<p>Understand that a large number of Tibetans do not hate Hans. Only a small number of people get violent, possibly because some extremists stirred the ppl up.</p>
<p>well you cannot receive truth without propaganda as it’s everywhere, even in US there’s always propaganda, not necessarily from the government. every one tells things in the way they want you to receive them. even CNN edits pictures in the news to make its point more “straightforward”.</p>
<p>^ Yes, but the fact remains, that in the U.S, you have access to so much more information. You can watch/read media with opposing views. Media that is controversial. Media that criticizes the government. Media that presents alternative perspectives.</p>
<p>All news has bias. The difference between Western media and Chinese media is that Western media always has different biases, whereas the Chinese media is dominated by CCTV and other governmen owned companies…one bias. To maintain this monopoly, the Chinese government frequently censors or blocks sources of information that don’t support their agenda.</p>
<p>
This is not true.Just go to tibet and ask local people.
Most people want to stay with us.</p>
<p>
Access to more information about 2008 election?
lol.</p>
<p>The best way to know China is to go China and stay there.</p>
<p>To sum up:
1.Most people in tibet don’t want to leave us.
2.It’s okay to protest. Shanghai just had a peaceful protest against new railway.Nothing violent happened. In 1989,some people chose to use violence to protest,that’s why the government has to use military force.We can let it go,but more people will be hurt if the government refused to stop it.
There’s another side of the story.But I admit the government’s policy wasn’t perfect at that time.</p>
<p>Again,one important thing to notice is that
Who’s opinion is more important for China?
As a observer, everyone can express one’s own opinion.But just remember,in China,Chinese people’s voices are more important.</p>
<p>The same thing applies to U.S. Everyone can express their feeling toward Bush.But Americans’ views are more important(or only important).</p>
<p>Tibetans don’t want to be part of China? Can you please provide all of us with some reliable proof aside from the recent protests and riots? My entire family lived in the Tibetan Autonomous Region for over 20 years in the 1970s and 80s, and you are now telling us what we want and don’t want? According to you logic, Alaska, Hawaii, Quebec, and Northern Ireland should’ve all become independent nation states by now. </p>
<p>What the Dalai Lama wants is a highly autonomous territory within the borders of China. That’s all fine with the Chinese people. However, upon that is another condition that states that all Han and people of other ethnicities must vacate Tibet. No country could tolerate such racial exclusivity. That is almost analogous to the Nazi policy of “Germany for Germans.” What we want is simply a peaceful co-existence between all 56 ethnic groups of China, and that includes the Han, the Tibetans, the Mongols, the Manchus, the Muslims, the Miao, the Zhuang, the Kazakh, and many many others. </p>
<p>I do agree that China’s Tibetan policies have been largely misguided in the past 30 years. Although there have been vast economic improvements, jasmincn was right in pointing out the fact that many Tibetans don’t necessarily want to live like the most Han Chinese, with all the fancy luxuries of modern life. What most Tibetans truly want, I think, is a high degree of spiritual and religious freedom, simply because the entire Tibetan culture is built upon the foundations of Tibetan Buddhism. I traveled to Tibet in the summer of 2007, to see what life is like there. My aunt has numerous friends outside the Lhasa area, and most of them have converted to agricultural employment. Even though they are now living a relatively comfortable life, with two story houses, TV, running water, electricity, and other basic infrastructure, most of them still think very highly of the Dalai Lama. Some even have pictures of the Dalai Lama hanging in their living room. Indeed, economic improvement cannot substitute the necessary spiritual and religious needs of the population. I also strongly support a renewal of negotiations and exchanges between the Chinese people, government and the Dalai Lama. Tibetans need the Dalai Lama to fulfill their spiritual needs, and China also needs such a spiritual leader to promote peace, prosperity, and co-existence among the 56 ethnicities of the nation.</p>
<p>Interesting anecdote:</p>
<p>Today I saw someone with a “Free Tibet” bumper sticker on their car and asked him, “So what do you think about all that stuff going on in Lhasa (referring to the riots and disorder)?”</p>
<p>And he raised an eyebrow, had this funny expression on his face, and with complete seriousness, asked “What the hell is a Lhasa?” </p>
<p>He clearly knew nothing about Tibet or Tibetans! Just plain dumbass ignorance masquerading as honorable social activism. I know that most people who take an interest in the situation in Tibet are open-minded, curious, and informed, but it was upsetting nonetheless.</p>
<p>And yeah, everybody just chill out. Arguing on the internet is… well, arguing on the internet. It’s better I think, to focus on what tangible steps people can take to make life better for both Tibetans, Hans, and the other ethnic groups living in Tibet instead of engaging in a debate over who is less “brainwashed” by the media.</p>
<p>Earlier, I stated that, due to the human rights abuses, the Tibetans should be allowed to separate from China if that is what they want. But, unfortunately, I don’t really know if Tibetans want to separate from China or not. </p>
<p>American media says the do. Chinese media says they don’t. At best, the protestors form a very small minority, so we can’t rely on them. I haven’t seen any poll numbers yet; I don’t know how the hell they made these conclusions. </p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Please remember that this was not peaceful protest. Yes, they have the right to protest. However, they don’t have the right to set shops on fire and beat up civilians passing by on the street. </p>
<p>In this situation, they had to do something other than sit in sofas in Beijing and watch the protestors kill people with machetes. On the other hand, the Chinese government always overreacts. Usually, they themselves end up killing scores of peaceful protestors and civilians.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Give me a source for that assertion that is not Chinese media, please.</p>
<p>Even another Asian media source is acceptable (to avoid your “BUT ANY MEDIA OUTSIDE OF CHINA IS BIASED AND HATES US” objection).</p>
<p>
Sorry,I can’t give you a source like that.
