1. United States
2. Wash.
3. Letter

It's beyond heartbreaking to write this as I helplessly watch the horrifying events unfold before my eyes. The images of innocent men, women, and children suffering and dying are atrocities that rattle me to the core. It feels atrocious that we are witnessing crimes against humanity in real-time, and possibly even worse, that we are fueling such atrocities with our taxes. More specifically, it is the U.S. government's financial support of Israel that allows the continuation of violence against Palestinian civilians, a scenario that seriously challenges the values we so proudly hold as a nation. Therefore, I implore you to reconsider this approach and insist on an immediate ceasefire. It is beyond comprehensible human morality to continually endorse a senseless war, let alone one that costs innocent lives every single day. We have enough tools for diplomatic and peaceful resolutions, why not exhaust them before resorting to violence? Calling for peace and justice is not choosing a side, it is choosing humanity over hatred and life over death. This should not feel like a choice; it should be our instinctive reaction to such horrific sights of needless violence. It deeply frustrates me knowing that our taxes are being used to support this warfare, and I wonder if our hard-earned dollars could be better spent elsewhere - on education, healthcare, environmental rehabilitation, or numerous other avenues that directly contribute to the prosperity of our society. It is not weapons we should be producing and promoting, but the values our great country was once admired for: liberty, justice, and peace. I urge you to reconsider, for our sake and that of humanity around the world. Let's position ourselves on the right side of history by promoting peace rather than perpetuating violence. Time is of the essence and lives are on the line. The moment to act is now.