The Student News Site of Northern Michigan University

The North Wind

The North Wind

The North Wind

Meet the Staff
Molly Birch
Molly Birch
Editor-In-Chief

My name is Molly, and I am in my second year at NMU. I come from Midland, MI, probably one of the most boring places on earth. However, we do have the only Tridge in the world, so that’s pretty nifty...

The North Wind Editorial Sessions
About us

The North Wind is an independent student publication serving the Northern Michigan University community. It is partially funded by the Student Activity Fee. The North Wind digital paper is published daily during the fall and winter semesters except on university holidays and during exam weeks. The North Wind Board of Directors is composed of representatives of the student body, faculty, administration and area media.

RECORDS ON RECORDS — Teichman shows a variety of records on display at the Vinyl Emporium. With 10,000 records being brought in from downstate, there is something for everyone at the record show. Photo courtesy of Jon Teichman
Local record show promotes community connectivity
Megan VoorheesMarch 28, 2024

Journalist speaks on Syria

Journalist speaks on Syria

The Political Science and Public Administration department held in Jamrich room 1320, a World Affairs Council lecture by Rania Abouzeid, a journalist for 15 years. Like other talks, it was aired virtually from Calvin College in lower Michigan. A room of students along with a few community members attended this talk. The lecture “Life After the Arab uprising and the Islamic State” featured Abouzeid telling of her experiences in Syria. Abouzeid is the author of “No Turning Back: Life, Loss and Hope in Wartime Syria.”

She began by telling the story of Mohammad being beat, bribed and humiliated by police in his hometown. Unable to get justice, Mohammad set himself on fire in the street, later dying. This desperate act began an uprising on a much larger scale. Abouzeid talked about “how a country unraveled one person at a time.”

After the uprising of Mohammad’s small community, it spread to larger areas in the Middle East. People wanted to have self-worth and dignity, and across the region they began to break the barrier of fear. The impossible was happening as the people called for freedom and change.

Abouzeid told how the ruling regimes in the Middle East were built on fear. The unemployment was high, young people could not afford to marry and leave home. She noted that one-third of the population is under age 30, even higher in some areas. Simple goals are unattainable for the young people to be successful and earn a living. Abouzeid tells about refugees leaving the country. As many as half the population went to such places as Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon causing pressure on the smaller countries.

Story continues below advertisement

She ended the talk with questions both in person and over text, for those who were streaming the event live. Abouzeid said “the world is a really small place.” Policies are being made in Michigan and elsewhere that affect the rights of citizens.

The uprising in Syria is a humanitarian fight and a worldwide human rights issue, she said.

The right to expect peace and democracy are worth fighting for, and hope can flourish with the sharing of stories of survival during the conflict, Abouzeid added. With knowledge of the events in the Middle East, we can have an understanding of what has caused the uprising and what the solution may be, she said.

Each session airs every Tuesday at noon in Jamrich room 1320 and runs through March 26.

More to Discover