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Myanmar's Suu Kyi freed from house arrest

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Aung San Suu Kyi

May the military keep its word this time. Let us see.

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You cannot keep an Aung San Suu Kyi locked up for ever

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Thanks Myanmar junta ! Aung San Suu Kyi

May the military keep its word this time. Let us see.

provided there is no (destructive) interference from the US !

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President Barack Obama called Suu Kyi “a hero of mine” said the United States “welcomes her long overdue release.”

Suu Kyi is a hero to liberals everywhere. This is a nice spot of great news.

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"President Barack Obama called Suu Kyi “a hero of mine” said the United States “welcomes her long overdue release.”"

Uh-oh... time for the Republicans to find some way to criticize her for this. ;)

Seriously, though, she is an amazing person, and TRUE figure of democracy; I just hope the Junta doesn't come up with some new outrageous excuse to put her back under house arrest.

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Suu Kyi is a hero to liberals everywhere.

Suu Kyi believes in freedom for all of the people of Burma. Liberals aren't known for supporting an individuals right to be free from control by their government. Conservatives and Libertarians - generally - have a greater track record in supporting those seeking freedom for themselves and not just the replacement of an authoratarian dictator with an authoritarian socialist (ie Chavez). However, all can agree that this is great for her and the people who believe in her, and is symbolically a great thing for oppressed people all over the world.

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Suu Kyi believes in freedom for all of the people of Burma. Liberals aren't known for supporting an individuals right to be free from control by their government.

Suu Kyi does not espouse anarchy. Nor does she support the kind of authoritarianism which often masquerades as "law and order" in other countries, when the controlling elites feel threateded by democratic movements such as labor unions, groups which seek to organize the poor and powerless.

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Freed at 65! I hope she'll live long enough to change Myanmar!

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Nor does she support the kind of authoritarianism which often masquerades as "law and order" in other countries, when the controlling elites feel threateded by democratic movements such as labor unions, groups which seek to organize the poor and powerless.

It sounds like you really want to talk about these "elites," but the problem is even you know that you can't actually name them.

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It sounds like you really want to talk about these "elites," but the problem is even you know that you can't actually name them

Can you name the person among the elite who gave the order to remove Suu Kyi's freedom?

I didn't think you could.

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“If we work in unity, we will achieve our goal. We have a lot of things to do,” she told the well-wishers, who quickly swelled to as many as 5,000.

Unity. Solidarity.

Suu Kyi, given the chance, will be one hekuva community organizer.

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Don't liberals also support Castro and other leftist dictators in the name of "freedum"? They often tend to contradict themselves. I support this woman but think she brought it all on herself.

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I support this woman but think she brought it all on herself.

Now, that's what I call the typical conservative response. Rather than submit to an authoritarian dictatorship after millions of Burmese supported her to lead a provisional government, she peacefully stood up to them and brought this all on herself.

Don't liberals also support Castro and other leftist dictators in the name of "freedum"?

Well, that's certainly how haters of freedom from the other fringe might interpret things.

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Let's show some respect and decency to this amazing women by not dragging this thread into left vs right territory.

I've been praying daily for her freedom for 7 years now. I'm so happy about this.

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Congratulations on your freedom. Get on a plane and go to Europe or the USA and carry on the fight where you won't end up silenced

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She won the nobel peace prize several years ago didn't she.... Sounds like another country Glad she is free...hope it lasts

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She doesn't want to leave her country because she may never be allowed back. Now that's commitment.

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she peacefully stood up to them and brought this all on herself.

That is correct. After 28 years out of the country she came back thinking she alone can change the country? I think not. But I admire her for trying. Now she has to cut her losses and approach from a different angle. Maybe like Hawkeye said.

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Let's show some respect and decency to this amazing women by not dragging this thread into left vs right territory.

There is another way to look at it, and it comes from the words conveyed by her son on the occasion of the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize: "We must also remember that the lonely struggle taking place in a heavily guarded compound in Rangoon is part of the much larger struggle, worldwide, for the emancipation of the human spirit from political tyranny and psychological subjection."

