Tibetan National Flag
March 10, 2011 – the 52nd Anniversary of the Tibetan National Uprising Day. And why should you and i care? They are half a world away – and 13.5 hours ahead of us on the US west coast. They’re almost into Friday. Why should it matter to us when Tibet will be free? Or if at all?
Because we are the United States of America. Freedom is our motto. Freedom is our belief – that humans have a right to religious freedom, a right to celebrate their culture, a right to live without terror and oppression, a right to live in peace. The foundation of who we are – is freedom. True, we had to earn that right. We struggled and fought over the years as to its meaning and to whom this freedom belonged. From the near genocide of Native Americans, slavery and segregation of Blacks, Women’s suffrage, Japanese labor camps, and others, we have learned the hard way, the embarrassingly painful and tearful way, of what it means to be free. So now we have our freedom. Can we turn a blind eye to others who fight for the same? Can we look the other way because it’s inconvenient to feel guilty?
Tibetan Monks Protest the Killings - AP photofile
Tibetan Underdog
But we have another reason to want to help Tibet become free. They’re the underdog. And Americans love an underdog. Tibetans are certainly that. Outnumbered – 2.9 million (Tibet Autonomous Region) to 1.3 billion (China). Outgunned. The Chinese government – a host of modern guns and artillery. Tibetans – rocks. Unfortunately for the Tibetans, they are peace-loving. I say unfortunate because Americans are actually quite into violence. Seriously – look at our sports, movies, books, news – we are a nation of fighters and are proud of it. If the Tibetans lined-up across their borders holding rocks in their hands, snarling like badgers protecting their dens, we’d be all for supporting them. As it is, peace and compassion tend to make us wave our hands and say, “Ah, new agers!” and walk away. Warm and fuzzy make us uncomfortable.
Yet deep-down, isn’t peace what we want? Isn’t that what we’ve been taught at Christmas time since we were little – “pray for World peace, peace on Earth, good will to men?” The Tibetans so very much want peace. But that peace will come only when they have freedom. China will certainly not release Tibet; there is too much economic gain to be had. What the Tibetans ask though is freedom to rule themselves. Freedom to practice their religion. Freedom to speak their language and celebrate their history and culture. Freedom to walk down the street without being treated as a second-class citizen. This is what they ask of the Chinese government. They ask. The reply has been violence.
Photo - unknown
Help Tibet Be Free
We can help the Tibetans gain that freedom. Our voice is strong. We can be heard. We can join them and send a message to our own leaders saying we support autonomy for Tibet. We can send a message to the Chinese embassy. We can send words of encouragement to the Tibetan refugees in India. We can help support the monasteries in exile. There is so much we can do to help these compassionate and peaceful people – our brothers and sisters of the World.
“Let freedom ring…”
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