Psst... want the dirt on the Dalai Lama? - 3 months old

I was recently given the Chinese perspective on Tibet.  It was hard to believe at first, but given the claims made, I thought I should at least google it.

This, among other materials came as a rude shock: http://www.michaelparenti.org/Tibet.html

Before China "invaded" Tibet, the country was a serfdom.  Far from being a land of freedom and enlightenment, most people in Tibet lived as either serfs or slaves, with religion and notions of karma playing a role in their oppression.

This caused be to raise some questions:

Would people be so keen to free Tibet if:
-  The Dalai Lama wore a suit instead of robes and was presented as Tibet's political leader and not solely its spiritual leader?
-  If rich and famous Americans like Richard Gere, Tina Turner and Keanu Reeves weren't Buddhist?
-  Tibet was not seen as some spiritual, mystical place in the mountains?
-  China was not on the rise as a world power?

I used to think that the Tibetan issue was one of liberation (not that I particularly cared about the oppression of Tibet over and above that of any other people), but now it just seems to be just another  shitfight over land and power.

Thursday, April 10, 4.43pm - Au Revoir Dog