| Here & Now: China, Tibet & the World |
[Dec. 16th, 2009|08:44 am] |
Tibet is a region of the far east that has become a subject of great dispute in the 21st century. Though, historically speaking, it has been a topic of great interest ever since the early twentieth century. Leading up to then, Tibet had many relations with the Mongols and Chinese government. The Tang Dynasty shows the (presumably) most peaceful and understanding time between China and Tibet, in that Tibet is recognized as both its own territory as well as that which is connected to the Chinese. Later, in the early 1700's, there was some Tibetan unrest due to Chinese imposition. However, it is the events that occurred from the early twentieth century until modern day that are the most crucial, as well as those that lie in the current and future.
During the time of the Great Game, Russia and the Britain were both competing for territorial expansion. With the invasion of Afghanistan proving to be of no avail for both sides, the British turned their attention to Tibet, which they believed was Russia was aiding and expanding into. As a result, In 1904, with much military support, Colonel Francis Younghusband led a British expedition into Tibet, slaughtering many Tibetans in the process. The Dalai Lama had already fled to Urga in Mongolia by the time the expedition arrived in Lhasa, however Younghusband knew he could not return home empty handed, and thus met with various Tibetan officials from the government (including Ganden Tri Rinpoche, the regent) and the Sera, Drepung and Ganden monasteries to sign a treaty. The treaty called for the respect of the Sikkim-Tibet border, for free trade between the British and Tibet, for the government of Tibet to compensate for the the costs of the British military being sent to Lhasa, and it set up a position for a British Trade Agent at Gyantse. These conditions were solidified in a later treaty made in 1906 between Britain and China (Anglo-Chinese Convention), where China also paid the British not to annex any Tibetan territory and to work with China in preventing any interference of Tibet. In 1907, Britain signed a treaty with Russia which recognized that China had suzerainty over Tibet, and that China was to be the “middle man” for any further negotiations with Tibet. For forty years the British Trade Agent position was filled, until in 1937 the position of Head of British Mission Lhasa was formed, which was more permanent and located in Lhasa. Also, during this time Sven Hedin, a Swedish geographer, led mapping expeditions to Tibet, but which drew to a close in 1935.
China had its own motivations and decisions during the Great Game. In 1905, Chinese troops led by Zhao Erfang invaded Tibet and destroyed many monasteries, and the Chinese gained direct rule of for the first time in 1910. Then, in 1911, the Qing dynasty was ended by the Xinhai Revolution, and Chinese troops in Tibet mutinied and killed Zhao Erfang. The Tibetan militia then conducted a surprise attack on the Qing troops, forcing the officials to sign the Three Point Agreement. The Three Point Agreement ordered the troops to surrender and leave Tibet. The 13th Dalai Lama regained power, denying the “restoration” of titles China had sent via telegram. Tibet declared itself an independent nation in 1913, when three Tibetan representatives signed a treaty in Urga with Mongolia which stated such action as well as the understanding between the two nations that both were independent. At this time, global wars diverted much attention and interest from Tibet, and China's own civil wars divided it into several military states, rendering it too weak to intervene in Tibet.
The Simla Convention of 1914 took place in Simla, India, and was attended by representatives of China, Tibet and Britain. It discussed the dispersement of British and Chinese Territories within Tibet. The idea of an Inner and Outer Tibet was formed, causing the further dispute of the boundaries of such territories. In response, Henry McMahon, the British chief negotiator, drew a line (now known as the McMahon Line) that was to be the border between India and Tibet, and which gave the British an additional nine thousand square kilometers of territory. Initially all three parties signed the document, with Tibet stating that China would not be granted any of the rights enclosed unless it signed, but China quickly denied the document, claiming that it did not sign the treaty, and that it refused to recognize any treaty between Britain and Tibet. British India claimed the McMahon line violated the 1907 Anglo-Russian Convention, and the McMahon line also caused a border dispute between India and China.
In 1933, with the death of the Dalai Lama, China and Tibet resumed direct communications, which had ceased in 1912, when General Huang Musong led a Chinese “condolence mission” to Lhasa. Soon after, China established an office in Lhasa run by the Mongolian and Tibetan Affairs commission. In response to this, the British also set up an office. In 1935, the 14th Dalai Lama, born in Amdo, was recognized as the reincarnation, and was taken to Lhasa (1937) where, in 1939, an official ceremony was conducted in his honor. Also in 1939 was the German SS Expedition to Tibet, sponsored by the Third Reich and guided by Ernst Schäfer. Around the same time, and research expedition was also being conducted by the Japanese Kwantung Army.
In 1942, during the time of World War II, Heinrich Harrer and Peter Aufschnaiter, two Austrian mountaineers, arrived in Tibet, where Peter became the tutor of the young Dalai Lama until 1959. During the war, Tibetan remained neutral while China became engaged, which displays characteristic autonomy. The Tibetan Bureau of Foreign Affairs was also established in 1942 and demanded that the Chinese office in Lhasa was to deal with it exclusively. In 1946, Tibet sent a mission to China congratulating them on the end of World War II and with a letter to the President stating that they would remain an independent nation. At the Asian Relations Conference in New Delhi, India in 1947, a group Tibetan representatives identified Tibet as an independent nation, which India abided by for seven years. Lhasa also sent a Trade Mission led by the finance minister to the United States of America, Britain, India, Hong Kong and Nanjing. The mission was unofficially accepted by the United States, and each country used extreme care to avoid talking politics and the status of Tibet's independence.
