Editor's note: George Newcomb is an American Photographer and a hardliner advocate for Syrian people and its revolution in the United States; he gained peerless respect within activists’ ranks. Newcomb studied political science at Howard University in Washington, DC. He hosts his own website www.festivaldc.com which is part of The Pan American/pan-African association. Zaman Alwasl’s reporter Faris Al Rifai has interviewed him online and here’s the story.
My obsession
with covering Syrian revolution actually began since its beginning in march
2011, when as a photographer I ventured in front of white house in Washington,
dc and saw some protesters, both Syrian and Libyan, I struck up conversation
and young man told me they come every weekend. So, I began showing up and
taking photos. At first, there was suspicion of me because they didn't know who
I was, but after time, the trust developed and I became close friends with many.
As I learned more and more about what was going on in Syria and the history of
dictatorship, fear, etc, I became very sympathetic with my new friends' cause and
with that came a commitment.
I look at
myself first as a human being, not a Muslim or Christian or anything else ...
when people are getting slaughtered, how could one's heart not feel pain
regardless of where those fellow human beings are coming from?
A major part
of the Decline in the international public opinion regarding the Syrian Revolution,
I think, is ignorance, particularly here
in America because most Americans view anyone from the middle east as a
"terrorist" ... we are a country full of freedoms, but also full of
ignorance and hate.
There may
very well be geo-political problems also ... it's hard to judge what those in
power are thinking sometimes.
Goodwill Ambassador
My main
function -now- is to use my skills as a photographer ... I photograph virtually
every rally and other activities to show those in Syria that they do have
support from many Syrian Americans as well as educating the American public as
to what is going on. I've also participated in clothing drives and other
humanitarian fundraising activities
Most of all,
I’m trying to be a Goodwill Ambassador as an American and set an example for my
fellow Americans.
We all realize our efforts are a very small contribution, but we can't sit idly by and do nothing.
Al Qaeda changed the Picture
Obviously,
with Al Qaeda entering the Syrian scene, it only allowed people with pre
conceived notions about Syrians to express their prejudices ... so their
thoughts haven't changed, it just confirms in their minds what they always
believed, not knowing that the revolution was just as non violent in the
beginning as the civil rights movement was here in the 60's ... only in Syria,
the revolution turned bloody because Assad’s killings of non violent protesters
It does seem
that the Obama administration has always bought time ... and with the chemical
weapons agreement with Assad allowed them to forego the intervention
Regarding torture images, which have been revealed recently, I can't look
at anymore, not since there was one of a 4 month old girl beaten
to death in front of her parents ... that was what propelled me the most to be
committed to the revolution ... that image alone.
Intervention
is the answer
For those
who think war or intervention is not the answer, then they are not realistic
because Assad will just keep killing and killing to remain in power. Let's take
the lesser of two evils and get rid of Assad so Syrians can begin rebuilding a
once beautiful nation and live in peace and harmony with one another. It would
take a long time for true peace and harmony to take place in Syria, but as long
as Assad is in power, the journey toward that goal will just get set back
farther and farther.
No one
should like violence, but like I said, the lesser of two evils will help reduce
the long run amount of violence.
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