1. United States
2. Wash.
3. Letter

WRITE Every ticking second marks the surrender of another innocent life to the clutches of violence and injustice. As an ordinary man with no weapons to combat this horror, besides the abundance of humanity within, it becomes necessary to make an urgent plea through this letter. While it saddens me to bear witness to the misery that accompanies continued conflicts, it tragically involves a country that champions liberty, peace, and justice. I insist on an immediate halt to the U.S. funding of the relentless action of Israel against Palestinian civilians. The life of a single innocent soul can't be traded for any economic, strategic, or political gain. Our global human family continues to tremble under the pile of brutality, oppression, and despair now, as it has for countless decades. Imagine this image - a child peeping from his shattered home, gripping the ruins of his teddy bear, trying to understand why the world has turned upside down. These are the victims of the arms the U.S. continues to send to fuel the conflict. The ordinary lives upended by the extraordinary force of deadly arms should not be the logo of any civilization. Direct and indirect inflictions, irrespective of the sponsor, should be denounced, and anyone who commits or aids in such acts should be held accountable. We find ourselves in a crucial moment in history, where our decisions today will either amplify the savagery or thread a new path to peace. Peace cannot be bought or earned from the barrel of a gun. Rather, it is nurtured through empathy, respect, and understanding. It's high time we demanded the abolition of crimes against humanity. If we refuse to foster peace, then we stand to be judged by the blood of those innocent lives lost in this senseless conflict. Every action towards a cease-fire and a push for accountability matters: change is possible, and it begins with our choices today.