The first United States mission to Tibet was in 1942, and its purpose was to find a route to Southern China to supply them with aid. It was headed by Captain Ilya Tolstoy, in coordination with Lieutenant Brooke Dolan II. They met with the Dalai Lama, who was only seven at the time, and gave him a letter from Franklin Roosevelt, which recognized him a spiritual leader but not a political one. Gifts were exchanged, and Tolstoy stayed in Tibet for three months but did not bring up the issue of the goal of the mission because he recognized that the Tibetans were not in support of such an idea. The mission then made its way to Lanzhou, China, and arrived in June of 1943, the idea of finding a route through Tibet having been eliminated. London continued to view Tibet as being separate from China, while the United States viewed it as autonomous, refusing to support London.
In 1949, seeing that communist Chinese were on the rise, the Tibetan government expelled any Chinese with political ties from Tibet for fear of communist takeover. On October 7, 1950, the Peoples Liberation Army entered Chamdo, and by October 19, five thousand Tibetan soldiers had been killed, and the small Tibetan army had been surrounded and forced to give up their weapons. Afterwards, the soldiers lectured the Tibetans on socialism, supplied them with money, and allowed them to return home. The PLA continued on to the outskirts of Lhasa, where they (rather unexpectedly) stopped. Rather than commence a forceful attack against the Tibetans, in order to avoid foreign intervention they demanded Tibet's “peaceful liberation.” They began a benevolent approach and built roads, conducted services and paid people for labor. The PLA then sent released prisoners to talk to the Dalai Lama, saying that if Tibet conceded to “peaceful liberation,” Tibetans could keep their rights and positions. The Tibetan government pleaded to the UN for help facing the Peoples Liberation Army, but because the PLA had not entered Lhasa and was conducting actions peacefully, they did not respond. Thus, because of the military pressure, reports of good treatment and the lack of international aid, Tibet entered negotiations with the PLA, and in May 1951 the Seventeen-Point agreement was drawn up and signed by Tibetan representatives. This allowed the Chinese government to deploy troops and establish military facilities in Tibet. China also began conducting land redistribution in the areas of Eastern Kham and Amdo, which led to much resistance in 1956, leaving Kham in a state of chaos by 1957. At this time, the treatment of Tibetans by the Chinese became incredibly devastating. Such torture methods were used as: beatings, starving prisoners, rape of prisoners' wives in front of them to persuade confession, forced sex and renunciation of celibacy vows between monks and nuns, and children forced to shoot their parents to death, all of which had the end result of the killing of the tortured. This treatment also caused the culmination of Tibetan guerillas and resistance fighters. This resistance was supported by the CIA and was eventually crushed by 1959, the Dalai Lama, meanwhile, disguising himself and escaping to India. The Tibetan guerillas made their way around Lhasa to Kham in an attempt to contact the CIA, reaching President Eisenhower, who was unauthorized to take any action without first gaining approval from Lhasa, but soon bypassed such guidelines and sent supplies and ammunition. The Lhasa uprising on March 10, 1959, claimed casualties with counts as high as 85,000. With the beginning of the Kennedy Administration, the Air Force planes aiding the Tibetans were ordered to stand by, which resulted in the deaths of anywhere between six to eight thousand Tibetan resistance fighters. Resistance continued until 1972, when Richard Nixon completely withdrew support in an attempt to further establish relations with China.
The many reforms and revolutions in china also greatly affected Tibetan life to the point of devastation. The Great Leap Forward (1959-62) resulted in the almost complete decline in animal and crop cultivation, with the nomads having no grain and the farmers having no meat, butter or salt. This led to widespread famine within Tibet, claiming extraordinarily high death rates. In 1966, the Cultural Revolution resulted in the destruction of 2,692 monasteries, and in 1976 the Chinese began a campaign to resettle in Tibet, while at the same time opening it to foreigners. In 1987, a school intent on educating Tibetan lamas was opened in Beijing.
To the Tibetans, the Dalai Lama is the embodiment and reincarnation of Chenrezig, the Bodhisattva of Compassion. He has vowed to be reincarnated to sustain the hope and commitment of Tibetans to Buddhism and its teachings, as well as the destiny of Tibet. In comparing the Dalai Lama to Western ideas, Robert A.F. Thurman explains that it is as if the Christian savior was not sacrificed for the people, but rather right there with them, watching over them and demanding their constant attention and “obedience.” The “rule” of the Dalai Lama is considered to be one of the main reasons why Tibetans have not resulted to similar acts of terrorism as those of their Chinese adversaries in response. In 1954, His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama (Tenzin Gyatso), as well as the then Panchen Lama, accepted a Chinese invitation to Beijing, where they met Mao and discussed Sino-Tibetan relations. The Dalai Lama noted how Marxist ideas could be compatible with those of Buddhism. He was impressed with the Chinese industrialization and had high hopes for relations with China until their last meeting, in which Mao told the Dalai Lama that “religion is poison.” With the true intention of the Chinese growing apparent in Tibet with the Chinese placing restrictions on the religion and monasteries, the Dalai Lama fled Tibet in order to avoid the mass murder of monks, who would put their lives on the line to protect him. Soon after, the bombing of his palace caused a great Tibetan uprising. Jampa Phuntsok, a monk of the Namgyal Monastery, explained that Tibetans put aside their vows in order to preserve Buddhist values and culture, an idea shared by Lhamo Tsering, a resistance leader and minister of the Tibetan Government in Exile. Lhamo shares that Tibetans want to preserve everything that the lord Buddha has said. To the Tibetans, it is the essence of life, and so ultimately the resistance was formed to save religion. With the death of Mao and his Cultural Revolution in 1976, the new Chinese rule proposed to the Dalai Lama discussions regarding his return from exile. The Dalai Lama agreed to the talks, stating that he would first like to send delegations to Tibet to regain contact with his people and observe their current condition. Thinking that their claims would be validated by such visits, the Chinese obliged, sending three delegations across the Tibetan region. Unfortunately, the result of said delegations was of such devastation that they shocked the Tibetans in exile, and the Chinese government drew them to a close and prevented any further delegations to Tibet. Tibetans gathered by the thousands, weeping and grabbing at the delegates, begging them to tell the Dalai Lama of their immense suffering under Chinese rule.
