Burma

Usually I try to avoid politics, but I have to say, I am extremely pleased to hear about the continuing protests in Burma. Having known people who help the resistance and who have lived in refugee camps after fleeing Burma, I am encouraged to know that others are finally making a concerted and public effort to change the government.
You might ask "why now and not before?". I believe there are a few reasons, all of which stem from the government oppressing the people to the point they do not have the means to resist. Outside of the few cities, roads are mined to deter travel and injure or kill anyone trying to use them. Small villages believed to house resistence fighters are attacked by the military. First the villiage leaders and teachers are killed. Then anyone else. Before leaving, the attackers burn the buildings to the gound and mine the area, so that survivors face the horror of exlosive attacks even after the attackers are gone. There is no Internet, no radio and no telephones in most of Burma. Resistence fighters smuggle in electronics to broadcast their messages. You can imagine what happens to people found with blackmarket electronics.
So, while people might have wanted and have resisted, you won't have heard about it. Unless you have some sort of connection to Burma. I am encouraged by the monks and people of Yangon, and will keep them and all the people in Burma in my thoughts and prayers. Now that there have been "public" displays, the world will watch and, hopefully, that observation will make the "government" act with restraint. People should not have to live in fear. Everyone in entitled to certain rights, none of which have been allowed by the Burmese tyrant.
FREE BURMA!!!!