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Syria
M
y husband and I were in the Middle East in 2010, including Syria and Egypt. Bashar alAssad is a monster, and folks told us quietly that he was not this nice ophthalmologist with a do-gooder wife as the completely government-controlled press portrayed him. In Egypt, folks told us Mubarak had to go. Here we are over three years later: 100,000 Syrians are dead and I don’t know how many Egyptians; so how is all this working out? Morsi was dreadful, and in Iraq, the killings go on and ditto Afghanistan and Iran. Well, you get the point. Even if Assad were to go tomorrow, things are not going to get better. The Sunnis outnumber the Alawites, who are in charge. The Sunnis do not like the Alawites nor the Shiites, and the Shiites do not like anyone as near as I can tell. Many of the wonderful people I met in Syria may be dead or have fled the country. They were Sunnis, and many lived in Aleppo and Homs. We cannot fix it. I hope Lois Capps and other members of Congress look at history. The Shiites and Sunnis have not gotten along since 600 a.d. This is not fixable. — Linda Thom, Coupeville, WA
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n the news article “Syria Vote Looms” [9/5/13, independent .com/syriavotelooms] you quote Mark Juergensmeyer saying, “The great lesson that Gandhi taught anyone who believes in peace and conflict resolution is that you need to have leverage.” Let’s look at some other quotes from Mahatma Gandhi. “I object to violence because when it appears to do good, the good is only temporary; the evil it does is permanent.” “Victory attained by violence is tantamount to a defeat, — Suzanne Brown, S.B. for it is momentary.”
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Open Letter to Rep. Lois Capps: know this may seem strange coming from a pacifist and someone who opposed both the Iraq and Afghan wars, but I think President Obama’s proposed strike in response to Assad’s chemical weapons attack may be a good thing, and be conducive to peace. I think the only viable road to peace in Syria is the sixpoint UN plan proposed by Kofi Annan in February 2012,
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and quickly rejected by Assad. It would have protected the interests of the Alawite and Christian minorities, and it would have provided a voice for the Sunni majority and enabled a transition to shared power without violence. Alas, people only negotiate when they think they have to, and if Assad thinks that he cannot easily win this thing — especially not through the easy route of chemical warfare — this may push him toward the negotiating table. I know there are risks, but inaction itself would be a risky — Mark Juergensmeyer, Director, Orfalea option. Center for Global and International Studies, UCSB
Drop-In Needed
T
he article “Shelter Cutbacks” [8/22/13, independent .com/sheltercutbacks] implies homeless drop-in centers work by some sort of passive osmosis. Actually, just sitting in a drop-in center will not motivate someone. People in need accept help when they are welcomed and treated as worthy and dignified human beings. A level of trust develops that is the basis for change. A drop-in center is a vital link between the streets and housing. It can be simple, offering friendship, advocacy, and referrals to other agencies, or multifaceted like the “one-stop model” Casa Esperanza is closing. Please do not underestimate the value of having many services in one place. Navigating the complex system of social services and medical care in this county is challenging for any adult. Introduce poverty, a disability, or addiction, and it becomes exponentially more difficult. Most of the 120 men and women who stay at the Rescue Mission every night are decent people who are homeless for reasons other than laziness or lack of character. Closing Casa Esperanza’s Day Center will force them to face increased time, energy, money, and frustration getting the services they need to move to a better place in life. If you want to end homelessness, please support the reestablishment of drop-in centers in Santa Barbara. — Jill Wallerstedt, Supervisor, Homeless Guest Services, Santa Barbara Rescue Mission
The Power of Sangoma Healing Medicine with Dr. David Cumes Saturday, Sept 14 • 1:30 to 3:30pm $25 in advance • $35 at the door
Divine Heart Activation Intensive with Paramahansa Jagadish Sunday, Sept 15 • 2:00 to 4:00pm • $40
Workshop Series on Spiritual Entrepreneurship with Susan Alan Part 1 - Tuesday, Sept 17 • 7:00 to 9:00pm • $30
For the Record
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¶ Two of the high school football games in last week’s cover story (Beverly Hills at San Marcos and Cabrillo at Dos Pueblos) have been changed to Thursday, September 12.
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THE INDEPENDENt
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