After this, the Dalai Lama went abroad, spreading Buddhist teachings and attracting the attention of many influential people. In denouncing the Chinese government, he makes sure to state that he does not, in fact, hate the Chinese, but rather feels sorry for those who are ordered by their superiors to commit such acts of violence. In 1987, he was invited by the US Congress to speak to human rights supporters at which point he proposed a five-point peace plan for Tibet. In response to this, Chinese officials within Tibet executed two Tibetan nationals, forcing fifteen thousand Tibetans to witness the act. At this time, two mountaineers named John Ackerly and Dr. Blake Kerr arrived in Tibet, where they remained for a month, gathering footage and experience that they then used to give an account of happenings within Tibet in their documentary Tibet: Cry of The Snow Lion. In detail, they explain how after the executions, a monk started a demonstration, in which people held homemade Tibetan flags and shouted things such as, “China out of Tibet!” and “Free Tibet!” Jampa Phuntsok, of the Namgyal Monastery, says he shouted and protested in order to preserve Buddhism, as did the rest of the Tibetans. Unarmed, the Tibetans continued to shout and raise signs of allegiance to the Dalai Lama and protest to the Chinese presence. Chinese soldiers proceeded to open fire and throw tear gas, arresting and beating those who were not killed. One account from Dr. Blake Kerr, provides a startling realization of the reality of the massacre, in which he tells of how he, amongst the chaos, saw a “dazed” man holding the limp body of a young boy—his son—in his arms, and upon investigation realizing that the child had been shot in the chest, with an exit wound on his back, noticing this just as the boy died in his arms. Chinese vehicles were overturned and the gas from them was lit on fire, and after a short period of time the police station was ablaze. According to Dr. Blake Kerr:
“The prisoners at this time were taken into back rooms, and you could hear gunfire going off inside the police station, and I remember vividly a woman screaming, 'Their killing our monks!'”
Despite the fact that the building was on fire, a monk named Jampa Tenzin ran in and was enough of a distraction to the police that a few imprisoned monks were able to escape. When Jampa Tenzin emerged, he was severely burned and going in and out of consciousness. He was raised by the Tibetan crowds and carried as a hero. Afterwards, he was imprisoned and tortured for months. Later on, as Ackerly describes, he caught up with Jampa Tenzin and discovered that despite such horrific treatment, he did not harbor negative feelings toward the Chinese. Shortly after leaving Tibet, however, Ackerly discovered that Jampa Tenzin was found dead, having been severely beaten and a noose tied around his neck.
The Dalai Lama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989 for his messages of peace, partially in dedication to Mahatma Gandhi. In his award speech, he condemned China's use of unnecessary force against Tibetans and its own people, and spoke of the importance of non-violence and human rights. To Tibetans like Gyeltsen, a nun, this showed that there was recognition and support for their non-violent struggle. However, celebrations within Tibet were banned by Chinese authorities, and soon after Martial Law was put into place where the ever growing celebrations and demonstrations were brought to an end by ever greatening use of force by Chinese troops.
The Chinese view the Dalai Lama as a separatist who spreads propaganda in pursuit of Tibetan independence. Such views are upheld by Chinese representatives like Xiu Bing, of the Chinese Consulate in Los Angeles, who states that Dalai Lama spreads propaganda and that the Chinese constitution allows all ethnic groups to have freedom of religion. Mr. Hu, a Chinese government spokesman, states that the outside world has little knowledge and understanding of Tibet, and that despite global opinion, the Dalai Lama is not a human rights figure, explaining that prior to 1959, his policies were darker than US slavery prior to the Civil War. He also goes on to say that since 1959, China has improved in all areas, especially human rights. Chen Guo Ching, a spokesman for the Chinese Embassy of Washington D.C., explains that, because of said separatism and propaganda, the Chinese government is opposed to and condemns any speeches and visits made by the Dalai Lama.
