as to whether a return to peace is even a possibility.
Although this piece is a little light on the role of outside forces, it appears to me to be the best well-balanced and accurate assessment of the tragic situation in Syria. 

The Empire saw the widespread protests in Syria as a situation that they could exploit to extend their control over the region. Once again, we see how class based elites (the One Percents) manipulate people to serve their interests which basically are their mad pursuit of power and profit. 

I think that this Syrian cartoonist is an example of the real indigenous protestors in Syria: 


at
Labels: , , , ,