james tangrenApr 9th, 2008 - 10:29:39

Tibet – the “Inconvenient Truth”
1. Tibetan Buddhist hierarchy – a combination of religion institution and secular governing body:

Contrary to the popular belief (molded and ingrained mostly by the western mainstream medias and probably in the textbooks as well) in the West, Tibetan Buddhist society was, never a pure form of religious institution in Chinese history, instead, a fundamentalism for as well as an extension of the then secular government solely consisted of slavery landlords. Tibetan Buddhism monasteries both directly and indirectly preserved the feudal system ruling the region for centuries with extreme cruelty, such as peeling off slaves’ skins to make drums, beheading prisoners to use their skull to make bowls. Dismantlement of limbs and gouging out of eyes were common punitive punishment was a memory as recent as 1940s of last century until the communist uprooted ruling class of the then Tibetan region.

The western so-called communist “invasion” and later on its crackdown of rebellion in the ensuing year was in fact not prompted by the quest for territorial gain (anyone with rich knowledge of Chinese history would know the legitimacy behind China’s claim of the region as a integrated part of the country), but rather the result of inevitable clash between two vastly different social ideologies.

As a result most of the Tibet exiles following Dalai Lama, old or new, are those who used to be the beneficiaries of that Tibetan feudal system. They are not real Tibetan people.

2. Dalai Lama – never a spiritual leader in Chinese Buddhism followers’ mind:

To understand this, western minds must abandon the perceived comparison between Buddhism and Christianity, particularly Catholic Church. Chinese Buddhism, due to its pacifist philosophy of life, has never developed into a unified and highly organized religious system. There is NEITHER a Buddhist “Bible” NOR a Buddhist “Vatican” to speak of is self evidence.

In Buddhism the reverence towards a certain living individual is of only academic value – no more, no less. In Chinese traditional point of view, living in seclusion was and still is regarded of the highest Way of Buddhist living. Participation in politicking is scorned off by mainstream Chinese Buddhism. From this standing point, it is not difficult to see why Dalai Lama does not have the respect from Chinese people, let alone win hearts and souls.

The Nobel Prize to Dalai Lama was just a poorly orchestrated politic joke in an ordinary Chinese eye. So please, if you happen to see Mr. Lama coming your way in the street, don’t be scared. A polite “Hi, there!” will be sufficient enough to fulfill your social courtesy.

3. Any logic behind the western medias’ truth-less report and inflammable commentaries:
Firstly, if there was no western reporter inside Tibet during the course of the riot, how can the various news agencies could justifiably declare they had told the public a true story? Second, manipulations of photographs, distortion of facts are surely not deemed as professionally ethical or even legal under the law of “freedom of speech”? Thirdly, when facts desperately in short supply, on what basis did editors and commentators alike make all those comments and accusations?
If we to take a leaf out of the book of the western justice system – “innocent until proven guilty” – to depict the bias of the western medias in this Tibet issue, we have to reverse the sentence and plus, and then it shall read like this: “guilty until proven innocent – but we are the judge and the jury”.
But there is the famous English saying even more deafening:
“You can fool all the people some of the time and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time”. I hope you take it to your mind – because it is YOUR reputation on the line; and what’s more, as a news agency, reputation is your flesh and blood. Without them you are bound to be out of business – sooner or later.
4. Reaction from some of the world leaders:

It is absolutely shocking to see how they have acted the way like, with due respect to the artists, a pop star – caring only the quality of the tenor and the velocity of the voice, but not giving a dime about what exactly what they were talking about.

Isn’t it the leader of a nation should be the most knowledgeable (with the help of his/her think tank) person among his/her peers? Maturity should be the virtue of his/her leadership, right? And most importantly the national interest should certainly be the order of his/her job?

But hell no! As the anti-China shenanigan uncoiling we see you guys became headless, putting up some ugly no-brainer shows that certainly will not benefit the countries that you are elected to serve. Trust me on this one: whenever there is an action, there will be a reaction. If you want a friend you must yourself act like one; if you want an enemy you just carry on what you are doing now. China is not your wholesale market – she has survived over 6000 years, and mind you, for most part she had no idea where on earth the West was.

By the way, USA, the self-proclaimed leader of the free world, is just over 200 years old. If culture is the soul food and history the time for a nation to grow strong and healthy, it certainly lacks in both. The establishment of a strong and beautiful nation is just like the making of a noble spirit. From this point of view I tend to agree with the Scots: the American Whiskey (or any other Whiskey for that matter) is not Whisky.

As for the topic of morality and human rights, I dare say each and every Chinese baby has been born over 6000 years old. Please save your breath, or better still – lecture to yourselves if you want to. We know what we want and no force in the world could ever change that.

5. An advice to those who threaten to boycott Beijing Olympics:

I challenge you do what you say and say what you mean, please.

To your knowledge, the most cultivated value in Chinese tradition is to be humble and modest. We learned it since childhood.

What does this to do with “boycotting Beijing Olympics”? It surely does.

