The crisis in Syria has been ongoing since March of 2011. On September 4, in a 10 to 7 decision, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee passed the resolution authorizing the United States to strike Syria in response to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s use of chemical weapons against Syrian civilians. The use of chemical weapons killed upwards of 1400 civilians, including at least 400 children. As the international political community directs its attention to the ongoing conflict in Syria, it is imperative that we as college students be informed about the issue. As members of the voting populace, maintaing our status as an informed electorate will help shape the future of this country and of Syria.

Today at 5 p.m., Brown faculty members will hold a teach-in on the conflict in Syria. The professors who will be leading the teach-in are Professors Beshara Doumani (Middle East Studies), Elias Muhanna (Comparative Literature), and Naoko Shibusawa (History); their varied academic disciplines will help shed light on the conflict in a comprehensive, engaging, and incredibly academic manner.

Make sure to head to List 120 for the event. If you can’t make it, you can watch the live stream video at this link. We will also be live-tweeting (follow us @BlogDailyHerald) the event for a real-time lowdown on what our professors are saying. At the end of the event, we hope you will take time to reflect on things you might have learned, as well as the conflict in general. If you feel inspired, reach out to your representatives and express your opinions. Both the Senate and the House have yet to come to a consensus on the future actions of the United States. Every effort you make can help influence the futures of thousands of people.

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At 4:30 yesterday afternoon, members of Occupy Providence met at Burnside Park to march up the hill to Brown’s Main Green. Protesters carried signs, played make-shift instruments, and chanted things like “we are the 99%, you are the 99%” and “banks got bailed out, we got sold out.” Passing drivers honked their horns and cheered out their windows in support. With Brown Police standing by, Occupy Providence paraded under Faunce Arch and filed into a packed Salomon DeCiccio Auditorium to attend the Teach-In for Occupy College Hill. Occupy Providence has since released its first mission statement to the public.