Letters to the Editor
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One Good Man Still Standing.
What more can the Dalai Lama do? He's a leader in exile, and even his photo isn't allowed to be displayed in Tibet. His people are ruled by tyranny, and it's a very strong tyrant. The Dalai Lama has said he'll talk directly to the Chinese regime, and is appealing to the world to put pressure on China to stop the oppression and cultural genocide of his people. What will the world do? In real, meaningful terms, diddly squat is what it'll do. Because its own interests are at stake, because Politics means swallowing ones principles and morals if it's for the economic benefit of its citizens. So the Dalai Lama stands out like a beacon on a dark night, because he doesn't take the narrow nationalist view, he takes a long term humanitarian view. Resistance, especially violent resistance, isn't all it's cracked up to be, especially if the oppressors are armed and determined. After all, have the Palestinians, for example, gained anything, really?
Would it have made any difference if he'd asked the Tibetans to resist? How can those poor people, with so few resources, win against such a brutal regime? The Dalai Lama has done his best to raise Tibet's profile, and disseminate the teachings of compassion and peace. So please, let there be One Good Man left who still preaches non-violence, and walks the talk.
In the meantime, a lot can happen. It's the Olympics soon.