new york times article on Myanmar

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/28/world/asia/28myanmar.html

The article discusses the tragic events that have been unfolding over the past few days in Myanmar. The thousands of protesters, frustrated with their suppressive military government and rising fuel prices, have been temporally dispersed due to automatic gunfire. Myanmar officials have declared only 9 dead, but other outside sources claim the death tole is higher. Among the dead, a Japanese journalist: Kenji Nagai. I read this and then looked up the footage on youtube, which is disturbing to watch as Nagai flops onto his back like a limp doll after being shot at point blank with an automatic rifle. He continues photographing his killer as he dies in the street. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUUQi1ooEAs

The US has discontinued doing business with Myanmar due to the violent reactions that the government has been taking towards the peaceful monks and their followers. Other nations, such as China and Japan are continuing to give financial aid and are continuing trade with the country. Outside communication, such as the Internet, are being banned by the government.

I read this article and looked up some youtube videos about it and got pretty pissed off. Then I began typing in "iraq" and "beatings" or "killings" into the search engine. I hadn't seen the terrible things that our military has been doing over there, although I have known about them. But seeing them is even more terrifying and makes me even more ashamed to be an American. I look at Myanmar and say "at least its their own country doing this to them. And at least they aren't killing their citizens by the tens or hundreds of thousands, like we are doing in Iraq." I feel like people reading and hearing about Myanmar are saying to themselves "oh, what a terrible country. That's what they get with a communist/military government." We are quick to find fault in others, but no one wants to read about hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians we have murdered in Iraq. Im tired of complaining about the war and our government, but I find myself thinking about it more and more. I would like to actually DO something about it. Goddamn it.