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Friday, October 12, 2007

Hystory repeats

Thích Quảng Ðức was a Vietnamese Buddhist monk who burned himself to death at a busy Saigon intersection on June 11, 1963. His act of self-immolation, which was repeated by others, was witnessed by David Halberstam, a New York Times reporter, who wrote:

" I was to see that sight again, but once was enough. Flames were coming from a human being; his body was slowly withering and shriveling up, his head blackening and charring. In the air was the smell of burning human flesh; human beings burn surprisingly quickly. Behind me I could hear the sobbing of the Vietnamese who were now gathering. I was too shocked to cry, too confused to take notes or ask questions, too bewildered to even think.... As he burned he never moved a muscle, never uttered a sound, his outward composure in sharp contrast to the wailing people around him." ( from Images That Changed The World )

Am I write, there were photos from Burma that seem to be equal to this?

2 comments:

  1. I saw this pic before. Today, as I see it again, it makes me wonder how the monk could still. Normal people would scream even with a prick from a needle. Anyway, do you think burning yourself change the situation or solve the problem?

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  2. I think - and I wanted to be wrong- the only thing he could do with this gesture is to attract attention of other persons.
    If there were many journalists nearby.
    And if those journalists were not paid to maintain silence. Because journalists write only what they are paid for. And directors -managers of mass media post only what they are paid for.

    I think, this monk had a very high realization to behave in this way. And if he did it, he knew why and what is he doing.

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