Michael Bootz showed up on June 16th in a whirlwind at Future Green, a socially responsible store in Milwaukee WI that promotes organic and Fair Trade products. In his hands he carried several books, small rations of food, several clocks and a cordless headset microphone.
Why? He decided to "arrest himself" by attempting to break the Guinness Book of worlds record for reading out loud the longest. The record stands at 110 hrs. 45 min.
He has done this to support the U.S. Campaign for Burma. Over 280 events are being held in over 30 states and in over 13 countries around the world to bring awareness of Burma's cry for freedom. The event also coincides with Aung San Suu Kyi's, (pronounced Ong Sawn Sue Chee) 64th birthday. She is the only Nobel Peace Prize winner who is a political prisoner. She has been under house arrest in Burma for 18 yrs.
Burma's Grim History: Military Dictatorship, Forced Labor
According to Amnesty International, over 1,100 political prisoners remain behind bars in Burma. In her house Aung San Suu Kyi is kept in virtually total isolation by the military regime. Her political party the National League for Democracy won over 82% of the seats in parliament in Burma's last democratic election. The military regime that rules Burma refused to hand over power and arrested most involved.
Burma's military regime has forcibly recruited 70,000 child soldiers (more than any other country in the world) as well as forced over one 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.
Burma's military would have a hard time surviving if it was not supported by a stronger regime just north, the Chinese Communist Party. China's secret arms exports to some of the world's worst trouble spots are fueling human rights violations and helping to sustain conflicts in countries such as Sudan, Nepal and Burma, Amnesty International says.
Bootz, a guitar/piano instructor performer as well as stagehand 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.
In a corner in the back of the store Bootz gets help setting up chairs and sheet music stands to hold his books. He brings in a small refrigerator and computers to show slide shows of his trips to Burma. Several cameras on tripods will serve as extra eyes that record and remember his challenge. Several witnesses and health practitioners sign up on the carefully arranged schedules. They read over the official duties that Guinness has laid down for them.
Reading Not for the Guinness Record, but to Help Aung San Suu Kyi
At 7 p.m. Friday June 16 Bootz gets seated and gives the nod to start the clock. He will have just thirty seconds to break in between each word and five minutes after each hour to rest. The five minutes can be accumulated and his plan is to rack-up enough time to take half hour naps. Everyone is tense to make sure they are all following the instructions and keeping track of his time. Bootz talks slowly and confidently, with a sense of humor always present.
Days fly by and time seems to disappear inside the store. The store is open twenty-four hours so the public can have access to Bootz at all times. Friends and family have been flowing in and out to cheer him on. Music and drum circles keep up the pace at the event and Bootz's great demeanor has everyone in high spirits. Local stores and people in the neighborhood have met a "new friend" and have gained a better understanding that maybe just one person can make a difference in the world.
As time inevitably ticks down to the last few minutes remaining the calls from local media, BBC, Radio Free Asia (which will syndicate Bootz's event live into Burma) start calling and interviewing. Bootz smiles and says to me, "This is what I am doing this for. If I just threw a party in my house it would get little attention, this is a publicity stunt and I could care less if I am on the world record or not… this is for the people of Burma and Aung San Suu Kyi's freedom."
Bootz Urges Listeners to Act to Help Aung San Suu Kyi
Loud shouts come from the back of the store, "He made it!!!" "Bootz has broken the world record!!" Everyone runs over to see as the time watcher marks down on a chalkboard 112 hrs!! The time is 2 p.m. on Wednesday June 21, five days after Bootz began. Truly amazing: Michael Bootz has stayed awake and read out loud to all those who would listen. From children to the elderly, all of them were fascinated. Many called their senators as Bootz told others and myself, "This is an active event; you have to get involved to make it worth while. You have to call your representatives and let them know you care about what is going on in Burma."
It has been a long and exciting few days but everyone can agree it has been a successful event that has pulled together so many good people in the community. If all of us could get the courage to speak up for what we believe in, then things would change very fast in our world. As Americans we have that luxury, about which Bootz says "Freedom has brought apathy into reality here in this country." But for those in countries like Burma Bootz has brought a voice to the voiceless and has put Burma on the map in many peoples minds who would never even thought it existed at all.
Some of the books that Michael Bootz had read during the event include:
Aung San Suu Kiy, Voice Of Hope
The Epoch Times , Nine Commentaries
All Myanmar Democratic Front, Letters To A Dictator
Running Press, Free To Be You And Me
Dr. Seuss, Green Eggs And Ham
Dr. Seuss, I Can Read With My Eyes Shut
Ann Frank, 101 Selected Poems
Myanmar, More Women's Voices
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