With the death of the Panchen Lama in 1991, in 1995, he declared Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, a six year old boy, to be the 11th Panchen Lama, though without the approval of China, who named their own Panchen Lama, Gyancain Norbu. The Tibetans regard the PRC's Panchen Lama as a “fake” lama, and reject all claims that he is an actual lama, while the boy named by the 14th Dalai Lama has gone missing, with rumors saying that he has been imprisoned—or killed—by the Chinese, or gone into hiding to protect him and his family. The Dalai Lama's original demand was for Tibet's independence, which he soon changed to autonomy, and then simply to the fulfillment of his main goals, which are to protect and preserve the culture, people and environment of Tibet. He has recently announced his semi-retirement, renouncing some of his responsibilities to other members of the Central Tibetan Administration. Also recent is his announcement of placing the responsibility of conducting further talks with the Chinese government on the Tibetan people. He claims that because of the conditions within Tibet, if he is to be reincarnated it will be amongst the exiled Tibetan community in India.
Tibetan views, as well as those of outside involvement, are mostly relative. The Peoples Liberation Army's operations in Tibet are regarded as an invasion by the Central Tibetan Administration, United States Congress, military analysts, and NGOs such as the International Commission of Jurists and the Center for World Indigenous Studies. Both the Tibetan Government in Exile and United Kingdom parliament claim that the seventeen-point agreement was imposed on the Tibetans by force, and is rejected by all three parties. The 14th Dalai Lama, as well as other Tibetans, say that the PRC government is conducting a reign of terror, with the destruction of monasteries and disappearance of as many as 1.2 million Tibetans. The United Nations General Assembly claimed the violations of the human rights of the Tibetan people in 1959, 1961 and 1965. The German Federal Parliament expressed deep concern in their 1996 ruling. The United States Congressional Human Rights Caucus condemned China in 1987. In 1006, the Madrid-Based Committee to Support Tibet filed a case in Spain that claimed the killing or disappearance of over one million Tibetans since Chinese occupation. Many Tibetans claim that there is genocide in Tibet, and compare it to that of the Nazi regime, along with (generally) high death tolls. Tibetans also fear that the “advancements” and installations made by the Chinese, such as the Qinghai-Tibet Railway, are aimed at military mobilization and Han migration. There are even claims that China has created a “new apartheid in Tibet.” As explained by John Avedon, an author and historian, there comes a point when the indigenous people become outnumbered and marginalized, and the Asian apartheid is occurring because there exists a “reservation group living in impoverished conditions with no education and no job prospects, surrounded by a dominant economy of colonial structure.” The 10th Panchen Lama frequently described the decimation and mistreatment of Tibet and its people, as well as the worsening conditions within Tibet. In 1987, his speech estimated the number of prison deaths in Qinghai to be five percent of the population in the area. The Government of Tibet in Exile claims that China has flooded Tibet with Han Chinese and caused the an imbalance amongst ethnic populations.
In March 2008, there was a significant amount of unrest in Tibet when mass riots formed and monks revolted. While there is no denying the fact that a substantial amount of damage was done, the amount of victims/casualties remains disputed, with Students for a Free Tibet claiming a great number more Tibetans were killed than China reported. The tension between the Tibetan and Chinese sides got so intense that riots started taking place all over the world, especially in the United States. In one particular case at Duke University, a Chinese girl trying to qualm both sides wound up being rejected and insulted by both. She began to receive death threats against her and her family, and her personal information was leaked by her own country, forcing her parents to go into hiding. Thus, leading up to the olympics in Beijing, there was much activity both within Tibet and outside of it. At this time, China put more troops in Tibet to suppress any opposition at all. During the olympics, the rest of the world was offered a quick glimpse at Tibet, though instead of appeasing the curiosity and concern about the Tibetan people, it showed what force China is willing to use in order to prevent any negativity being portrayed. After the olympics, China proceeded to once again clench their fist on Tibet, sending in more troops and enforcing an even stronger crackdown. Then, in January 2009, a young man who had taken part in a peaceful protest full of banners, fliers, and slogan-shouting passed away. China claims that his death was the result of natural causes, while Tibetans and Tibetan support groups claim it was the beatings he received while he was imprisoned. John Major, a professor of Chinese history at Dartmouth, compares the capabilities and influence of propaganda from both the Chinese position and that of the Tibetans. He notes that the Tibetans are becoming more sophisticated, but that China is still big enough to spread more sophisticated propaganda, essentially overruling that of the Tibetans.
On February 9, 2009, the United Nations gathered to review the human rights records of countries around the world. China was among one of the most to look forward to, as it had avoided such events and criticism for a long while, using its political strength to pressure others and, ultimately, to avoid pressure themselves. In addition to China submitting an incomplete and distorted report on their human rights records, China managed to make a mockery of the review, gaining praise from countries such as Cuba, and dismissing or denying any claim about Tibet and other hot topics, claiming it was not open for discussion, let alone anyone else's business. When the UN had reached a conclusion on ways for China to improve the treatment of its people, China shrugged them off. Soon after, China “called out” Australia and the United States for their human rights records, claiming they should be improved. Later on in February, the Tibetan people decided that instead of celebrating Losar, the Tibetan new year, they would instead spend their time in mourning. This upset China, who wanted the Tibetans to celebrate to convey a positive image of Tibet's current conditions. Instead, the days of Losar were full of prayers, candle-light vigils, and messages for the Chinese to, among other things, listen to Tibetans.
China asserts that its entrance into Tibet in 1950 was a “peaceful liberation” and that its control has been very beneficial for Tibet. The PRC say that it has emancipated slaves and serfs from Tibetan feudalism, and that current Tibetan conditions are better than they have ever been. China states that the Tibetan government, for the entire duration of its rule, did not improve itself. Tibet is at the heart of Asia, and separates many countries, including China and India, two of the most populated in the world. Both of these countries are nuclear and impoverished, and, according to John Avedon, to have them face off is to pull the “lynch pin of peace” from the heart of Asia. This is precisely why one of the Dalai Lama's main goals was to have the Tibetan region be a zone of peace, and why this view was so widely respected.
