An Important Open Letter

Avete Brothers & Sisters,

As anyone who has looked at this blog recently can see, we are concerned over the current situation in Burma. I wish I had known enough about this before, but unfortunately this long-term situation is only now coming to the attention of most Americans.

Not only have numerous civilians and Buddhist monks alike been beaten, arrested, and killed already, but the UN’s efforts to intervene have been stalled by China’s refusal to do anything about the situation. I may not be a big fan of international interventions, but human rights violations are my one exception. I find the lack of a concrete international response to be unconscionable in light of the desires of the men and women involved in the peaceful uprising. What are these desires which produce such intense rage in the hearts of the Burmese military government? Liberty, democracy, and the simple right to life. These are similar to the reasons why China has done everything in its power to stem the tide of popular Buddhism within its own borders and abroad. Buddhism encourages liberation and discourages the fear of earthly powers.

That said, I will begin a partial “hunger strike”* in which I will eat only simple rice and drink only water to simulate the diet of those thousands of villagers who have been displaced since the takeover of the military junta in Burma. And yet I still will have many advantages: my rice and water will be clean and disease-free, and I will not have to walk through wilderness in constant worry of being caught by military guards who will arrest, rape, and/or kill my family and friends on sight.

I do this to make myself realize in some small way what these people are going through. Also, I hope that this will bring some measure of attention from my friends and family, that I may share with them just what this issue is really about and how terrible it is.

Throughout this process, I will be sending e-mails, letters, and phone calls to members of congress, to the UN, to the Olympics council, and to the Chinese government. I will not return to my “regular American diet” until some significant progress has been made and the UN has succesfully come to an arrangement with Chinese cooperation.

I ask that anybody who reads this, anybody who values liberty and life, make their voices heard among the governments of the world. Let it be known that you are a peaceful person, in favor of a peaceful resolution to the world’s problems. Stand up for your ideals!

In Peace Profound,
Nicholas Graham

*I only use the term hunger strike because I don’t know what other term to use. I’m not actually striking from anything, or trying to get anybody’s attention with this stunt. It’s just a way for me to try to understand in some small way what the displaced villagers and imprisoned protestors have to put up with. In the interest of full disclosure, it turns out that I’m hypoglycemic and I will unfortunately have to supplement my diet a little bit to keep from being hospitalized and unconscious. Ah well… So much for grand ideas. Still, it makes me realize just how lucky I am!