I’m ever surprised and disappointed by the lack of voter turnout. It just seems silly that people choose not to vote, for whatever reason, then spend their lives complaining about the very things they could have voted about.
Perhaps we take things for granted in this country. Perhaps if we lived under a dictatorship we might realize what we had…
On a positive note, it was nice to see a line of unregistered first-time voters stretching out of the voting hall. There is hope.
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Michael Bootzin (Bootz) has been reading since 7:15 p.m. Friday night.
The record will be achieved around 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, June 21, 2006, but Michael will attempt to break the existing record by 24 hours. He will be available for interview any time after the record has been broken.
The event is being held at Futuregreen. The address is 2352 S. Kinnickinnic Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53207, Tel (414) 294-4300, http://futuregreen.net.
View the videos
Check out the photos
Wikipedia article about Aung San Suu Kyi
For Immediate Release: June 21st, 2006
Contacts: Jeremy Woodrum, US Campaign for Burma, (202) 223-0300
Michael Bootzin, (414) 294-4300
World Record Attempt To Bring Voice To Voiceless
(Milwaukee, Wisconsin) Beginning on 16, June 2006 at 7:00 p.m. Milwaukee native Michael Bootzin, representing the U.S. Campaign for Burma, will attempt to break the Guinness World Record for speaking almost 111 consecutive hours.
The marathon effort is dedicated to the world’s only imprisoned Nobel Peace Prize recipient Aung San Suu Kyi (pronounced Ong Sawn Sue Chee) and all people in the Southeast Asian country of Burma. The event will take place three days before Suu Kyi’s 61st birthday.
“I am trying to give a voice to the voiceless,” said Bootzin. “Aung San Suu Kyi can not speak so I am going to speak out to support her.”
That same weekend, more than 250 related events will be taking place in thirteen countries and thirty states in the United States. At the event in Milwaukee and elsewhere, participants will raise money for the grassroots organization U.S. Campaign for Burma.
Suu Kyi has been under house arrest for over ten of the last seventeen years, even though her political party won 82% of the seats in parliament in Burma’s last democratic election. The military regime that rules Burma refused to hand over power and placed member of her political party the National League for Democracy in prison or house arrest. According to Amnesty International, over 1,100 political prisoners remain behind bars and Aung San Suu Kyi lives in virtual solitary confinement.
Aung San Suu Kyi’s admirers include music bands U2, and R.E.M. and political leaders Madeleine Albright, Senator John McCain, and Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice. Many know her as the “Nelson Mandela of Asia”.
Burma’s military regime has forcibly recruited 70,000 child soldiers (more than any other country in the world) as well as forced over 1 million refugees to flee the country. The International Labor Organization, a United Nations agency, has called for international pressure on the military regime for its use of forced labor, a modern form of slavery.
Wisconsin Senators Russell Feingold and Herb Kohl have been strongly supportive of peaceful change in Burma by most recently voting for the Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act. Feingold has encouraged the UN Security Council to take further action, and the Council will meet to discuss Burma this week.
The event will be held at one of Milwaukee’s best socially responsible businesses, Futuregreen. The address is 2352 S Kinnickinnic Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53207 Tel (414) 294-4300 http://www.futuregreen.net
Bootzin, a Guitar/Piano instructor performer as well as stage hand for Alpine Valley Music Theater and the Bradley Center, has been an active local volunteer at the Hunger Task Force, Indian Council for the Elderly, The Family House and others. Most recently he helped Running Rebels, an after school program for at risk kids, obtain keyboards for a fundamental keyboard class that he taught.
“I believe we are all connected and we have a responsibility to support international human rights as well as throw our support to important local needs,” says Bootzin, as he gets ready to focus on the world record.
The current Guinness World RecordTM is 110 hours and 45 minutes of continuous reading. Bootzin plans to begin the event with published works by Aung San Suu Kyi with a personalized slide show based on his experiences working for human rights in Burma and Thailand.
For more information on Aung San Suu Kyi and Burma, visit http://www.uscampaignforburma.org
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Here is Bootz reading some Dr. Seuss to Soledad, who is mostly covered up by blankets. During the day, he reads literature related to the political situation in Burma, but the tedium invariably leads him to read light-hearted stuff in the wee hours.
Again, the full video playlist uploaded thus far is on YouTube, and the photo gallery is on Flickr.
Stopped by for a bit before work today.
I can’t imagine how tired he is. He still seems to have energy, though.
I can’t imagine how exhausted Bootz is, as I have slept and I’m totally fried. I stopped by this evening for a couple of hours.
Stay tuned…
This was a fun night/morning. Dave Wake, Holly, Dena Aronson and Kathleen were present, among others. Naomi, Daav & I jammed some guitar. Enjoy the videos of the night/morning below:
Me arriving just before midnight…
Daav Wakay & Bootz read Monty Python excertps. Quite amusing.
Here’s a good one of Rachel & Bootz alternating words…
More to come…
When I visited Future Green today, I found out Bootz had slept for 1.5 hours at some point the previous evening, and he was looking better rested. Again, there were many people present, some of whom had known him his whole life, and it was a festive event. As usual, we took great pains to make sure he was not only paying attention to the task at hand, but not getting bored or tired.
The video below is of me balancing a Tibetan singing bowl on Bootz’s head, and what transpired thereafter:
And, in case anyone is interested in watching other videos of this event, I’ve got a playlist set up at YouTube.
Bootz briefly read from some Dr. Seuss today. We were all quite amused, and I think it helped break up the monotony for him.
I just got back from being a time witness for my friend Bootz’s attempt at breaking the world record held for the longest time spent speaking. He is very slowly and methodically reciting Burmese Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi‘s literature, and it has been quite an adventure for all of us. Those four hours went by quicker than I thought they would!
Bootz still needs health witnesses for Monday-Wednesday of next week. Please contact me and leave me your phone number if you’re interested & available.
Here is a great one of Bootz reading while visiting the bathroom:
More pictures can be viewed at this event’s Flickr gallery
