In Syria, just recently, there was a chemical gas attack on the Syrian people.

Nobody is sure who committed this terrible crime, but most of the evidence leads to either the Syrian leaders or the Rebels. The most probable gas that was used in the attack was a gas called Sarin gas because it causes the same symptoms that the Syrian people are all having. Because of this terrible incident, there have been about 1,429 deaths in Syria, with about 426 being the deaths of children. Many people say that the Syrian government led this alleged attack, but the Syrian leaders have been refusing this accusation. There have been many videos with explicit photography across the internet showing what the people in Syria have been going through. Many medical assistants are in Syria doing their best to help those who are still alive. The buildings in Syria are filled with bodies lined up in rows waiting to be assisted. Most of the people in the videos have most of their clothes off because once the Sarin gas gets on clothing, it takes thirty minutes to reach the skin and sink into the flesh. If people take their clothes off, they have a better chance of surviving. On Monday September 9, 2013 President Obama will be presenting his own personal case and opinions to the United States government. President Obama claimed that the United States was going to attack the Syrian government, but try not to harm any innocent people in the process. The weird thing, though, is that President Obama declared this to the whole United States community without having Congress vote on it first. Most of those in Congress dont want to attack Syria at all. If the United States does attack the Syrian government, the U.S. needs to be sure that the Syrian government actually attacked their own people, or if someone else attacked them. There needs to be certainty because if the U.S. does attack the Syrian government, it will surely start a big war. If Congress does not vote for the attack on Syria, what will President Obama do?

The Pope has sent out a letter to all people calling on peace everywhere. Pope Francis is crying for a plea, through our Lord, Jesus Christ, for a peaceful world without any war or violence. Peace is a precious gift that should be promoted and protected, proclaimed Pope Francis. The Pope is trying to get everyone, including Catholics, Christians, people from other religions, and even those who do not believe in God, to listen to their own conscience and to work for the good of others, not just themselves. Violence is never good, and it always brings out the devil, which is a terrible thing. The Pope is asking that every kind of group and community try everything in their own power to make this world a more peaceful place that parents should be proud to bring children into. Pope Francis declared that Saturday, September 7, 2013, the vigil of the birth of Mary, be a day of prayer and fasting for the intentions of those in Syria. On that same Saturday, in Saint Peters Square, the Pope is going to gather with a huge crowd to ask for mercy on us all, and to invoke Christs great gift of peace on Syria and every conflict in our sinful world. The Pope also wants individual churches to: Ask Mary to help us respond to violence, to conflict and to war, with the power of dialogue, reconciliation and love. She is our mother: may she help us to find peace; all of us are her children! Help us, Mary, to overcome this most difficult moment and to dedicate ourselves each day to building in every situation an authentic culture of encounter and peace. Mother, Queen of Peace, pray for us! I also have my own opinions on the touchy subject involving Syria. Pope Francis actually did change my mind about this issue. I agree with him that we need peace in our world, but I never realized how precious and important peace was, until now. It is very important for everyone to pay attention to our worldly issues, but it is especially important for Catholics to pay attention to the issues because we, as Catholics, are given the responsibility to pray to God for help and to gather in our Church communities to pray for special intentions. Even one day of

fasting and prayer can help the whole world. God watches us all the time. When He notices that people are coming together to help one cause, it makes Him want to fix the problem even more because of how much we are showing that we need God. I do not believe that President Obama should follow through with his idea of attacking the Syrian government. I do not believe that the United States should just sit around and watch, either. In my personal opinion, I believe that people all over the world should just come together to help those in Syria, and that government leaders everywhere should talk to the Syrian government together. Talking through feelings and problems is way more influential than violence. As Pope Francis says, War begets war, violence begets violence.

Erika Suniga Mr. Vanderzee WGeo/7th September 7, 2013

Syria