This letter is to express our deep appreciation for your initiative and for your courage to visit the Dalai Lama on Friday in Dharamsala, India.

We applaud your call to the world community to denounce China in the wake of its crackdown in Tibet and to recognize this crisis as a "challenge to the conscience of the world." 

We join our Tibetan sisters and brothers as they grieve the loss of life caused by the brutal violence against Tibetans by Beijing.  We stand by Tibet's side as itseeks ways to shed the light of truth on what is happening inside of its country and to its people.

As the death toll in Tibet and the violence in Tibet and its neighboring provinces continue to rise, we support your call for our President and for our leaders to boycott the Opening Ceremonies for the Beijing Olympics.

Last year, we joined with our fellow Americans to celebrate your efforts and President Bush's selection of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor. At that ceremony, President Bush reminded us, "Americans cannot look to the plight of the religiously oppressed and close our eyes or turn away." 

Indeed, our leaders and Beijing's leaders could certainly benefit by contemplating the Dalai Lama's message of peace and reconciliation

Madame Speaker, your have been one of the most outspoken Democratic supporter of Tibet's fight for freedom, and we are proud of that leadership.

We urge you to continue to press upon this serious international human rights matter, and for you will continue to send a clear message of hope to Tibetans so that they know that Americans care and will not stand by and watch them perish. 

Respectfully,

Ann Lau, Visual Artists Guild
Ann Noonan, Free Church for China, Inc.
Harry Wu, Laogai Research Foundation
Reverend Ruben Diaz, New York State Senator
Rev. Douglas Shin, Exodus 21
Nat Hentoff, Syndicated Columnist, Village Voice
Carol Crossed, Owner and curator, Susan B Anthony Birthplace
Teresa Matheson, St. Barnabas Family Ministry
Robert Senser, Editor and publisher, Human Rights for Workers Too
Maria Guarracino
Reggie Littlejohn, Film Maker
Felipe O. Infante, Pasadena Human Relations Commission
Bob McCloskey, Labor Activist
Camella Pinkney-Price, Legacy Coalition
Andrew Koenig, Filmmaker
Ron Paler, MD, Pasadena, CA
Yongyi Song, California State University, Los Angeles
Cy Wong: Singer, Actor and Writer
Frank de Balogh, PhD, Founder, Calif. Ethnic Leadership Council
Norman Quan
Pinchao Jiang, poet, Monterey Park June Fourth Heritage & Culture Association
Gregory Buie, Yorba Linda, CA
Hieu Van Ngo, Secretary General, The Committee of Human Rights for Vietnam
Quan Nguyen M.D.; Chairman, International Committee to support the NonViolent Movement For Human Rights in Vietnam
Nikki Serapio, Americans Against the Darfur Genocide
Norma Edwards
Lyle Henry, THE RADIO DOCTOR, Los Angeles, CA 90039
Do Thanh Cong
Mr. Do Thanh Cong, spokesperson of the People's Democratic Party
Mrs. Tien Jane DoBui, spokeswoman of the Women for Human Rights in Vietnam
Robert Branch, California State University, Los Angeles
Carl Olson, Chairman, State Department Watch
Cathy MacVaugh
Ellen Phillips
Carol Nye, artist
Ruth Wallen artist, Public Address member San Diego, California
Philip Watt
Guykaro Metta, Artist, Hermosa Beach, Ca.
Linda Lin, Arcadia, California
Ricardo Veliz, Redondo Beach, CA
Yaning Liu, Baldwin Park, California
Jeremy Taylor, Step Up Time
Tracy Gore, Small Business Owner, Santa Monica, California
Simcha Felder, New York City Councilman
Annabelle Nye, West Hills, Ca.
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Alex Lin, Santa Monica, CA
Nancy Jones
Louise Jacob, Yonkers, NY

Update 27 Mar. 2008 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear Friend,
    Your signed letter has been sent to Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi via e-mail and faxes to her offices in Washington DC and San Francisco.
Thank you for your support of human rights.
Ann Lau, Chair, VAG