A few of the few readers I have, have asked me about the recent "Free Tibet" adornment on my blog. To explain, I was just immensely touched -- a certain compassion struck up within myself at the atrocities taken against human rights.

Yes, it is already something everyone knows about, thanks to the Dalai Lama. Peaceful monks living under Chinese oppression. Dalai Lama is the new Ghandi. So many other tales of oppression and violence against basic human rights exist throughout history, that it is a cliche to have been oppressed, or have ancestors who were oppressed, or know of someone who was oppressed. The Jews, the Armenians, the Cambodians, the Indians, the Native American Indians, the Koreans, the Japanese settlers in the U.S., African Americans... the list of those who had been oppressed some time, goes on and on.

But, this is 2003. I was appalled, because I thought the world was beyond creating embarrassing blemishes in human-kind history. Even with the war in Iraq -- after all, at least the intentions were to uphold democracy in the middle East and free the oppressed people living under the dictatorship.

I have always felt that I am living an oppressed life in the U.S. I know I haven't been rounded up in a ghetto, or forced into labor camps and such, but I know my rights aren't 100% free as they should be. The civil rights amendments exist for the citizens, born or naturalized. "Aliens" need not apply. My 13 years in the U.S. has been influenced by various laws set forth by this government. I had to miss 4 months of the 5th grade because of some laws that hindered me from attending school. Yet, young children aren't allowed to roam the city during the early hours of the day, because they should be at school. So I spent the four months in hiding, reading The Diary of Anne Frank and trying to understand that her life was worse off than mine.

In writing, we have so much freedom and protection of our rights. Our votes are supposed to be carefully counted, so that each vote is heard. Well, what about the presidential elections of 2000? Here we are, supposed to select who would possibly be the most powerful man on earth, and there's some nonsense about pregnant chads.

Even the pursuit of happiness is reserved for the citizens. Not to be confused with denizens. The citizens only! There's a good chance that I may no longer be permitted to possess a driver's license. In the land of opportunity, fresh immigrants, no matter how brilliant their minds and warm their compassion, cannot lead this country. The presidency is limited to a citizen. Presumably an ivy-league trained citizen who has studied law. The men, trained to be LAWYERS that the Americans frequently dub as liars, cheaters, and thieves.

I may complain about the limited ability to exercise the supposedly "inalienable" rights that I have(or should have). But I will tell you that it is the lesser of evils out there, and I am more than content to live here. But once something like Tibet is ignored... It is like when you spill spaghetti sauce on your mother's favorite rug, and you cover the stain with a cushion. If people in Tibet go down, it might be me next. Or you next. It might be the undocumented Mexicans who crossed the border. It might be the Iraqis. It might be the Serbs.

So many people live oppressed, at least to some extent. Tibetans have been living under oppression for decades now. Obviously, their experiences are one of the most televised and well-known violation of human rights currently. But the thing is, it doesn't start and end with Tibet. Once you give the "OK" sign that bullies are free to stomp on one little kid, the whole playground will be affected.

Perhaps you are stuck at a job where you are sexually harrassed, that you can't leave because it puts food on the table. Perhaps you are disabled and are afraid of becoming an invalid member of society. Perhaps you are the kin of the black man in Cincinnatti who was beaten to death by white cops. "Hey." You say. "Better them than me." Guess again, because when one goes down, it starts a domino effect, and sooner or later, it will be you. Maybe them first then you, or you first then everyone else. But if I were you, I wouldn't sit around to find out.