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Neon Tommy - Annenberg digital news

Syria Decision Sparks Protests In L.A., Nationwide

Brianna Sacks |
August 31, 2013 | 5:36 p.m. PDT

Editor-in-Chief

(Sam Tah, a Syrian native, marching in L.A./Brianna Sacks, Neon Tommy)
(Sam Tah, a Syrian native, marching in L.A./Brianna Sacks, Neon Tommy)
Sam Tah, a Syrian native, waved his country's flag with one hand and held his young daughter's hand with the other. Together, they marched through the streets of downtown Los Angeles with hundreds of others protesting U.S. military action in Syria.

Born and raised in the Syrian city of Homs, Tah has lived in the United States for the last 12 years. His daughter was born here, and though he said his English is still "not very good," he considers America his home. But many members of Tah's family, including his brother and father, still live in Syria, and the idea America might attack his home country worries and angers him.

"What Obama needs to do is leave Syria alone and let the government there protect our civilian people," said Tah.

SEE ALSO: Syrian Conflict Recap

Sponsored by the organization Act Now to Stop War and End Racism (ANSWER), the protest was one of many that took place Saturday afternoon across the country. California hosted eight alone. 

The hundreds of protests against military action in Syria highlights the American divide on the issue, as the country has barely begun to recover from the insurmountable debt and loss of life caused by the Iraq War. Protestors like Tah believed it was not America's right, or its job, to attack Syria in the name of human rights.

"Everyone there [in Syria] supports President Bashar and are opposite terrorists and war, which is what the U.S. is supposed to stand for--opposed to terrorists and war," he said.

Obama addressed the American people in an unscheduled speech Saturday afternoondeclaring he was "ready to act" in Syria and hold Assad accountable for the devastating loss of civilian life from chemical attacks. But the president said he would follow the Constitution and seek Congressional authorization before intervening in Syria. Congress does not reconvene until September 9, so Americans will have to wait to learn whether another war will wage in the Middle East.

But Tah does not believe Assad was the one responsible for the attacks.

"Who used them [chemical weapons] are the terrorist people. They will kill everybody there," said Tah. "Everyone there supports Assad, and Assad opened his arms to U.N. inspectors."

Tah said the rebels were a facet of al Qaeda, and the fact America sided with rebel forces astounded him, his Syrian family members and many other Syrians.

Since Kerry's statement on Friday admonishing the Syrian regime, thousands gathered in Syria waving flags in support of Assad. 

Tah's family was relocated from their village in Homes after it was taken over by rebel forces, and keeping track of them has become increasingly difficult.

And as the world awaits for the results of a U.N. investigation on the reported chemical attacks finished just days ago, villages like Tah's continue to be decimated, and Syrian civilians are dying by the thousands. A U.N. report from June showed about 92,901 killings have been documented since last April, according to the New York Times. 

The number could now be as high as 108,000.

SEE ALSO: Russia Urges The U.S. Not To Use Force Against Syria

Peta Lindsay, a lead organizer for ANSWER, said Obama should listen to the thousands of citizens protesting in his country and "leave Syria alone."

"The U.S. needs to withdraw tom the Middle East all together," said Lindsay. "We are against the U.S. government cutting our funding for social programs, education and health care here at home and using that money to invade countries that don't want us there."

Robin Rosecrans, an Iranian-American and student at Cal State Los Angeles, agreed with Tah that a U.S. military attack supported facets of al Qaeda.

"Since when did al Qaeda become our best friends?" Rosecrans asked as he wiped sweat from his face during a break from protesting. "Syria is fighting al Qaeda insurgents and a U.S. military attack would give them the upper hand."

Like Tah, Rosecrans still has family in Iran, and he said U.S. led sanctions have made daily life increasingly difficult for Iranians.

"My family says prices have gone up for everything," said Rosecrans. "Iran is being punished for their nuclear program, but it's hurting civilians. Iran is Syria's closest ally, and Iran doesn't want war."

Protestors in Los Angeles waved signs stating, "No More Wars in Arab Lands." Their voices rang with slogans such as, "Obama lied, People Died," and "Leave Syria Alone."

"The people of the world have the right to choose their own destiny, and it shouldn’t be controlled or influenced by the U.S.," said Lindsay.

As the hundreds of L.A. marchers turned down Hill Street, Tah said that there was already enough war in Syria without Americans getting involved.

"No more war," he said. "Syria needs to find peace on its own. They need to do something to protect all those people and save the blood from the streets."

See all of Neon Tommy's Syria Coverage here.


Reach Editor-in-Chief Brianna Sacks here.



 

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