When I think of Burma, I think of courage. I’m moved to tears when I think of the young (and old) monks who have sacrificed their lives and freedom to speak out against injustice and cruelty. I remember, when the protest first began, some people criticized the monks for getting involved in “politics.” But as Ethan Nichtern, author of the great new book One City, pointed out in a recent blog, spirituality is always political – whether we realize it or not. Inaction, though not often recognized as such, is a very particular kind of action. When we do nothing in the face of oppression, we’re actively choosing to side with the oppressors. This is not a new insight. Sister Helen Prejean, of Dead Man Walking fame, has long made this exact point, as has the Ven. Kobutsu Malone, founder of the Engaged Zen Foundation.