tibet
April 2008 
China Tibet and fanning the flame.
Posted on Apr 10th, 2008
by 
Ua
Ua
Around 10 years ago I started to get involved and educated on the situation in Tibet. Like every long haired hippie freak I stuck my Free Tibet sticker on my car and tried my best to get the message out. Nobody really cared.... Tibet who? Where? The Dali what?
When China was granted the honor of hosting the 2008 Olympics my first thought was WTF?!?! When the protests first fired up I was happy to see attention being put on the situation by mass media. The monks turning over their bowls in protest, peaceful resistance and the beauty of seeing the Tibetans surrounding the monks while they marched offering protection. I thought to myself, FINALLY!
Last night I watched the news and took in the reports of protesters in Paris, San Fran, London. Chaos and mayhem. People fighting, screaming at each other and trying to put out the torch. The symbol of unity and good will attempting to be extinguished by who? The protesters who are yelling at China to show unity and good will. Instead of the media asking what is going on in China and Tibet they are reporting on the actions of the protesters. The protest is overshadowing the message of the protest itself. So it got me thinking.....
Imagine- Instead of running and chaos a thousand or ten thousand people sitting quietly along the parade route. Meditating on PEACE. Silent. Flying the Tibetan flag. Just think of the impact on media, the change of world view. The image of 10 thousand silently watching the torch go by.
Imagine- His HH the Dali Lama walking with the torch runners. Bringing the flame of unity to China with open arms. How could China ever label him a wolf in sheep's clothes after that show of understanding? That willingness to open dialog? Our times tend to be defined by images brought to us my the media. Monks torching themselves in the 60's. The man trying to stop the tank in Tienanmen Square, Bobby Kennedy being shot, the moon landing. Imagine the impact of the image of the Dali Lama walking with the torch.
As an American who am I to deem China evil. My country is just as guilty. Relocation of American Japanese in WWII, Genocide of the American Indian, Abu Ghraib, the drug war..... do I really need to keep going? My point is, my finger while pointing east should point strait at my heart. We need to show China understanding and compassion not alienate and embarrass them. We need to hold out our hands and welcome China. And then sit down and truly discuss the state we find ourselves in. But will we? Where are the great men and women?
The Civil Rights movement worked why? Because MLK walked at the front of the lines and showed by example passive resistance.
India was freed why? Because Gandhi walked at the front of the lines and showed by example passive resistance.
Who is walking in front of the protesters? Why doesn't the Dali Lama do what I imagined?
I'm a simple man with a simple thought. I would think the Dali Lama would think along the same lines. The message in his letters is beautiful but the protesters are not paying attention.
If my tone sounds angry at the Dali Lama that is not my intention. I'm just confused. I understand my view is limited and I can't even begin to understand the world of the Dali Lama. But brother? Where are you really? We need more then letters, we need you to walk. To teach. If left to our own devises we break things!
I give these thoughts to the Gaia Community because here I find like minds. And folks way more intelligent then I. So help me here.... Why did we blow this amazing opportunity for not just Tibet and China but for all of us?
When China was granted the honor of hosting the 2008 Olympics my first thought was WTF?!?! When the protests first fired up I was happy to see attention being put on the situation by mass media. The monks turning over their bowls in protest, peaceful resistance and the beauty of seeing the Tibetans surrounding the monks while they marched offering protection. I thought to myself, FINALLY!
Last night I watched the news and took in the reports of protesters in Paris, San Fran, London. Chaos and mayhem. People fighting, screaming at each other and trying to put out the torch. The symbol of unity and good will attempting to be extinguished by who? The protesters who are yelling at China to show unity and good will. Instead of the media asking what is going on in China and Tibet they are reporting on the actions of the protesters. The protest is overshadowing the message of the protest itself. So it got me thinking.....
Imagine- Instead of running and chaos a thousand or ten thousand people sitting quietly along the parade route. Meditating on PEACE. Silent. Flying the Tibetan flag. Just think of the impact on media, the change of world view. The image of 10 thousand silently watching the torch go by.
Imagine- His HH the Dali Lama walking with the torch runners. Bringing the flame of unity to China with open arms. How could China ever label him a wolf in sheep's clothes after that show of understanding? That willingness to open dialog? Our times tend to be defined by images brought to us my the media. Monks torching themselves in the 60's. The man trying to stop the tank in Tienanmen Square, Bobby Kennedy being shot, the moon landing. Imagine the impact of the image of the Dali Lama walking with the torch.
As an American who am I to deem China evil. My country is just as guilty. Relocation of American Japanese in WWII, Genocide of the American Indian, Abu Ghraib, the drug war..... do I really need to keep going? My point is, my finger while pointing east should point strait at my heart. We need to show China understanding and compassion not alienate and embarrass them. We need to hold out our hands and welcome China. And then sit down and truly discuss the state we find ourselves in. But will we? Where are the great men and women?
The Civil Rights movement worked why? Because MLK walked at the front of the lines and showed by example passive resistance.
India was freed why? Because Gandhi walked at the front of the lines and showed by example passive resistance.
Who is walking in front of the protesters? Why doesn't the Dali Lama do what I imagined?
I'm a simple man with a simple thought. I would think the Dali Lama would think along the same lines. The message in his letters is beautiful but the protesters are not paying attention.
If my tone sounds angry at the Dali Lama that is not my intention. I'm just confused. I understand my view is limited and I can't even begin to understand the world of the Dali Lama. But brother? Where are you really? We need more then letters, we need you to walk. To teach. If left to our own devises we break things!
I give these thoughts to the Gaia Community because here I find like minds. And folks way more intelligent then I. So help me here.... Why did we blow this amazing opportunity for not just Tibet and China but for all of us?
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