It was off-campus, so we all piled into a friend's SUV and made our way downtown. I only knew two other people in the group, and I didn't really know what to expect - but hey! This is was what college is all about!
The vigil was being held for the conflict in Syria, specifically, as a demonstration to our country's leaders that war was not a good path to go down. I am a pacifist, so I agreed with the general sentiment, but as speaker after speaker stood before the steps of the courthouse where we were gathered, my eyes were opened. A pastor, an Iraq veteran, an Arabic college professor, a carpenter, a conservative political activist - all stepped forward and spoke their wisdom and passion to the crowd.
I knew next to nothing of the Syrian conflict when I walked up to the courthouse, but this is what I walked away with: If one judges this issue based on anything other than human beings, it is wrong. There are stories, homes, lives at stake - not just statistics and logistics - and lives are not dispensable.
After the speakers were done, we lit candles and walked around the building as we sang. Our group paused before returning to the parking garage, stood on the sidewalk in a circle, arms around each other, and prayed. I listened to the earnest pleas and the fiercely murmured affirmations, saw tears hit the concrete at our feet, and added my voice to the cries for peace.
For once, I didn't plug my ears and avert my eyes. I didn't brush off the news stories with my usual mantra of "I hate politics". I didn't fall into the stereotype of a teenager too busy with my own life to care about the lives of my brothers and sisters. I didn't stand paralyzed as injustice and violence marched on. None of us did.
We refused to stand by and let it happen.