Because your boycott threats have just betrayed your feel of arrogance hidden in your innermost heart though it is entirely unjustifiable, which is just the adversary to the above-said value so cherished by Chinese people. Tell you the truth: you do know how to flatter yourselves indeed.

I advise you don’t ever backtrack your “boycott” threat, seriously. Because if you do, you will find you are NOT welcomed in China no matter where you go. And you’d better keep your words. Thus, at least we will respect you to be a person of your own conviction – be it wise or stupid.

6. Shame on China?

I don’t think so. To quell a riot and to protect innocent people and to ensure law and order are nothing to be ashamed of. Those violent mob led by Tibetan monks are the shameful lot. And so are those who use physical violence in protest against the Olympic Torch Rally. They have just shown the world how ugly and brutal and lawless they are. It is none too blind for those who don’t wish to see. As to those who insist to twist the facts they are simply from verbal diarrhea.

7. If you care to know who I am:

I am proud to tell you this: I am no government employee if this is what you want to know. But I am well educated and probably know the world a little better than those who are making big noises on their over-sized stages.

I am just an ordinary Chinese!

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james tangrenApr 9th, 2008 - 10:30:16

“Don’t be too CNN!”

The recent anti-China choir has reached a crescendo as the Beijing Olympic Rally has got underway. The time seems just right – the Olympics as close as merely a little over three months away. What topic? It is “human rights” issue, damn it!

Western mainstream Medias have not let themselves down by putting up a really good show to demonstrate to the world their professionalism to the full. Manipulations of original photos, distortion of facts, fraudulent reports, deliberate selective reports and editing – all methods that have been refined under the “Freedom of Speech” protection have been utilized to “send a message to China”.

You know what? We have surely received it.

Seeing is believing. If you go to Anti-CNN.com or MITBBS.com you will see it. Or better still – if you can understand Chinese as I English you shall see the plentiful posters – literally millions if not tens of millions – that have been jam-packed all Chinese websites the world over.

You should be very thankful to the Chinese government for blocking your websites. I happen to be one of the few “lucky” overseas Chinese who have the “good fortune” to read your newspapers and watched your TV clippings. And trust me, at this point of time – just as I am writing this comment, I really think Chinese government has done itself a great disfavour by denying the right of its people to know the kind of dirty work you have done to their country.

To the five innocent shop-keeping girls, who were burnt to death in the inferno of Tibetan rioters, you are just as evil as the murders who have physically committed the crime. To the 1.3 billion Chinese people your names are forever nailed on the totem post in the hall of shame.

In case people don’t know whom I am talking about, following is the list of those who have earned themselves the crown of shame: CNN, BBC, Washington Post, Fox News, Germany's N-TV, BILD, N24, RTL, German TV stations RTL and N-TV, and the radio station Voice of Germany.

As one of the 1989 Tiananmen Square prodemocracy demonstration supporters and activists, later jailed and deprived of his employment by the communist government, I have been totally disillusioned by your gentlemen’s abuse of the true spirit of the sacred “freedom of speech”. You don’t deserve it.

And that thought leads me to the following joke, not so funny though:
“How about ‘Freedom of Speech’?” a “free Tibet” demonstrator asked for the support of a beggar who was hoping for the placard to make a shelter.
“No, thanks.” Answered the poor man, thinking a piece of bread would be a better idea.
“Propaganda, then?” the demonstrator gave him a coin.
“Yes, please. But, just don’t be too CNN!”

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JeffApr 9th, 2008 - 12:17:38

james tangren,
My salute to you!
Your arcticle is well written, the logic clear and the analysis through. A lot of people were misinformed by one-sided story, blinded by anger and can not look at the whole story from both side. I wish they had a chance to read your argument.
And please allow me to post your writing on other web sites, so more people have access to it.

P.S. I think you should send your wrting to a major newspaper, although, I doubt they will publish it, because of their biased in reporting.

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Gnow : also on't be too BBC, ABCApr 9th, 2008 - 15:47:19

I once try to write a comment on Times online. Guess what they block me China style. Actually it was worse than China, because at least in china they let the comment to appear for a couple minutes and then delete it. Here, they just block you even if you write perfectly logical comment. I guess freedom of speech doesn't apply to anything pro-china. Then, you will be called a subversive, spy, or commie agent. Interestingly, through out my life, i am always objective about PRC acknowleging its mistakes and achievement. I do the same for ROC.

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Free TibetApr 10th, 2008 - 05:50:25

Over the last 60 years over 1.2 million Tibetans have been massacred in cold blood by the Chinese military. Why has the world remained silent? Why?

China's human rights abuses are 'staggering': the detention of hundreds of thousands of people, including political activists, for 'reeducation' programs, and forced labor camps; and the liberal use of the death penalty in China -- including for political prisoners -- which makes China the site of 8 of every 10 government administered executions carried out in the world!

It is clear that the Communists can't be trusted at all and they have a bag full of tricks to fool not only Tibetans but the people of China with a state-controlled press. The solution is a free Tibet. There is no doubt that a sovereign Tibet would be a savior state not only for Tibetans but for all ethnic groups of China who have nowhere to go if they disagree with the CCP. A free Tibet would be such a free democratic heaven and haven.

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