On Saturday local peace activists and members of Dayton’s Syrian community held a rally against military intervention in Syria. A small but passionate group of about 50 people stood along Main Street at Courthouse Square holding signs with slogans like “Honk for Peace” and “No Attack on Syria.”
Parris Hobbs of Dayton helped organize the rally. Flanked by fellow protesters, he called out the groups message to drivers and pedestrians, and sang the refrain "Give peace a chance."
Hobbs said, "We are out here rallying for peace and urging people to call the senators and their house representatives to vote no on [President] Obama's request for military strikes in Syria."
Hobbs says that after the rally his group would wait for congress to decision this week but if they choose military action against Syria, they’ll be joining many others across the country in continued protests.
Beth Salama is a Syrian American living in Centerville. She also helped organize the rally, and believes that American involvement in Syria will lead to more deaths - for Syrians and Americans, adding that "Any United States interference in Syria is not going to help solve any problems." Salama fears U.S. interference will only strengthen Al Qaeda.
In his weekly radio and internet address, President Obama said the US “cannot turn a blind eye” to the grim images coming out of Syria. He’ll likely continue to make that case when he addresses the nation on Tuesday Evening.