In the past seven years, an estimated 19,000 monks and nuns have been forced from their monasteries. With the Chinese crackdown on the Tibetan uprising, about 87,000 Tibetans were killed in the winter of 1959 alone. When Mao ordered Tibetans to plant wheat instead of Barley, the main crop of Tibet, it failed miserably and led to the starvation of up to fifty percent in some areas of Tibet. From 1959 to 1962, thirty million Chinese died of starvation due to Mao's poorly implemented irrigation regulations, and 1.2 million Tibetans died of starvation, torture or imprisonment since Chinese occupation. Each year, around 3,000 Tibetans attempt the pilgrimage from Tibet to Dharamsala, India because they are unable to get jobs or join monasteries, are fleeing persecution, wish to receive the Dalai Lama's blessing, or to bring their children to Tibetan Children's Villages in exile, where they will receive an education of the Tibetan language, history, culture and heritage. There are over 11,000 children in these villages today. The schools in Lhasa have started charging tuition that exceeds the average Tibetan's annual salary, and Tibetans have lost trust in the Chinese government's educational system. The Indian Government estimates a total of 300,000 Chinese troops in Tibet.
The prisons in Tibet have gone from being detainment facilities to death camps. Ani Pachen, who spend 21 years in prison, gives an account of her tragic experience there, in which she explains that thousands of Tibetans were lined up and posters describing their criminal activities were tied around their necks before they were taken to be killed. They were shot one by one over a pit, and covered with dirt before they even stopped breathing. Adhe, who did 28 years, explains that hundreds of women were taken to factories, where they bonded and became like family, and that in the end, only four out of a hundred survived the others dying of starvation. She also recounts the Chinese treatments of Tibetan lamas, describing how they tied them up before throwing urine and feces at them, greatly upsetting the Tibetan people. By far one of the most detailed accounts of the process was given in the collaboration of Tenzin and another nun who chose to remain anonymous:
Tenzin: I was grabbed by three Chinese. As soon as we were put in the truck we were beaten. They used the butts of the rifles and tied our hands behind us.
Anonymous Nun: We were not only beaten, we were forced to take off all of our clothes and lay face down on the cement floor.
Tenzin: They said, “You are dirty.” So they put on gloves and face masks. Then they told us we were prostitutes who chased after monks.
Anonymous Nun: I didn't know if it was day or night, I was confused. They beat us until we were like corpses.
Tenzin: When they stuck the electric cattle prod in my vagina, something happened in my heart, and then I fell unconscious.
As well as another account by Palden Gyatso, who was incarcerated for a total of 33 years, and spoke of, among other things, a cattle prod being used in his mouth.
The Chinese regard Tibet as their own, and yet there are clear differences in their treatment of Chinese to that of Tibetans. This is best portrayed by the differences between Tibet and China, the former of which Robert Thurman claims was never a part of the latter. Robert Ford, who spoke both Tibetan and Chinese, says he sees no correlation between the two languages. Lhasang Tsering, of the Amnye Machen Institute in Dharamsala explains that Tibetans suffer from racism, and are regarded as second class citizens. He explains that Chinese has become the “official” language in Tibet and must be known in order to get a job and education. To the Chinese, Robert Thurman reveals, the language and dress of the Tibetans is considered “barbaric.” Sonam Topgyal, a minister of the Tibetan Government in Exile goes further on to explain that the Tibetan language is considered one that is “religious” and one that's “time has already passed.” With the immense immigration of Chinese to Tibet, Palden Gyatso claims that all the jobs were given to Chinese, leaving none for the Tibetans. An allegation that is deemed unfounded by Chen Guo Ching, who explains that the Chinese workers are mainly “specialized personnel and technical workers” who are working to help develop the local economy and culture. Robert Thurman has analyzed the Sino-Tibetan conflict and stated that part of it is due to disillusioned Chinese immigrants, who, upon arrival, discover that Tibetans are greatly different, and do not even speak the same language, and that their disdain for the arrival of the Chinese adds to the abrasiveness. China uses their restoration efforts of the Potala Palace as evidence that they are preserving Tibetan culture. Historically, the palace served as the living quarters for the Dalai Lama and was a place of prayer and education. Today, Tibetans must stand in line with tourists to purchase tickets to visit it.
The protests that took place in Tianmen Square caused significant repercussions amongst the Chinese government and community, as well as sparking a global response. Thousands of unarmed students protested for democracy and marched into Tianmen Square, only to be met and fired upon by their own army. Amnesty International reports that more than 1,000 protesters and bystanders were killed. However, the protest showed that the Chinese were capable of being hurt, of feeling the same suffering as the Tibetans, and of protesting for the same cause. According to Drew Liu, of the China Strategic Institute in Washington, D.C., this is precisely why it was a bigger deal to the Chinese government than it led on. He states that the government is afraid of the breaking up of China and that the loss of control in an area like Tibet would cause a domino effect, causing a similar loss of control within Mongolia, Xinjiang, and other minority groups. When the Chinese government witnessed the downfall of the USSR, they perceived it as a negative lesson and became determined to not let it happen in China.
