1. United States
2. Wash.
3. Letter

Millions of innocent men, women, and children are screaming in anguish, the bleak result of a battle they didn't choose or instigate. Every single day brings with it a fresh iteration of horror: homes obliterated, lives extinguished, dreams crushed - a living nightmare contorting itself into various scenes of torment. These are the tragic tales birthed from the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, a conflict funded in large part by the U.S. to such an extent that I have no choice but to voice out my urgent plea: we must demand an immediate ceasefire. Why is it that our hard-earned tax dollars are redirected to foster further violence, diminishing the hopes for a peaceful resolution? The purchasing of weapons and ammunition, the active fuelling of a war machine that shows no mercy, no distinction between a combatant and a toddler - isn't this a gross, unabashed violation of everything that humanity stands for? We are complicit, sadly and infuriatingly, in perpetuating crimes against humanity, unless we vehemently arise and call for an end to this uncontrolled violence and destruction. Let this plea not fall on deaf ears. Let this plea awaken the dormant conscience within us to the atrocities being committed under the money-powered banner of politics and discuss the unspeakable horror of war. Let this plea stand as a clarion call to every person of decency and compassion: demand an end to the U.S. funding of Israel's actions against Palestinian civilians. Demand that no more arms are sent to continue these actions. Demand an end to this nightmare that we are helping to create, for by our silence, we allow these cruelties to continue. To paraphrase Edmund Burke, the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing. Now, more than ever, we must not do nothing.