Everywhere I go these days, I see these
FREE TIBET stickers, complete with the rising sun shooting multicolored rays over the big bold letters. And sure,
Tibet should be free..
China shouldn't hold an independent people captive. But really.. the whole thing smacks of hypocrisy. Why? Because the
United States has inholdings of the same type. Lots of them. Believe it or not, there were other people here before us white people. And, because China has oppressed the Tibetans a little bit more recently, does that give us the right to complain? Really, 200 years isn't THAT long.
There are lots of Native American cultures still intact. It could be argued that all of them should be free of US intervention. But the Navajo, or Dinee as they call themselves, are among the largest. They have an enormous reservation in New Mexico and Arizona... bigger than most states. And their culture is still largely intact. The Navajo are survivors.. their philosophy is to live in harmony with their surroundings. They have encountered much suffering in the form of the harsh desert, invasion by the Spanish, and later by the Americans. But they survived, in good enough shape to use their language as code in WW2, and still live in the southwest much as they always have. Sadly, they are largely impoverished because their way of life has been tainted by the good ol' United States
So... while I certainly think Tibet has the right to be free, like any other group, I feel like a hypocrite to run around preaching about it. But if I ever find a 'Free Dinee' bumper sticker, you know that'll end up on my bumper.
Thanks to Zeolite for pointing out that it is the BIA, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, that controls the Navajo Reservation and all the other ones as well, and it is this organization that we should focus on.
Hobyrne: the point wasn't that we should wish ill on Tibet. The point is that we (meaning those E2 users who are US Citizens) don't really have room to criticize China for committing sins we commit as well. For instance, if China were to criticize the US for events in Seattle during the protests, no one would take them seriously as they have committed equal or worse atrocities themselves. Tibet should be allowed to do what they please, but all we can do is hope that China learns from the mistakes the US made.
as for the node title, if someone with 'ops' wishes to change it, be my guest.