1. United States
2. Letter

There comes a point when one can no longer remain silent in the face of unbearable injustices. We are now at this point, confronted with a haunting reality that demands immediate action and unwavering resolve. Reports of atrocities and crimes against humanity committed against our fellow human beings in Palestine are both disheartening and outrageous. It stands indefensible that the United States of America, a beacon of peace and justice, continues to finance such activities through its support for Israel. The recent surge of violence brings tears not only from the tear gas canisters, but also from the hearts of every emotionally sentient individual. Families are being displaced, children orphaned, schools bombed, hospitals razed, and lives ended abruptly and mercilessly. The very essence of our shared humanity is being shattered and trampled on. We speak out, we march, we appeal, but our voices fall on deaf ears, drowned out by the deafening roar of warplanes and bombshells. The need for action, for effecting real change, has never been more urgent. Our cry is for an immediate ceasefire. Let the sounds of shells and gunfire be replaced by dialogue and the peaceable exchange of ideas. This also requires a complete halt to any U.S. funding or arms supply to Israel that can be used in the execution of these tragic operations against Palestinian civilians. The cure for violence is not more violence, but justice and equality. If there is anything we have learned from history, it is that oppression can never lay the foundation for lasting peace; only shared respect and understanding can. This principle should guide our decisions and our actions. The time for words has passed, now we demand action.