Funny thing: this evening I have a meeting planned with a Christian family from Syria. Why are they in the United States? Because they saw their children again and again denied jobs and academic placements, in Baathist secular Syria, because they were Christians. Christians are streaming out of the Middle East because of the constant discrimination and harassment they face: remnants of the dhimmi system arising from the resurgence of Islamic radicalism and deeply embedded cultural attitudes. These church leaders dare not address that, for they know that things would go even worse for their people if they did. To try to maintain their precarious position, they become willing mouthpieces for the regime. From the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), with thanks to the Constantinopolitan Irredentist:
Heads of the Christian communities in Syria on yesterday marked the 31st anniversary of the October Liberation War which was led by late President Hafez al-Assad.
In their sermons, the archbishops and patriarchs stressed that the Arab victory was the result of national unity, the people’s faith in their just causes, and their determination to liberate and restore their usurped lands and rights.
They also reiterated that people who struggle to liberate their lands will defeat the occupiers for as long as the occupation continues.