1. United States
2. Wash.
3. Letter

Here I write, torn between fear and hope, as the cries of despair and anguish from those far away penetrate even the silence of my study in the far reaches of the world. It is a terrible consternation to witness the ongoing grave conditions in Palestine, the dire plight of innocent civilians who wake, live, and sleep amidst the calamitous cacophony of war. We cannot afford to ignore the atrocious human rights abuses that violate the sanctity of each breath we take, for these are not the afflictions of a distant people; these are assaults on humanity, on the premise of our collective existence, on the inviolable rights accorded to every individual born free. This plea, deep-seated and stricken with urgency, calls for a reconsideration, no, a total abolishment of the U.S. funding that supports the actions of Israel against our Palestinian brethren. We stand on the cusp of a moral precipice, and each moment spent in inaction, every dollar spent in the procurement of arms contributes to a plunge into the abyss. We cannot stand idly by, as the fruits of our hard labor, sown with genuine intentions, water atrocities that bloom as dread, disarray, and despair in the heartland of a people who have known nothing but conflict. The humanity that binds us implores for an immediate ceasefire, a suspension of combat to end the massacre of life's most precious gift. By progressively disarming ourselves and others, we can redirect our resources towards the healing, rebuilding, and educational initiatives that foster unity, advocate peace, and dispel the mists of discord that wound our collective conscience. Broadly, we must respond with an urgency that matches the rate at which lives are snuffed out and dreams shattered, for to delay is to be complicit in the face of crimes against humanity. If there is to be any hope for a peaceful future, it must begin with the cessation of unjustifiable violence and the establishment of a dialogue rooted in respect, understanding, and equity.