Please click the image for more about the Free Burma blogger movement. Oh, and as if we needed one more reason to reduce our oil consumption:
Chevron Supports Myanmar’s Brutal Regime
Oil Lures West to Troubled Myanmar
It’s International Blogger’s Day for Burma October 4, 2007
Bird by Bird October 2, 2007
David Sedaris often writes about his sister who is consumed with the needs of animals, sometimes to hilarious extremes. For instance, in one of his essays, Sedaris describes a time when his cheapskate father, sick with some kind of infection or other, decides to take his dog’s antibiotics rather than pay the extra expense of going to the doctor himself. His sister’s response: how is the dog going to get better if dad keeps taking his antibiotics?
I think my concern for the environment may be comparable to David Sedaris’ sister’s love of animals and animal rights. At heart, there is a simplicity to both of our pet issues. We just love trees, the earth, air, dogs. But I think there may be something else at play, at least for me. I feel a need to do something positive for the world, but I don’t know how! I need to start simple.
One of the mantras in the show “Heroes” is “Save the cheerleader, save the world.” The butterfly effect-ish, all things are inextricably connected implications of this line are part of its appeal. But more than that, saving the cheerleader seems like something that can be done. It’s broken down, it’s achievable, it’s just one girl. (by the way, I have not seen any of the second season yet)
Susan Orlean, in her fantastic book The Orchid Thief, comes to find in her analysis of John Laroche, that obsessions of any kind are linked to the need to distill the vastness of the universe into something manageable by the human mind. Orleans’ conclusion is that the obsessive is really someone so overwhelmed by the complexity of the world, the he decides to stick to just one thing.
When Jenni and I began this blog, one of my motivations was to simplify activism in a specific and personal way. I felt compelled to start slow because I’m constantly overwhelmed not only by the complexity of the world, but by all its imperfection, disharmony and hatred. But as we’ve continued, I’ve noticed that what was intended as a simplification process has in fact become a fanning out of related issues: capitalism’s inherent violence, consumerism out of control, generosity, peace.
When Jenni posted about the injustices going on in Burma, my first thought was, “I can’t deal with this! It’s too much!” But as Karen described (see post Sept. 4, Karen’s Earth Day) her eco-habit changes as a spiritual practice, I’m also trying to apply the same sense of deliberateness and peace to the Burma situation as I would to decreasing my carbon footprint—just taking it step by step. What can I do now? I can sign a petition, I can say a prayer, I can do one small thing at a time.
War is Not Healthy for Children or Other Living Things September 27, 2007
While I do struggle with America’s open-market, world-domination style of democracy and its impact on the environment, economy, world security, etc., this week I feel especially grateful for my life of freedom and privilege.
Many of you may be reading about the protests in Burma and the violent crackdown on the monks and general populace. Burma is technically a democracy. It has a democratically elected government. But that government has been in hiding/under house arrest for 18 years, while a military junta has ravaged the people and the land. Today (there is no other way to say it) people are being shot down in the streets as they march in demonstration against their oppressors.
I’m writing about this today because members of my family have a special connection to Burma and have worked in support of the NLD. This week we are holding the Burmese people in our hearts and praying for the success of the protests, for wise intervention by the international community, and for restraint on the part of the military.
If you feel moved to, please read more about Burma here, here, here and here. You can sign petitions to the UN here and here. You can read about the environmental devastation in Burma here.
Thanks for reading this off-topic post. Now back to regularly scheduled programming…