The lonely struggle between true liberty -- true emancipation -- and tyranny is a global struggle that has its manifestations in every nation on the planet. I know of no better way to honor and respect Suu Kyi and so many others taking part than by joining in with them.

Those who express the desire that she leave Burma are not much different in sentiment from those who have imprisoned her because they, too, wish she would leave.

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The lonely struggle between true liberty -- true emancipation -- and tyranny is a global struggle that has its manifestations in every nation on the planet.

I could not agree more.

Big government is evil.

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"We must also remember that the lonely struggle taking place in a heavily guarded compound in Rangoon is part of the much larger struggle, worldwide, for the emancipation of the human spirit from political tyranny and psychological subjection."

I also agree completely with this quote that yabits has posted and attributes to Suu Kyi's son. She will not willingly leave her country. It is obvious that she believes that her fight for freedom is worth her life. So many people the world over have willingly risked their lives for their own freedom and that of their countrymen. It is a brave and inspirationally heroic act. And don't forget, just because she is out of prison it doesn't mean that her fight is any closer to reality than before.

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MisterCreosote: "I could not agree more. Big government is evil."

You are absolutely correct, the bigger the government, the less freedom the people have. In Myanmar (Burma), you have the maximum degree of big government.

"Most bad government has grown out of too much government." -Thomas Jefferson

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In Myanmar (Burma), you have the maximum degree of big government.

I don't know if it's the maximum degree, or whether its size is the issue in Burma. There are certainly enough willing foot-soldiers who will carry out the orders of the ruling elites.

If ordinary people do not have a collective organization big enough and powerful enough to stand up to the elites and their police/military force, it simply won't take that great of a force to achieve what Burma's elites have. As mentioned in the article, isolation and secrecy appear to be two of the key components of maintaining control over people.

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There are certainly enough willing foot-soldiers who will carry out the orders of the ruling elites.

And of course the elites there, like collectivists everywhere, tell the nation and the world what they do is for the benefit of the common man and the downtrodden, and those who are/were victims of colonialism, etc. etc.

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And of course the elites there, like collectivists everywhere, tell the nation and the world...

This is rather meaningless and nonsensical, since the authoritarian regime in Burma will not be displaced by an individual, but rather by people who act in the collective manner espoused by people like Suu Kyi. People for whom the cause is greater than any of them, and worth sacrificing themselves for.

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That is correct. After 28 years out of the country she came back thinking she alone can change the country? I think not.

Mikehuntex, you are misinformed. She returned only to take care of her ill mother and was then thrust into a leadership role as the daughter of the national hero.

The article even mentions it:

Suu Kyi, something of an accidental political leader, took up the democracy struggle in 1988.

Having spent much of her life abroad, she returned home to take care of her ailing mother just as mass demonstrations were breaking out against 25 years of military rule. She was quickly thrust into a leadership role, mainly because she was the daughter of Aung San, who led Myanmar to independence from Britain before his assassination by political rivals.

She has always had the freedom to leave, but chose to stay under house arrest because the junta would not allow her back in.

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By her refusing to leave because she was "thrust" into the leadership role just illustrates that she has some political agenda. While I don't mind her agenda at all she can't expect the current Junta to just allow her to come in and take over. That won't happen and if she thought so she's a dreamer.

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smithinjapan

President Barack Obama called Suu Kyi “a hero of mine” said the United States “welcomes her long overdue release.”" Uh-oh... time for the Republicans to find some way to criticize her for this.

Republicans, and the rest of America, are more than used to seeing Obama try to be all things to all people. This is just one more example to yawn at.

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While I don't mind her agenda at all she can't expect the current Junta to just allow her to come in and take over. That won't happen and if she thought so she's a dreamer.

Some may say she's a dreamer, but she's not the only one. That is what SLORC fears the most.

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"Their eldest son, Alexander Aris, accepted the Nobel Peace Prize on his mother’s behalf in 1991 and reportedly lives in the United States."

Interesting.

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