|
Dear Friends, One of the classic Buddhist symbols of liberation is likened to a bird soaring freely in the sky. We say that for the bird to fly, it needs both wings: the wing of wisdom and the wing of compassion. As many of you know, Fort Sill, a former WWII internment camp for Japanese “enemy aliens" that was also once a former prisoner of war camp for the Chiricahua Apache tribe, has been designated as a detention center for as many as 1,400 asylum-seeking immigrant children by the Trump administration. Several weeks back, I joined a group of Japanese Americans who mobilized across the country, joining supporters in Oklahoma, to let the broader public know that we oppose the incarceration of these children at Fort Sill through non-violent demonstrations. I am sending today's newsletter with a small request: to join me and other Buddhists in bringing to the fore our historic knowledge of the World War II Japanese American concentration camps and our compassion to all living beings. Please read my letter on the American Sutra website describing the protest at Fort Sill held on June 24, 2019 and a call to action for those who wish to show their support and help in our efforts to shut these camps down. The letter also outlines several ways to participate and support the movement of people who refuse to remain passive and would like to help. Your support simply by reading the letter and sharing it with others is greatly appreciated and a critical step in helping us protest the repetition of history at Fort Sill. As always, I am grateful for your attention and welcome your thoughts and ideas. If you have any questions or comments regarding American Sutra or this newsletter, please email me. Kindest regards,
Duncan p.s. for those of you who are interested in Fort Sill's past, I have also written a short historical essay on its role as an Immigration and Naturalization Service/Department of Justice World War II concentration camp for "enemy aliens." Please download my Fort Sill essay here and again, I welcome you to share this widely.
|