However, international reactions to the Tianmen Square protests and China's human rights violations were soon overwhelmed by the global desire to join China's booming economy. This led to China joining the World Trade Organization, about which then President George W. Bush made a speech stating, “We welcome and support China's secession to the World Trade Organization. And in the long run advancing Chinese prosperity depends on China's full integration to the rules and norms of international institutions.”
Senator Diane Feinstein, of California says that the natural entrepreneurial instinct of the Chinese people has a strong chance to bear an economic democracy, and that it is impossible to have economic democracy without social democracy shortly behind. Jeff Fiedler, an AFL/CIO China labor expert, says that in business, one can see that trade in and of itself, in economic development, bring democracy. In the year 2000, the United States became China's largest trading partner, purchasing nearly half of all its exports and causing a trade deficit of 87 billion dollars. Most of the products in America that are made in China are produced in factories owned by the Peoples Liberation Army, which, in effect, means that the United States is directly subsidizing the PLA's repression of its own people as well as Tibetans. John Avedon thinks that big business is cornering the market, especially with the US-China policy. He feels that over time, the China lobby will become more integrated with the Chinese government, and billions richer through contracts, causing the voices fighting for democracy to have a harder time being heard by congress.
Prior to Chinese invasion, Tibet had its own currency, government, language, way of life and international relations in which it signed treaties with other governments. In recalling her youth, Adhe Tapontsang says she remembers old people chanting and young people playing. She remembers there existed religion, rights and happiness. Aten Dogyaltsang provides a similar insight in which he says that his youth was his happiest time. Sonam Topgyal reports that before the invasion, his homeland was a place of deep philosophy and religion, and that there was enough to eat. Basically that Tibetans weren't starving and were complacent with their current surroundings. Now, Tibetans suffer discrimination for their language, clothing, way of life and “religious fanaticism.” China refutes accusations that Tibetans are restricted from practicing their religion, and that the Chinese constitution grants all ethnic groups in China the freedom of religion. The communist government also denies any truth to claims of genocide or ethnic cleansing. However representative Frank Wolfe, a republican from Virginia, returned from his visit to Tibet telling of how there are cameras placed on buildings, watching over the people, how the people are not free. He says there is no freedom of religion in the monasteries, which are now run by police squads. This is a major part of the Tibetan problem. With no voice in the government, with no power or position in any decision making, economic or otherwise, with the very ownership of a photograph of the Dalai Lama being the equivalent of a felony, the Tibetan people are undergoing such immense suffering. According to Robbie Barnett, of the Tibet Information Network, Chinese plans show the complete destruction of traditional Tibetan quarters. Although the improvement in military force was recently put on show in a parade of sorts, the true display of China's power occurs on a global scale. From the unfathomable amount of outsourcing of US jobs to China, to South Africa's denial in granting the Dalai Lama a visa to attend a peace conference, it could not be made more clear that China pulls the economic strings that move the hands and minds of our leaders. Yet, this issue is not one-sided. As previously stated, much funding comes from the US through its importing and purchasing of goods made in Chinese factories owned by the PLA. It is with this knowledge and factual evidence that we owe to ourselves the creation of one of the world's biggest bullies and largest monster.
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"The occupation." We are Tibet. Web. 16 Nov. 2009. <http://wearetibet.org/theoccupation.htm>.
Print.
"Reborn supremacy: China's control of Tibetan reincarnation." Jane's. Jane's Information Group, 21 Jan. 2008. Web. 14 Nov. 2009. <http://www.janes.com/news/security/countryrisk/jir/jir080121_1_n.shtml>. "Since invading the then-independent Tibet in 1950, Beijing has ensured tight military and political control over the strategically important area."
Richardson, Hugh Edward. Corpus of early Tibetan inscriptions. [London]: Royal Asiatic Society, 1985. Print.
Roberts II, John B. "The Secret War Over Tibet." The American Spectator (1997). Print.
Shakya., Tsering. Dragon in the land of snows a history of modern Tibet since 1947. New York: Columbia University press, 1999. Print.
Snellgrove, David L. A Cultural History of Tibet. Boston: Shambhala, 1995. Print.
"Tell you a true Tibet -- Origins of so-called "Tibetan Independence"_China National People's Congress." The National People's Congress of the People's Republic of China, 18 Mar. 2009. Web. 14 Nov. 2009. <http://www.npc.gov.cn/englishnpc/special_npc_delegation/2009-03/18/content_1493948.htm>.
"Tibet - Summary of a Report on Tibet: Submitted to the International Commission of Jurists by Shri Purshottam Trikamdas, Senior Advocate, Supreme Court of India." ICJ Legal Resource Center. International Committee of Jurists, 5 June 1959. Web. 14 Nov. 2009. <http://www.icj.org/news.php3?id_article=3415&lang=en>.
