For those of you following the news, you will have seen that the situation in Syria has rapidly deteriorated. (You can find an excellent summary of what is happening here, from the ever-wonderful BBC.)

As I am writing this, some reports are emerging of a deal that has been reached which could end the summary killings of civilians that have been reported, including of women and children, but the immediate crisis is far from over. It remains to be seen whether any agreements will be honored or whether summary killings will continue in what one UN official called a “complete meltdown of humanity.”

At moments like this, I desperately want to do something but am faced with a wall of helplessness. This time, I’m going to try harder. This post is part of how I am doing that.

Here are some things you can do to help:

• If you are financially able, donate to {trustworthy} organizations that are working to resolve this crisis. I donated to the International Committee of the Red Cross’ Syria Crisis Appeal.
• Attend rallies/demonstrations, if any are being held near you.
• Write to your Member of Parliament or Member of Congress.
• Share information with your network about what is happening in Syria.

These actions still make me feel helpless (especially because not all of these are possible for me, since I don’t know of any demonstrations near me) and pathetic. Like I’m trying to stop a tsunami with a piece of cardboard. But it’s all I know how to do.

There’s been a lot of bad news this year on the whole and I know that people are tired. I am, too. I’m tired of seeing injustice and lies and ugliness. But I don’t want to believe that a “meltdown of humanity” is a state that we are willing to accept. And we don’t have to accept it.

We can stop it.