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A dozen Syrians from Orange County loaded up into a van and set off at 3:45 am to take a cross-country journey to the East Coast.Their first stop will be to pay their respects to the family of slain combat journalist Marie Colvin who was killed during a bombardment in the city of Homs in Syria last month, according to the Orange County Register. The group has been in touch with Colvin's sister, and they plan to meet with the family to offer a "medal of honor" inscribed with the words, "The Syrian American community will never forget the great sacrifice. Freedom is always a worthy cause."
"Ms. Colvin was one person, but her loss had resonance across a country (Syria)," said Mazen Almoukdad, 54, an Anaheim resident who is making the trek. "We want her family to know that we are sorry they lost their daughter. And that they also gained a family of 20 million brothers and sisters."
From there the group plans to go to New York City and meet with United Nations officials, asking them to do something to stem the tide of bloodshed in Syria at the hands of the government. From there, they plan to head south to D.C. to protest in front of the White House.
On the way there, the group hopes to pick up other Syrian-Americans on the way in Arizona, Texas, Chicago and Detroit. Belal "Bill" Dalati, 46, who is leading the charge told the Register: "This is an issue very close to all of our hearts. We need to take action."