Tibet: Cry of the Snow Lion. Dir. Tom Piozet. By Victoria Mudd and Sue Peosay. Earthworks Films, 2002. DVD. First-hand accounts of Dr. Blake Kerr & John Ackerly; Interviews/Accounts with/from: Jampa Phuntsok, Gyeltsen, Ngawang, Tenzin, Adhe Tapontsang, Aten Dogyaltsang, Ani Pachen, Robert Ford, Robert A.F. Thurman, Stephen Batchelor, John Avedon, Sonam Topgyal, John Major, Tom Grunfeld, Lhasang Tsering, Jeane Kirkpatrick, Gendun Rinchen, Robbie Barnett, Rep. Frank Wolfe, Xiu Bing, Bhakdro, Lhamo Tsering, Palden Gyatso, Tu Wei-Ming, Lodi Gyari, Mr. Hu, Chen Guo Ching, Ngawang Choten, Senator Diane Feinstein, Drew Liu, Jeff Fiedler, La Youyu; Various clips from footage.
"Tibet Justice Center - Tibet Justice Center Reports - The Case Concerning Tibet." Tibet Justice Center. Web. 16 Nov. 2009. <http://www.tibetjustice.org/reports/sovereignty/independent/d/index.html>.
United States. Cong. House. Committee on Foreign Affairs. To express the sense of the Congress that Tibet, including those areas incorporated into the Chinese provinces of Sichuan, Yunnan, Gansu, and Qinghai, is an occupied country under established principles of international law whose true representatives are the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan Government in Exile as recognized by the Tibetan people. By Benjamin A. Gilman. 102nd Cong., 1st sess. HR Res. 145. New York: Benjamin A. Gilman, 1991. Print. "Expresses the sense of the Congress that Tibet is an occupied country under established principles of international law and that its true representatives are the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan Government in Exile. " |
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| The Political Primate |
[Feb. 27th, 2009|04:49 pm] |
| [ | Tags | | | america, china, culture, genocide, global, human, politics, rights, states, tibet, tibetan, united, world | ] |
Have we no sanctity? It seems that the wrong ways of the past are being used to justify the wrong ways of the current. Things like human rights, compassion and the common good are becoming more or less just words instead of real things; Simple concepts or ideals represented by strings of letters, regarded as either unrealistic, improbable or a fiction so poisonous that it contaminates and possesses anyone who recognizes it as truth. While the conflict and tension between China and the United States of America has been a longstanding issue, recently the stand for tibet and human rights in China has become more political than it is sensible, and, for lack of a better word, humane.
When China first entered tibet in 1950, many Tibetans, including His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, fled to nearby areas like Nepal and India. Those who didn't, however, were met with extreme disposition. Among the reactions, many Tibetans (especially the monks), opted for peaceful protests, where they gathered, chanting and holding up signs in support of a free Tibet. Other monks even set themselves on fire as a symbolic gesture. As is the current case, the former were detained and frequently beaten. Many accounts exist of experiences in Chinese prisons, and Tibetans are among the most shocking; if not for the treatment of the Tibetans, than for their treatment in comparison/contrast to/of their action(s). As shown in Tibet, Cry of The Snow Lion,
In March 2008, there was a significant amount of unrest in Tibet when mass riots formed and monks revolted. While there is no denying the fact that a substantial amount of damage was done, the amount of victims/casualties remains disputed, with Students for a Free Tibet claiming a great number more Tibetans were killed than China reported. The tension between the Tibetan and Chinese sides got so intense that all riots started taking place all over the world, especially in the United States. In one particular case at Duke University, a Chinese girl trying to qualm both sides wound up being rejected and insulted by both. She began to receive death threats against her and her family, and her personal information was leaked by her own country, forcing her parents to go into hiding. Thus, leading up to the olympics in Beijing, there was much activity both within Tibet and outside of it. At this time, China put more troops in Tibet to suppress any opposition at all. During the olympics, the rest of the world was offered a quick glimpse at Tibet, though instead of appeasing the curiosity and concern about the Tibetan people, it showed what force China is willing to use in order to prevent any negativity being portrayed. After the olympics, China proceeded to once again clench their fist on Tibet, sending in more troops and enforcing an even stronger crackdown. Such amount of power in quantities like this can't be good for anyone, as the people of the world would soon come to find out. In January 2009, a young man who had taken part in a peaceful protest full of banners, fliers, and slogan-shouting passed away. His death was anything but the result of natural causes. During the protest, he and his fellow protesters were detained by Chinese authorities, and it was the beings he received from them that killed him. This is a crucial event because it makes void any attempt by China to deny its inhumane treatment of its people, particularly Tibetans.
On February 9, 2009, the United Nations gathered to review the human rights records of countries around the world. China was among one of the most to look forward to, as it had avoided such events and criticism for a long while, using its political strength to pressure others and, ultimately, to avoid pressure themselves. In addition to China submitting an incomplete and distorted report on their human rights records, China managed to make a mockery of the review, gaining praise from countries such as Cuba, and dismissing or denying any claim about Tibet and other hot topics, claiming it was not open for discussion, let alone anyone else's business. When the UN had reached a conclusion on ways for China to improve the treatment of its people, China just shrugged them off. Soon after, China called out Australia and the United States for their human rights records, claiming they should be improved. Where does this come from? How is it that it has become possible for human rights to be made into a card in the game of political power? If China is going to deny the UN's suggestions for improvement, and ignore or not discuss the more important issues, than they are going against the greater good. If we are interested in living amongst each other in peace and functionality; if we are interested in paving a future for the youth of today, tomorrow, and the next day; if we are to aim for order and fairness, then we must come together and listen to each other. To do otherwise is, in itself, to show selfish and/or malicious intent. Furthermore, to turn around after backing away and place the same accusations on others is to commit the epitome of hypocrisy on a massive scale. The way in which China handles its power and global influence is only tactful in the way that it is unstable and ignorant.
