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Health & Fitness

"I think my answer should be zero."

Do you speak up when you see an injustice? Silence sends the message that you approve. How far will you let an injustice go before speaking up.

When the Dalai Lama was asked yesterday about the Tibetans, called burning martyrs that set themselves on fire in protest, he said “I think that is quite a sensitive political issue. I think my answer should be zero." Is that where we are as a society? Do we feel we must shut up or risk personal harm even death? At least 32 Tibetans don’t think so.

Yahoo news reported at least 32 Tibetans set themselves on fire in protest since March 2011. Contrary to popular belief, the men and women who choose to set themselves afire do so not for religious freedom but for basic human rights.

Why do these men and women rebel so painfully? They are the epitome of the famous American saying “Give me liberty or give me death.” Imagine having to choose. Imagine what was being done to them that a fiery death was better?

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We know Tibetans are not allowed to speak openly. According to Reporters without Borders, the government has Authorities openly threaten those who circulate information with “torture.”

We Americans do not have to worry about anything like that happening here. Or do we? Right wing conservatives say gay people should not have the same rights as heterosexuals. Right wing conservatives say women should not use contraception and do not need to be paid the same as their male counterparts. Do we think the answer to this should be zero? Zero, nothing, shouts approval.

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We need to speak up when we see injustice, otherwise we do send the message that we approve.

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