A World in Pictures-Maya Creamer

      This photo shows Thich Quang Duc, a Vietnamese Buddhist monk, burning himself to death on June 11th, 1963, in a busy intersection of Saigon, Vietnam. He burned himself to death to protest the persecution of Buddhists under the South Vietnamese government led by Ngo Dinh Diem. This photograph gained a lot of attention around the world, and continues to be one of the most well-known photos ever taken; Malcolm Browne won a Pulitzer Prize for taking it.

      This photo drew the world's attention to the treatment of the Buddhists in Vietnam, and was a turning point in the Buddhist crisis. Soon after it was taken, Diem announced reforms to attempt to make amends with the Buddhists, but raiding of Buddhist pagodas and nationwide damage continued. Diem's regime was eventually toppled, and he was assassinated on November 2nd, 1963.

      Seeing this photograph makes me feel shocked and sad. It makes me lose a little bit of hope in our world that the persecution of Buddhists in Vietnam in the 1960's was so bad that Thich Quang Duc felt that he had to end his own life to draw attention to it. Nobody should be persecuted for what they believe. The fact that he chose to end his life in this very painful, prolonged way shocks me. What shocks me even more is learning that, after seeing him burn himself to death, other Vietnamese Buddhist monks did the same. They all sacrificed their lives in hopes of drawing attention to their plight, and getting better treatment for their people.

      Despite the fact that this photo is quite shocking, it also makes me feel a sense of awe. The fact that someone could endure this kind of long, horrible death without seeming to be in any pain amazes me; he appears to be very calm and still, sitting straight and cross-legged. The dedication that Thich Quang Duc had to earning better treatment for the Buddhists of Vietnam is inspiring; he was willing to end his life for the good of his people.