Last week I asked my daughter if her AP Government and Politics class was discussing Syria. She said they had and commented that this country is always making others’ business our own; I agreed. She was not convinced that the United States should get involved. I am still on the fence.

I have had my head in the sand, so to speak, not wanting to absorb the enormity of this situation. As I expressed to my daughter, if the Syrian government is responsible for the chemical attack on its own people, something must be done. It is despicable that such a thing could be done to innocent civilians including children, let alone to fellow countrymen. Further, why did they do it? The two of us agreed that it seemed to be a test of the weapons (which is some word that has yet to be created). If so, what or where is the next target? For these reasons, I believe our President is looking at options. However I am unsure of this proposed action. It is always interesting that the U.S. wants to dole out punishment…

Having such a conversation with my teenage daughter is awesome and humbling. I am excited to hear her opinion and logic but humbled to have the responsibility to talk her through the realities of the world and its ugliness. I watched as she tried to wrap her mind around the atrocity committed and how power could be abused.

With a Congressional vote on the horizon and a resolution on the table, I am worried about all of it. This morning en route to my son’s school, I saw protesters across from the Rayburn Building with “Hands Off Syria” and “Stop War” signs- and I wanted to join them.

I just want to disengage, to stick my head back into the proverbial sand.