Beautiful Faces of Revolution and--*gasp*--even--Transcendence?

Except for my mother and Jane Goodall, I can't think of any woman more beautiful than Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the jailed leader of the National League for Democracy in Burma. She beams at us from many a wall in our compound.


The martyred leader of the All Burma Federation of Students Union (ABFSU), Min Ko Naing--a psuedonym meaning "conqueror of kings"--also beams revolutionary greetings from behind poster eyes. He led the first student democracy uprising on August 28, 1988 on the site of the old student union building at Rangoon University, a building the ruling junta dynamited in their 1962 coup.

Before he was killed by State Law and Order Restoration Committee (SLORC--ha!--the government's former acronym) troops in Settway Prison in Arakan state, Min Ko Naing said,

"I will never die. Physically I might be dead, but many more Min Ko Naing would appear to take my place. As you know, Min Ko Naing can only conquer a bad king. If the ruler is good, we carry him on our shoulders."

And still the fighting continues.

Here's a bad-ass picture of a National Union Party of Arakan navy fighter, Major Mo Ma Oo, taken by a guy in our office. The Arakan Navy is one of three groups still fighting the SPDC in the southwestern coastal state of Arakan. Here's anotherpic of the Arakan Navy.

And here's a pic of my housemate, Dave, and one of the office guys, Khaing Zaw. When I spray painted out their heads for security reasons, Khaing Zaw began giggling from behind my shoulder. He's always giggling. I don't know what I'd do without him at the house to fill our lives with levity.


And speaking of levity...

Look at the way this guy's face just radiates with joy. My best friend sent me this picture. His name is Brother Wayne Teasdale, who calls himself a "Christian Sannyasi." Sannyasis are the "wandering monks" of India) The quote reads "Renunciation is not negative; it's not a withdrawal from the world. It's withdrawal from the world's illusions, and from the whole selfish way of life, which is the basis of suffering."

As my friend said, "This guy is amazing. He's a leader in what he's calling 'Interspirituality', which is recognizing the common thread of all mystical traditions, but still allowing them to be unique. He's friends with the Dalai Lama (H.H. wrote the intro to brother Wayne's book), and is a representative of the Parliment of World Religions." The world needs more Brother Wayne Teasdales.

May all beings know peace.