When people fear the government, there is tyranny. When the government fears the people, there is liberty
Thomas Jefferson
Exposing the Dark Playbook of Authoritarian Regimes
Around the world, authoritarian regimes might look different, but they all use the same dirty tricks to keep their grip on power. This series will dig into how these regimes; whether in Israel (/ Occupied Palestine), Iraq, Syria, Turkey or elsewhere: manipulate nationalism to pit groups against each other, using fear and division to maintain control.
The leaders of these regimes are experts at twisting nationalism and religion to legitimize their rule. They unite some people by demonizing other minorities, all while deflecting criticism, through focusing on other oppressors and other struggles. They craft a façade of defending noble causes while silencing dissent and manipulating identities to keep the majority in line.
These regimes exploit fear and division to stay in power, no matter how different their surface appearances may be they rely on the same textbook to rule. This series will strip away the masks they wear and show the brutal techniques they use to crush opposition and control People's Lives.
Struggle against erasure: Resisting the Whitewashing of the Syrian Revolution
Arabs, Kurds, Christians, Alawites, and Muslims, Syrians of all backgrounds and genders marched together, carrying Kurdish and Syrian flags, chanting for freedom and equality, demanding Assad to resign. These protests represent the heart of the Syrian revolution: resilience in the face of 80 years of Al-Ba'ath Party’s murder, torture and repression machines. Today, that united struggle faces new threats. White activism attempting to rewrite it, erasing the sacrifices of the millions of Syrians who fought, bled, and died for Syria’s freedom.
This has always been, and still is, a fight for freedom, justice, and equality long before white activists learned to find Syria on a map or pronounce 'Azadi', the Kurdish word for freedom. Continue reading to learn how Syrians collectively resisted, and how their voices are being erased and history rewritten by those who seek to redefine their revolution.