I’m not exactly sure what kind of exposure Syria is getting in the American media but for those who don’t know the situation is getting increasingly worse. Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad and his security forces have been mowing down Syrian civilians, not only at anti-government protests, but also as they exit their mosques or attend the funerals of those who have already been slain by the military. 3,500 Syrians have been killed since protests broke out in March. Many estimates place that number much higher.
To add insult to injury, those wounded in protests face torture and abuse from within many of Syria’s government-run hospitals. It has become so widespread that people with gunshot wounds are being “treated” in basements with rudimentary equipment in an effort to avoid the hospitals. For more information on torture within Syrian hospitals please check out an article I wrote on the subject earlier this month:
http://bikyamasr.com/47864/report-rights-groups-say-torture-rampant-in-syrian-hospitals
In light of sanctions against the regime handed down by the Arab League earlier this week, there have been a wave of pro-government rallies and marches. Don’t let this BS fool you. They are little more than that, bullshit. 65% of the Syrian workforce is comprised of government employees and civil servants (the bureaucracy is Syria is hard to comprehend until you have dealt with it firsthand) and these people account for a majority of those protesting FOR the regime. They are present because they are under the threat of dismissal should they not participate.
In addition to the public employees who are showing their “support” for the regime, Syrian high school students are required to leave school and participate as well. Those who refuse face dire consequences. A 14-year-old student named, Mohammad Malla Essa, refused to participate in a rally and was shot in the chest at pointblank range in front of his classmates. Another, Tariq Salloum (15 years old) tried to escape participation, was chased down, hit by a truck, beaten, forced to swear allegiance to the president, and has been detained for two weeks.
Count your blessings everyone because this stuff is real. It is happening on a daily basis throughout Syria. While most 14-year-olds in the States are worried about acne, a biology test, or Facebook, these kids are standing up and dying for political rights and ideas that most of us never consider.
Footage of the two incidents has been captured and put on youtube. If you are feeling like you had a shitty day watch these and have things put in perspective for you. The first one is a bit graphic.
youtube.com/watch?v=5-QdqGQ5Auc
youtube.com/watch?v=xnJ6IkWmaxo
Hopefully my blogs will become a bit more cheerful in the future, but for the time being things in many Middle Eastern countries are pretty bad and getting worse. People NEED to know.
“The use of force alone is but temporary. It may subdue for a moment; but it does not remove the necessity of subduing again: and a nation is not governed, which is perpetually to be conquered.” -Edmund Burke, 1775
Concerned Citizen 
We can take some comfort in knowing that Bashar al-Assad will eventually get what he truly deserves. The world needs to know what is going on so that civilized countries can take the necessary action that will allow the Syrian people to have a fighting chance against this bastard. Hitler, Mussolini, Saddam all got their just reward. Eventually, Bashar al-Assad and his henchmen will get theirs too. Keep those reports coming!