Brain Fertilizer

Today's Impromptus is prompting me to quote Jay's quote of President Bush quoting Aung San Suun Kyi:

Finally, I wish to mention Bush's quotation of Aung San Suu Kyi, the Burmese hero: "We do not accept the notion that democracy is a Western value."

This is a woman I really admire. You can find out more about her with this search page.

To tell the truth, I don't know why I've never talked about her here before. Highlighting the admirable efforts of a very determined freedom fighter is what blogging is perfect for. She has sacrificed so much and still unflinchingly persevered in the cause of democracy for Burma.

Check out what she did in one year alone (from Nobel Prize biography):

1989:
January 2. Funeral of Daw Khin Kyi. Huge funeral procession. Suu Kyi vows that as her father and mother had served the people of Burma, so too would she, even unto death.
January-July. Suu Kyi continues campaign despite harassment, arrests and killings by soldiers.
February 17. Suu Kyi prohibited from standing for election.
April 5. Incident in Irawaddy Delta when Suu Kyi courageously walks toward rifles soldiers are aiming at her.
July 20. Suu Kyi placed under house arrest, without charge or trial. Sons already with her. Michael flies to Rangoon, finds her on third day of hunger strike, asking to be sent to prison to join students arrested at her home. Ends strike when good treatment of students is promised.

The Wikipedia entry on her is far too brief and incomplete. I'll probably be adding to it.

I'll be honest, what I noticed first is that despite being nearly 60 years old, she is still an attractive woman. But what made me remember her name was when the military-run Burmese government forced her to live in her car for several days.

Here's another feature done on her by TIMEAsia.

But I haven't really read about her in a while. She was still under house arrest as of May of this year. Expect more from me about her soon.