News Comment 9-19-13

I thought this was a really well written article. It was about the human aspect of large issues rather than the political or economic focus that is normally given. It gave a new perspective to a conflict that everyone seems to be commenting on lately. I think the author Ben Keesey made some great points and made the conflict in Syria a little more relatable for everyone. He mainly discusses relating this conflict to our own lives. He asks the reader to imagine if he or she were in the conflict and facing a chemical weapon. He asks the reader to consider that as a human being our responsibility to help one another doesn’t end because of geographical distance, different religious beliefs, or any other difference. He makes the point that we are all human beings, out lives are all worth the same, and we have a duty to help one another.

I think at times the article plays a little to much to the emotional side of the readers. It forces the reader to have an emotional response and so a strong response to the article. This is maybe a good and a bad thing. It gets a reaction from the reader about the article, but it also may cause the focus to be taken off of the actual conflict.

I’m not sure that he fully answered the question he began the article with, “The situation in Syria is terrible, but what does that have to do with me”. He doesn’t say what he thinks we should do or why this foreign conflict does have to do with us, but he alludes to some answers. Clarifying some of that, may help the article.

I would have liked to hear more of his opinions on the other specifics of the Syrian conflict. I want to know what he thinks the government should do after writing this. As this article is a week old, I also want to know what he thinks of the current decisions that have been made.

“The Situation in Syria Is Terrible, but What Does It Have To Do With Me?“