December 31st, 2016

There are two ways to be fooled. One is to believe what isn’t true. The other is to refuse to accept what is true. Soren Kierkegaard

I realized tonight that it’s much more frustrating to argue politics with people in person than it is on social media. Especially with close friends who are only familiar with the NATO/US narrative, by choice. Knowing we have opposing views I didn’t initiate the politics talk.

I was told, “you’re intelligent, how could you support a dictator”? I said because I’m intelligent I don’t believe the lies and propaganda spewed on mainstream media, and dig beneath the surface. “But he’s killing his people, he’s using chemical weapons”.. So I proceeded to explain how that’s false and even shared a recent post of mine that said that the Syrian state provided evidence that the opposition were the ones who used mustard gas not the SAA, but unfortunately they wouldn’t consider it. I asked that they please watch the 16 minute video I posted the other day about the truth about the war that msm doesn’t want you to hear. Again, that fell on deaf ears.

People completely shut out any information you want to give them and they say they don’t believe in conspiracy theories.

I briefly explained how this wasn’t a revolution, this wasn’t a civil war. Concluded with whether or not Syrians want Bashar is their choice no one has the right to make that choice for them. I told them that they can’t make an informed opinion without knowing both sides of the story. You need to know all the sides before you can decide what stance you want to take. I told them you need to use logic, why would someone that’s supported by most of his people need to commit these alleged atrocities? Does it make logical sense? One of them agreed with me that they don’t think that he used chemical weapons but that he is a dictator and should let someone else rule the nation. I explained he won two elections! No one put a gun to anyone’s head to make them vote for him. Many Syrians that were living in Lebanon stood for hours in line just to cast their votes for him. Why? They truly feel he is the best one to lead the country.

You can’t tell me that Syrians don’t want him when that’s not the case. The majority do. I explained some might not want him based solely on his religious sect. I explained how it’s a secular and nonsectarian country. How that has worked well for many years and people coexisted without any major issues.

At the end of the day, I am not sure if what I said made a difference or changed their opinions, but I was attempting to plant a seed.  I briefly yet firmly made a few points and sometimes that’s all we can do. The media propaganda beast is a vicious one, with deep pockets. Sometimes it feels like we make some progress, other times it might feel useless but it’s our duty to spread the truth. The oppressed are depending on us to be their voice. Keep strong my fellow truth advocates. At the end the truth always comes out.