Syria is bleeding. Eastern Ghouta is burning. Thousands of innocent civilians are dying as the Syrian government continues waging havoc on the rebels. Chemical attacks are growing in number and so are the death rates. Russia, the primary benefactor and supplier of material, proposed a humanitarian pause from 8am to 2pm daily, with a corridor for people to flee the war ridden areas. Yet the fighting continues raging on and threaten the lives of Syrian civilians.

Syria’s civil war will mark it’s seven year anniversary March 15. The civil war began when Syrian security shot and killed protesters in Daraa. Bashar al-Assad, the president, apologized for the incident, yet never took formal action to prevent a future situation. Resentment towards the Syrian government grew due to a lack of freedoms as well as economic distress. The government suppression of these protesters furthered their anger. Since the start of the civil war in 2011, other groups of rebels have joined in fighting against the Assad government. These new groups frequently clash and fought one another.

The situation of fighting in Syria continues today. Assad has been accused of targeting his own civilians, proving this true in his use of chemical weapons on his own people. Cities under rebel control have been targeted ruthlessly; cities containing innocent men, women, and children. Eastern Ghouta was targeted in February of this year. The Syrian government has been backed by Russian warplanes which aided the number of bombings on Eastern Ghouta.

More than 500,00 Syrians have died. 11 million and more have had to evade their homes. Of Syria’s 10 million children, 8.6 million are in need of aid. Six million children are displaced from their families and are living as refugees. The civil war has triggered the largest refugee crisis since WWII. 2.5 million children have been forced to leave school. And well over 3 million children are vulnerable to the conditions of war; Hazardous material, landmines, bombings, and shoot outs.

In the rage of war, the U.S. has remained a spectator. Careful not to intertwine ourselves with the conflicts of others. Not aiding innocent civilians fearing for their lives.

Do you want to be a bystander to the mass murder of thousands? Do you want to watch as thousands lose their homes and lives? Do you want to ignore the problems of Syria?

You shouldn’t.

The U.S. needs to take action. United States people must beg for change, for a better future. We need to find a way to send resources and aid to those regions. The conditions are worse than imaginable. We need to take the lead in enforcing change and an end to brutal suffering. We can save lives.

But to do that. We must not forget. We must stay angry. And we must speak up. We must take a stand.

And if we do not, innocent lives will continue to be lost. Syria is bleeding. Eastern Ghouta is burning. And we must be grieving.