[PEN-L:9697] Re: FW: Dalai Lama/Today's Tibet

[Jim Devine <jdevine@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

>From: Macdonald Stainsby [mailto:mstainsby@xxxxxxxxxxx]
>Sent: Tuesday, July 27, 1999 3:44 PM
>To: jcraven@xxxxxxxxx
>Subject: Fwd: Dalai Lama
>
>>TODAY'S TIBET
>>by Macdonald Stainsby
>>
>>>                     The most screenplayed and least explained of the
>>>national liberation movements currently spoken of in the mainstream
>>>press is undoubtedly that of Tibet. We are treated to emotion evoking
>>>images of terror and sorrow in such Hollywood offerings as "Seven Years
>>>In Tibet" and "Kundun". Short of content and discussion, these movies
>>>provide any decent person with ample righteousness in condemning
>>>"atrocities" carried out by a heartless, power hungry and expansionist
>>>Chinese Communist Party.
>>>
>>>                   There are countless groups from all sorts of first
>>>world (i.e.- Imperialist) countries pressing for a "Free Tibet!" using
>>>the charming and seemingly humble Dalai Lama as their spokesman of
>>>reference.

etc.

I'm no fan of Tibetan independence (especially given all the pro-Tibet
nonsense around here in Tinseltown). But how does this article make China
look better than capitalism, so that they can justify repressing their own
(Han Chinese) people's trade unions, etc., in the name of "socialism"? That
is, just because the Dalai Lama favors sexism, atomic weapons, and the like
doesn't mean his enemies in China's government are right.

Put a third way, just because we criticize "Western" imperialism doesn't
mean that the domestic working-class opponents of the Chinese ruling elite
are wrong.

Jim Devine jdevine@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx &
http://clawww.lmu.edu/Faculty/JDevine/JDevine.html