What's Best for Syria?

The people that live in Syria want their President Bashar Assad to step down.

That's what The West, and some Arab countries want you to think - though there are now holes being poked in that assumption.

A new study shows that 55% of Syrians want President Assad to stay in power, going against what Western Media has led us to believe.

Canadian Foreign Affairs, and the US Secretary of State have both been on the offensive, talking about the atrocities that occur in Syria daily.

They talk about the thousands of Syrian protesters who have been killed, or arrested just for being in opposition of the Syrian President.

Now, truth be told, it is difficult to see what is happening in that Middle Eastern Country, because of journalists being banned from the country for the most part. But it does appear to most people that atrocities are being committed on a regular basis.

So why do the Syrian people not want to go ahead with regime change?

There are a few theories out there. Many of those people live in the capital of Damascus, where few of the protests actually take place. If you don't see atrocities in your hometown, and widespread news comes to your town later, then it's not as bad as you think.

There's also the thinking that Syrians believe there could be mass war, and ethnic cleansing if Assad is ousted from power.

Right now, there is a draft measure before the United Nations Security Council, much like there was before the UN went into Libya, though Russia and China are denouncing the move.

In all likelihood, Assad will leave power one way or another - but will it be a case of doing what's best for the country? Or is big brother doing more harm than good?

Is Honour Killing Really Unique in Canada?

A day after 3 members of the same family were found guilty in an honour killing in Montreal, you would have a hard time finding anyone who disagreed with the verdict.

Mohammad Shafia, his son Hamed and his second wife Tooba Yahya have been convicted, by a Canadian jury, on four counts of first degree murder, in the deaths of Shafia's three teenage daughters, and his first wife in a polygamist marriage.

For the record, I think they got it right.

Now, I was not following the trial as closesly as some observers did; in fact there are some who believe that a book is in the works as several writers were in attendance for the full trial.

And that's where I have a problem with it.

While there is something to be said about the difference in cultures that resulted in the deaths of four vibrant individuals, it should be said that these deaths aren't the only ones that can be attributed to so-called honour.

Thousands of women are beaten, abused, emotionally attacked and even killed every year, because men feel that their honour is betrayed. In almost every case, women are attacked because they have challenged their partner in some way.

Whether it be turning down their sexual advances, or not fulfilling their partners unrealistic desires in other ways - it is always their misguided sense of honour that ends up being 'degraded,' which leads to the abuse.

Yet, we look at the Shafia murder trial as being an anomaly - a freak incident that allows us to look at a different culture, and find reason to hate it.

And to author a book about such a trial, makes us devalue the effect abuse has here at home. It's all around us. We don't need to buy the latest Harper and Collins offering to see it. Just look down your street.