…”The Magnificent Seven” has one profound line of dialogue where the Mexican bandit chief, Calvera, played by Eli Wallach, explains to Chris (Yul Brynner) the leader of the “Seven” defending the Mexican village, why he robs peasants: “If God had not meant them to be sheared, he would not have made them sheep.” Which brought to mind a “sheep” moment in modern Tibetan history.
The Sound of One Hand Grasping
The many prosperous-looking Chinese tourists, pilgrims and of course “intellectuals” who seem to have open access to the Dalai Lama, and take up much of his time these days, appear to enjoy full security clearance. In fact I am told that that many exile religious organizations regard them as valuable patrons or jindaks. His Holiness seems convinced that through such outreach tête-à-têtes with Chinese visitors he is somehow influencing China’s perspective on himself, and invariably gaining its trust and sympathy.
The Arrogance of Treason
PHUNTSOK WANGYAL & HIS ADMIRATION SOCIETY-IN-EXILE The Buddha and Christ both spoke of the virtue of turning the other cheek when wronged, but no one has suggested, to date, that if violently sodomized it would be the correct thing (excuse me) to turn the other cheek, and furthermore, shower the sodomizer with affection and praise. …
Missing the Big Moment
I was in Delhi for the March 10th rally in 1979 taking photographs for the Tibetan Review and the Tibetan Bulletin. Being the 20th anniversary an effort was made to put together a grander program of events than in previous years…Just a few days earlier China had launched a massive attack on Vietnam
Is the Dalai Lama Safe?
I came across this YouTube video yesterday morning that left me depressed and angry for the rest of the day. An inji nun, a Shugden follower, confronts His Holiness in a hotel lobby in San Francisco and keeps up a litany of insulting comments: “Stop lying Dalai Lama”, “Religious freedom for everyone”, “Stop lying”, “Dalai …
We Shall Overcome, Someday
Its coming around to that time of the year when we raise our fists in the air and sing “Longsho” (Arise!). I’m sure there is no argument, even from the most anemic Middle Path-er that this rousing ballad, sung at all March 10th gatherings and demonstrations, has helped exile Tibetans to hold on to their …
The Day I Saw Mandela
. Just four months after he was released from Robben Island, Nelson Mandela came to Boston – the first stop in his nine-city US tour. It was probably his way of thanking Boston for being the first US city take a stand against apartheid, which it and the state of Massachusetts had earlier done, against …
Toronto Book Launch
I would like to thank my TNC colleagues Kalsang Phuntsok la, Tenpa Gashi la and others for organizing my public talk “Forging a Rangzen Strategy” last Saturday at Toronto, and Lobsang Wangkhang la for introducing me to the audience. I must also thank Christophe la for the poster design. The hundred and twenty or so …
Forging a Rangzen Strategy
In my last post I mentioned that I would come up with an analysis of why the Chitue denunciations and the marginalization of the TYC and Gu-Chu-Sum had happened, and what the Tibetan public could do about it. Readers will have to wait a little longer for the article as I am preparing a talk …
The Sad Painful Joke of Tibetan Democracy
. When Bhutan set out on its democracy experiment in 2008, I must admit to a little skepticism. I thought the Dragon Kingdom would follow in the footsteps of Nepal’s Panchayat democracy (initiated by King Mahendra in 1962). In this party-less “guided” democratic system the people could elect their representatives for a tame parliament, while …
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