Senator Kerry on UNSC Commission of Inquiry in Burma

Yesterday, I called both Senator Brown and Senator Kerry’s offices to ask them to sign onto the Gregg-Feinstein letter in support of a UNSC Commission of Inquiry into war crimes and crimes against humanity in Burma.  Neither Senator ended up signing on, but that’s not the point of this blog entry.  The point of this entry is to express Senator Kerry’s views on Burma and why he chose not to sign onto the letter.

Mac Hamilton, Adriana Jaimes, and Ann Nguyen lobby Scott Brown's office

I called and asked for Frank Januzzi, Kerry’s head of Foreign Relations.  I expected to be forwarded to his voicemail, but to my surprise, they forwarded me straight to him.  I expressed my ask for Senator Kerry to sign onto the letter, and engulfed myself in a 20-minute conversation with this man, who was full of information and incredibly helpful.

He explained to me that Senator Kerry was hugely supportive of US action for Burma, but was hesitant to sign on to the letter for a few reasons:

1. He thinks that taking such direct action might hurt an eventual return to civilian rule.
2. As it stands, the junta can’t travel to US or Europe -- would this be too direct considering the fact that we’ve already barred them from entering our country?
3. Not sure whether this will be good leverage or be counter-productive, telling the current rulers that we want to see them thrown in jail.  Could hurt diplomatic relations, especially if Kerry is a signatory.
4. Possibility of reciprocal amnesty, similar to South Africa model

I was assured that whether or not Senator Kerry signed on to the letter, he would not oppose a commission of inquiry.  Rather, he was wary as the chair of the Foreign Relations Committee, because he will have to work with the junta in the future, and is afraid it will hurt future leverage with them.  He feels that he must preserve bargaining power by not being named as a person trying to imprison the junta.  He is trying to decide where is best to hold his weight as the Chair of the committee.

Mr. Januzzi remained on the phone with me for a while longer, discussing different situations where one might support a commission of inquiry and situations where the opposite might be the most helpful. For example, in Cambodia, where we have just seen four perpetrators of the Cambodian genocide arrested, in contrast to Vietnam ,where we supported normalization and did not pursue incrimination for past wrongdoings.  In short, different tactics work better in different situations, which is not to say that Senator Kerry doesn’t support the eventual incrimination of the junta in Burma, but perhaps not at this time.

Adriana Jaimes and Ann Nguyen rockin' it at Kerry's office

He also took the time to fill me in on what Senator Kerry is doing for Burma, as well as his past support for civilians in Burma.  Specifically, he highlighted the Kerry amendment in the Jade Act, and a letter he is currently drafting to Secretary Clinton, pleading once again for the administration to appoint a special envoy to Burma, as the man who currently is working on the Burma issue is in charge of all US policy in Southeast Asia--quite a large job.

It’s also interesting to note that Mr. Januzzi began our conversation referring to Burma as Myanmar, but changed throughout the conversation as I asserted the name Burma.  In short, I must say that I’m proud that I am a constituent of an office that will take the time to explain complex views on issues such as Burma, and that Senator Kerry is actively working to alleviate suffering in Burma.  I was engaged and treated as though my opinion was truly valuable to the office.  I intend to keep in contact with Mr. Januzzi and keep updated on Senator Kerry’s status on the issue.

-Mac at Smith

Of July the Fourth, Seventeen Seventy Six

(I realized that this has been sitting here unposted for quite some time; hope it's still relevant, even though the 4th was over a week ago!)



I'm somewhat interested in what the 4th of July--Independence Day has become for this nation.  In fact, it seems we've gotten the date quite wrong.  John Adams wrote to his wife that,


"...the Day is past. The Second Day of July 1776, will be the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America.


I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more..."


Clearly, John Adams was incorrect.  Not on all points but on the one point.  The resolution was adopted on July 2, 1776, although slight changes were received and voted on on July 4, 1776.  Because independence was voted on on July 2nd, it would make much more sense for the holiday to take place on this day.  The full Declaration was dated July 4, but was not fully signed until August 2.  The celebrations he pinned correctly.  Pomp and Parade, Sports, Guns, Bonfires, and Illuminations certainly all take place on this day.  But what else?  It seems to have turned into a good excuse to spend the whole day drinking and eating 'American' food--hamburgers and hotdogs (which are both German).


Jefferson wrote,


"The pusillanimous idea that we had friends in England worth keeping terms with, still haunted the minds of many. For this reason those passages which conveyed censure on the people of England were struck out, lest they should give them offense. The clause too, reprobating the enslaving the inhabitants of Africa, was struck out in compliance to South Carolina and Georgia, who had never attempted to restrain the importation of slaves, and who on the contrary still wished to continue it. Our Northern brethren also I believe felt a little tender under these censures; for tho' their people have very few slaves themselves yet they had been pretty considerable carriers of them to others."


Interesting to see what changes were made.  And what a word, pusillanimous!  Thomas Jefferson and John Adams both ended up passing away on July 4, 1826, the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.  Adams' last words were reportedly, "Thomas Jefferson survives!" although Jefferson had passed away a few hours before.  The next year on July 4th, slavery was abolished in New York state, something Jefferson might have been very conflicted on.


-Mac at Smith

Majestic Elephants

So I was on Stumble Upon today, and I came across these incredible photos.  I just couldn't not post them here.  Incredible.  Elephants may be my new favourite animal...  Click for a closer look.  I'm pretty sure all of these are for sale.  Available here.

As if i needed another reason to move to Africa :)

-Mac at Smith