Three months ago, if you had asked me about whether or not the United States should go to war with Iraq I would have had torn feelings about my answer. Typically, I am not a violent person, I don’t feel that violence is the answer to anything, but because of a great fear of the future, my answer might have been out of my norm. I felt that we should not wait to be attacked by anyone if we knew it was coming. I felt that if it was what had to be done for my safety and for the safety of the people I love, maybe war was the way to go. I now know it is not.

       Being involved in Synthesis has taught me a lot and brought me to the realization that I am not a citizen in favor of a war with Iraq. I was shown the cold facts of what was really going on. What the war was really going to be about, and that it was not at all a war based on what I had thought. Lying and covering-up of what was really the truth, what was really going on; this is what had caused my fear and feelings of threat, to make me  feel that violence was the only way to remain safe. I was pissed. I had been lied to so that my feelings would be manipulated in a way that made me feel that war was the answer, lied to so that a war in my name would be ok… It is not ok. After my realization, I wanted show that I was not a citizen in favor of this war, or any war for that matter, and that I was not going to stand by in the dark and not fight for what I felt was right. A perfect place for me to do this was the peace rally in D.C.

       I was amazed as the bus entered the city. The streets were swarmed
 with hundreds of different people from all different places. Stepping off
 of the bus, I had stepped into a world I had never been in. The streets
 were mobbed, full of busses and people making their way to the rally
area. Carrying my little peace sign, I made my way to where the majority
of the protesters were. The noise, the colors, the diversity, the numbers
of people, the signs, the costumes, the speakers, the police, the drummers, the singers amazed me. All of these people had come
 together to rally for peace and to show the American government that
 this war is not ok and that it is not the answer.

       Standing on flat ground I was unable to see the amount of people there, but I could feel the presence of many people. As we began the march I could see the masses. A sea of people swept over Washington. I had never been in a crowd so big and I loved it.

By: Dyami Nason-Regan, RHVS Synthesis

       Synthesis is an essential element in combating the growing apathy among youth. Our goal, by expanding our projects and topics is to get more of the student body and community involved. Another positive attribute of becoming a chapter of Synthesis is the opportunity to network with other high schools and colleges in building a united student movement!

         Rondout Synthesis, with the help of the Rondout Drama Club, SUNY New Paltz Synthesis, and SUNY Ulster Synthesis is working on a plan to encourage the growth of the network. We are preparing an assembly, during which we will demonstrate the many aspects of Synthesis. We will then bring this production to other high schools as an introduction to Synthesis.

       Stated in a recent PBS documentary, "Merchants of Cool", the youth segment of the United States' population makes up a greater part of the whole than ever before. This represents an undeniable strength. We must unite and use this to our advantage. In establishing a network of educated freethinkers, we will work toward a truly democratic society, based on peace and justice.