1. United States
2. Wash.
3. Letter

The urgent plea that finds itself on this page is not of the complex political kind, riddled in diplomatic language and calculated responses. Rather, it is the outcry of an ordinary citizen of this world who has had his heart shattered into countless pieces, watching helplessly as humanity bleeds away. It is a desperate plea for decency, for empathy, and for humanity, begging for the ending of senseless violence and the ushering in of a long-awaited era of peace. We cannot sit in silence as our brothers and sisters are caught in a deadly trap of aggression and horrifying violence. The United States' funding of Israel’s actions against Palestinian civilians is not just a question of foreign policy or strategic alliances, but it lies at the intersection of morality, justice, and basic human rights. It is one thing to support an ally, but it is another entirely to bankroll and facilitate the annihilation of innocent lives. Sending arms to continue these actions not only contradicts the values that the United States professes to uphold around the globe, but it also aids in perpetuating an unbearable cycle of violence, suffering, and devastation. The violence does not eradicate hostility, it breeds it; it does not bring safety, it delivers further instability. “Ceasefire!” we must roar from every corner of our living rooms, in every possible language, in every possible forum. Silence in the face of cruelty is complicity. Now more than ever, we must take a stand for peace, for justice, and for human rights. This funding, this sending of arms, it all must end. Give diplomacy and justice a chance before the artillery fires and buildings crumble, before another child's laughter is stolen from this world. What we permit, we promote. Let us not permit war. Let us not promote death. Instead, let us take a collective stride towards peace, towards life.