Myanmar

There's a podcast with Bhikkhu Bodhi on the Crisis in Myanmar.

After the Dalai Lama, Bhikkhu Bodhi is perhaps one of the most respected spiritual leaders of Buddhism. He was born in Brooklyn and he's not some nationalist guy but he's raised in Brooklyn by Jewish parents, and he's a prominent American Buddhist, maybe the most prominent American Buddhist. He is the English translator to many volumes of the Pali Canon, which are the foundation of Buddhism. One of the things I like about the Theravadan monastics is that they make their teachings free. They are deeply rooted in the earliest writings about what the Buddha really said and taught. In addition the sangha, the monks community is a strong link back to the Buddha. I've downloaded his book of essays, I hope to follow through and read them.

Myanmar had a military junta overthrow a democratically elected government. 

BB talks in the podcast about the tradition of not getting to involved in worldly affairs. The other hand is that perhaps there can be good done by applying a Dharmic position to worldly affairs for the good of all beings.

The podcaster suggests that maybe there is a middle way between political apathy and full engagements in the political life.

The threats to the world in terms of climate change, and other obvious harms seem at least something that can be commented on. BB is reluctant to say specific things, but encourages peace and democracy.