Light Bulbs for Burma

   So, I was going through my bulk mail folder and read an email that made me sick to my stomach. 

    "Far from the headlines, the crisis in Burma continues--fueled, in part, by international oil corporations like Total Oil and Chevron/Texaco. These corporations don't just fund the junta; they lobby on its behalf in capital cities around the world. "

"French oil giant Total (which also owns ELF and FINA) and U.S.-based Chevron (which also owns Texaco, Caltex an Unocal) have been operating the Yadana natural gas pipeline in southern Burma since the early '90s.The junta takes in an estimated $450 million a year from the Yadana project alone--and uses that money to maintain its brutal control, while most people in Burma live in dire poverty. To keep their profits flowing, Chevron and Total lobby hard in the U.S. and Europe against government measures to support a democratic transition in Burma."

 Ok, so I know most of you are looking at this going so?  How does this impact you?  Just don't fuel at Chevron.  But it's not that simple.  My dad is a Chevron employee.  The mine he works at is a Chevron mine.  They pay for our health insurance, my braces, my entire family's insurance.  Their money puts food on my family's table. They put fuel in my gas tank.  Clothes on my back.   I mean, money made at Chevron is paying for my internet right now. 

     I'm all for ending the crisis in Burma.  I really am.  But I can't help but feel like I'm helping to fund the problem.  It's like being an invisible vessel.  I'm disgusted.  Talk about torn.

      The bad thing about this boycott is the aftermath of it.  The fact that Chevron is not afraid to cut workers to compensate for their looses.  Trust me, it's been done.   Many times my dad has come home talking about how the men at the mine work in fear of being laid off because of corporate problems.  Currently, my dad is on a leave due to whiplash caused by an accident at the mine.  It's taking time for his neck to heal and after an incident where he was brought back in to work before he was supposed to, he's experiencing a lot of heat.  With layoffs looming it makes sense to get rid of the 'dead weight.' which currently happens to be my dad.  This is the second time he's been injured in six months. 

     If he looks like an accident prone indivual he could become a prime canidate for a pink slip.  While it may be nice to think that the Union is going to come to his rescue let me first tell you that the union is hand in hand with Chevron and in all the difficulty that the men at the mine have had the union has been useless.  It doesn't work.  The community has been rebelling against the Mine (Which has been there for decades) so there's pessure from that.  Given the corporate pressure, our Miners are in danger.  This wouldn't be such a problem if Chevron would not have taken over MolyCorp.

   Chevron has the mine, it's workers, and the communities and families tied to them.   Given the boycott, the company isn't going to go after fixing foriegn policy first.  They're going to cut loose their employees. 

11.19.07
Today i woke up and went to school. Nothin new. I spent half a day with my friends and some whores (most of the girls in my class).  Nothin new till 2 when i finally got home. I switched the lights on but nothin happened! So, a little worried, i turned on the computer and guess what - nothing! I went crazy - no electricity for maybe a whole day! When I finally understood what had gone wrong I litteraly went nutts - a whole week or maybe more!!! I have a baby brother so thats prettty bad! Well i had to get used to it so i got a shower - the only light was coming from a little candle (romantic, huh) and my mom bought some precooked food. As i was staring at my physics book (and nearly falling asleep) (i could see vary little becaise of the dim light) something came to my mind - Burma. What was it like without electricity for most of the day? Now i was finally goig to get it- thats why i decided to  keep a journal of what is it like.

20.00
I am B-O-R-E-D Good thing i have interesting books. But the worst thing is that my cellphone (with all my music) is out of juice =(
The lights of the city are beautiful! There are so many different lights before my very eyes -the colore, the shapes! - and in every single one there are different ppl... In one there are lovers who'd give their whole lives for a moment spent with the person holding them; in aother one i see a mother praying for her child, gone to fight the injustice (or justice) of the world... in a blue one there is a girl crying her eyes  out over a friend.... It's all in my head as i'm watching the lights, but i'm sure that in all those little lights there are the ppl i just imagined...
PS I'm posting it from the library and i'll try to do it tomorrow too.

UPDATE

11.20.07

The elecricity came back on. I'm so happy right now. I guess i understood my lesson and GOd saw that =) Yeah, one night without elecricity is horrible, can  imagine months... Hope they get whst they want and what they deserve, and i'll support them and do whatever i can.

                                      THE END (not of my life, of my experience)

With all the men & women serving our country who risk their lives every day, who will not see their families this holiday season and who should know how much they are appreciated in all they do for us, the site: www.LetsSayThanks.com gives different card options that you can choose, along with your message, to say thank you to these brave soldiers. Xerox will print & send these cards to the troops currently serving in Iraq.

It only takes a minute of your time to let someone know they are thought of...the pictures for the cards are all drawn by children around the country so you see who created the card of your choice....

Simply go to:

http://www.letssaythanks.com/Home1280.html

Select the card you want to send, choose the message or write your own & hit 'send'. It's THAT EASY!