I don’t speak other Asian language.When it comes to media,I can only rely on western or chinese media and forums.</p>
<p>But I had some chances to talk with tibetan people in China(I haven’t been to tibet myself yet).This is my source.</p>
<p>
This is the key point.
Many people don’t really know what is the truth.Being agnostic may be a smart choice.</p>
<p>By the way,China is a diverse country. There are also han chinese residents in
Tibet.I believe han chinese and minorities in Tibet should be treated equal.</p>
<p>
That’s what the central government wants. But Dalai doesn’t really appreciate this idea. Dalai also want to be the political leader of Tibet,not only spiritual leader.It’s human nature,everyone wants more power,understandable.</p>
<p>But state and religion should be separated!</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>So, as I thought, you have absolutely no source for that assertion.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Sort of. The problem I have with this argument is that if we make the assumption that Tibet is indeed being culturally subjugated by China (not necessarily true, but bear with me here), then the fact that Han Chinese are there should not in any way stop them from separating. It’s like saying “we’ll invade you, and now that we’re here it’s unjust for us to be removed”.</p>
<p>No, I find the presence of Han Chinese in Tibet basically irrelevant to the discussion. Don’t take this as a reflection of my opinion - this issue is separate. I just don’t think it’s relevant.</p>
<p>Han Chinese and other Chinese are living together in Tibet.
There’s no such thing like,“I’ll invade you.”</p>
<p>None of the residents there should be removed in anyway.</p>
<p>yucca: Maybe you didn’t notice the qualifiers that I put in that post noting how I didn’t say it was actually the case. My point is merely that the argument that Han Chinese live in Tibet is only relevant if we assume they should be there, which returns us to the beginning of the debate and so is irrelevant.</p>
<p>Why shouldn’t? At least,Tibet is still a part of China. And all the citizens have the rights to reside in the country.There’s no way to stop zang chinese to move to Shanghai or stop han chinese to Tibet.</p>
<p>There are 56 ethnic groups in China, and Zang people is a member of them. I am really shocked that in a program of National Geography said that Chinese invaded Tibet in 1953, as Tibet IS one part of China even before Qing Dynasty.
As official data shows, Chinese government gives financial support which is 8 times more than the local income to improve the condition in Tibet. Life in Tibet has been improved and is still being improved by the government. For example:1) Before 1953, serfdom was still common, but now people in Tibet are living in a modern society.
2) The railroad to Tibet is built. Before that, the only possible way for most people in Tibet to go to other provinces in China is by air which many people can’t afford. The railway opens a door for people in Tibet to have more communications with the rest of China, and it is also a way to boom the economy of Tibet.
Speaking of the protests, I have watched the videos on how innocent citizens were wounded by the cruel protestors. What’s more, they even attacked SCHOOLS. Can you imagine some people with sticks and even knives shouting and even threatening kids at the age of 6 to 12? What a sin is that?!
In the end, I just want to say that people in this world should not be partial just because one government’s political style is different. Chinese people are warm-hearted and hospitable. They worked and are still working diligently to improve their once low and unequal position; they are working hard to coming out of its past; they are working hard to improve the life in both their hometown and the rest part of China; they are also working hard to welcome the Olympic Games. Is it fair that this nation and its people should be opposed and slandered by the people who haven’t even known thoroughly the hardships that Chinese people had been through?
What Chinese people from 56 ethnics want are peace, harmony and respect.</p>
<p>So suddenly going and living in Tibet and seeing with your own two eyes is suddenly “no source for any assertion” about Tibet? I trust my own eyes more than any news source.</p>
<p>And if the Chinese came, invaded Tibet, and culturally subjugated the Tibetans, and basically adopted a “we’ll invade you, and now that we’re here it’s unjust for us to be removed” doctrine, then the descendants of all the European colonizers in America should go back to Europe, right? I mean, they did kind of invade, cultural subjugated and exterminate an entire continent of Native American peoples. So clearly we don’t even have a right to be here, if you want to think about it that way.</p>
<p>Notice my own “qualifier”.</p>
<p>If you all are interested in politics and this issue, I suggest you visit [Latest</a> Articles](<a href=“http://www.freerepublic.com%5DLatest”>http://www.freerepublic.com). It’s a political forum. You may find various and interesting views there.</p>