They also have other pages with messages from the troups, photos, etc.... We all take time to write notes to each other about our favorite bands - let's take a moment to tell someone else how much we love them for giving us a safe place to live this holiday season!! =)

- and thanks to christinesmcr for the info & for everything she's doing in support of the troops.

There is also a very moving video that was done to the song "Hands Held High" by Linkin Park (by a YouTuber) on my page - check it out if you have a chance (*Warning: contains graphic content). It's easy to forget what they're facing in Iraq while we sleep peacefully in our beds...

Happy Holidays to all!

Crisis in Burma

Take Action to Help Burma

Burma (Myanmar), a small country south of China on the Indian Ocean, is experiencing increasingly brutal violence by the ruling military junta toward its people. Rampant poverty, denial of basic human rights, and a rash of violence against peaceful protestors have led to global concern about the atrocities occurring in the region. In 1990, democratic elections led to a landslide victory by Nobel Peace Prize recipient Aung San Suu Kyi, who never made it into office. She remains under house arrest today by the military junta still in power. Peaceful protests for democracy by Buddhist monks and the Burmese people have been met with arrests, disappearances, and violence in untold numbers.

You can make a difference. Learn more about events in Burma, and take action!

The following information was taken with permission from the U.S. Campaign for Burma.

Visit them at uscampaignforburma.org.

Eastern Burma: Ignored Brutality

3,000 Villages Destroyed in Burma, 1 million refugees, and the UN Security Council Does Nothing

It is one of the most forgotten areas of the world; a place where mass displacement, forced labor, rape, torture, and all forms of persecution are a common reality. The destruction of over three thousand villages has led to the worst humanitarian situation in Asia. The ruling military junta in Burma maintains a steady strangulation throughout the country, and especially over the ethnic minorities in eastern Burma. These mass atrocities have been able to continue because of the support of countries such as China, whose cash, weapons, and political support ensure that the generals' grip on power will remain.

Courage and Outrage

The largest peaceful demonstrations in Burma in 10 years, and the regime responds with brutal force. On September 5th, troops are sent in for first time and fire warning shots at monks.

Take Action to Help Burma

On August 15th, the regime hiked up fuel prices - up to quintupling the price of natural gas; this is despite the fact that the regime makes billions from the export of oil and natural gas. Then on the 19th, peaceful protests began in the capital Rangoon, and since then have spread. The speculations that protests would die down in Burma have proven wrong, and even though over 150 activists for democracy have been arrested so far, many people are stepping up and calling for an end to injustice. Day after day people continue to march through the streets in towns all over Burma, making their simple and peaceful demands.



Many are also calling for recognition of basic human rights and democracy. Their courage is reminiscent of the history of the brave people of Argentina, Peru, East Timor, South Africa, India, and elsewhere in which peaceful demonstrators have faced deadly force with nothing more than their belief in telling the truth. Dozens have been beaten, arrested, and carted off to Burma's feared torture centers. Many governments, organizations, and world leaders have spoken out against this crackdown, and we are asking the UN Security Council to take action.

Red Cross Condemns Burma's Abuses

Harshest Criticism Since Rwandan Genocide

The International Committee of the Red Cross usually maintains a neutral position; however, at the end of June this year, the ICRC strongly condemned the regime on grounds of forced labor and repeated atrocities committed against groups in eastern Burma- including murder, violence, arbitrary arrest and 'large scale' destruction of food supplies. According to the BBC, this is the strongest public criticism since it spoke out against the Rwandan genocide over a decade ago. ICRC president, Kellenberger, noted that the reason for this harsh statement is the "continuing deadlock" with the authorities.

You can help! Take action today!



Visit the U.S. Campaign for Burma at: uscampaignforburma.org.

Visit the Burma Campaign U.K. at: www.burmacampaign.org.uk

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October 29, 2007 5:55:40 PM PDT

Keep the flames burning
For everyone suffering



Lights And Shadows

Barefooted paths we take,
Away from lies they make

Leads us to empty arms.
Our escape meets the night

Our peace will have to fight,
Against their chains and harms.

We stand in the streets,
Screaming, “someone help us now.”

Our hearts beating,
In time to their warfare.
Bullets line the sky,
The smoke blocks the sunrise.
Take the darkness,
Let the day fall on us
Rearrange the scars
To spell, “Hallelujah.”

We’ll wear fire on our skin,

To show burning hope within
We know we cant be broken.
Feel the pressure on bones
Beaten yet not alone
Whispered words outspoken.

We stand in the streets,
Screaming, “someone help us now.”

Our hearts beating,
In time to their warfare.
Bullets line the sky,
The smoke blocks the sunrise.
Take the darkness,
Let the day fall on us
Rearrange the scars
To spell, “Hallelujah.”

Even the greatest lights
Can cast a shadow
We stand in the streets,
Screaming, “someone help us now.”

Our hearts beating,
In time to their warfare.
Bullets line the sky,
The smoke blocks the sunrise.
Take the darkness,
Let the day fall on us
Rearrange the scars
To spell, “Hallelujah.”

********
Ciao Bella