The same actions and reactions apply when it comes to culture and ethnic integrity. Later on in February, the Tibetan people decided that instead of celebrating Losar, the Tibetan new year, they would instead spend their time in mourning. What's interesting is that rather than be satisfied, as would be expected if one were to follow the pattern of China's objectives, China became upset. It wanted the Tibetans to celebrate to convey a positive image of Tibet's current conditions. Instead, the days of Losar were full of prayers, candle-light vigils, and messages for the Chinese to, among other things, listen to Tibetans. The fact that China enforced celebration, though, is interesting, as it follows the trend of China demolishing the culture and ethnic integrity of the Tibetan people before rebuilding or reinforcing it for exploitation and/or to improve the public image at a time of their own convenience. Another instance can be found in Paris, where ancient Chinese artifacts, the bronze heads of a rat and a rabbit, were being sold. The artifacts were looted from the imperial garden in the late 1800's. They are a significant part of Chinese cultural history, and, as such, were severely sought after by China, who made numerous attempts to stop the sale and assure the return of the artifacts. When you decimate a land along with its culture, how can you be one to demand the rightful sustainment of your own?
What was shocking for many was Hillary Clinton's visit to China. This is a former first lady and governor, just named the Secretary of State, whom has done numerous speeches on human rights, even at China's discomfort. In addition to being in favor of awarding the Dalai Lama the congressional gold medal, she consistently stuck up for Tibet, encouraging Sino-Tibetan discussions and urging Bush to skip the opening ceremony of the olympics in Beijing. However, upon arriving in China, she discussed how she would be putting economic issues ahead of that of human rights. While on the one hand, this is understandable, considering complications with China would be inopportune while attempting to rebuild the economy of the United States, it's still a surprise to see her put such a passion and important subject aside in the name of politics.
It seems that whenever China comes under more pressure in regards to Tibet and human rights, it closes off Tibet either partially or entirely. When this occurs, not even journalists are allowed into the region, and thus we are unable to know anything about the then current status of it, which, in addition to the fact that it was the one to close it off in the first place, makes it hard to believe China's reports and evaluations of the conditions. Getting past all of that, what even gives anyone the right to disallow others from areas of land in the first place? The belief that one has any ultimate ownership over land is preposterous to begin with, and to deny access to a certain area of land such as Tibet is to impose on the rights of everyone you exclude. This is slightly reminiscent of the way in which China bans people from returning, or even coming in the first place. Accounts of bans are ubiquitous, though as of recent, a good many of them are the result of mentioning Tibet, the Dalai Lama, and/or anything in between.
In regards to politics, human rights don't necessarily have a place, but rather are at the basis of human existence, without which politics wouldn't even be possible. Therefore, it's intriguing to witness the world issues of today, primarily in relevance to China. It seems, though, that today, in the modern day and age, we are further growing, if not maturing as a world of nothing but politics, forgetting our human nature and that of others. We hold such high regard for ourselves, considering humans to be superior, but, and especially with the current global standpoint, one can only wonder how advanced we actually are, what advancement really means, and whether or not we're really just diving so far down into politics that we're simply digressing into a sort of "political primate". |
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| Grizzly Bear Defines My Life |
[Jul. 6th, 2008|11:17 am] |
While lyrical posts have become quite the overrated accessory for blogs and journals everywhere, I feel that it is necessary to slip one in here:
"I'm a deep sea diver losing air
And around you laps I swim but you don't care"
"Nothing ever feels the same
Maybe you can fix that
Nothing ever feels the same"
"Move yourself
You always live your life
Never thinking of the future
Prove yourself
You are the move you make
Take your chances win or loser
See yourself
You are the steps you take
You and you, and that's the only way
Shake, shake yourself
Your every move you make
So the story goes
Owner of a lonely heart
Owner of a lonely heart
(Much better than a)
Owner of a broken heart
Owner of a lonely heart
Say, you don't
Want to chance it
You've been hurt so before
Watch it now
The eagle in the sky
How he dancin' one and only
You, lose yourself
No not for pity's sake
There's no real reason to be lonely
Be yourself
Give your free-will a chance
You've got to want to succeed
Owner of a lonely heart
Owner of a lonely heart
(Much better than a)
Owner of a broken heart
Owner of a lonely heart
Owner of a lonely heart
After my own indecision
They confused me so
(Owner of a lonely heart)
My love said never question your will at all
In the end you've got to go
Look before you leap
(Owner of a lonely heart)
And don't you hesitate at all, no no
Owner of a lonely heart
Owner of a lonely heart
(Much better than a)
Owner of a broken heart
Owner of a lonely heart
Owner of a lonely heart
Owner of a lonely heart
(Much better than a)
Owner of a broken heart
Owner of a lonely heart
Owner of a lonely heart
Sooner or later each conclusion
Will decide the lonely heart
(Owner of a lonely heart)
It will excite, it will delight
It will give a better start
(Owner of a lonely heart)
Don't deceive your free-will at all
Don't deceive your free-will at all
(Owner of a lonely heart)
Don't deceive your free-will at all
Just receive it"
"Every option I have costs more than I've got. If you trust in me, if I could I would be there. All I have to give seems to be all over you and everyone else. I guess I'm guilty spreading thin with my love. If you trust in me, if I could I would be there."
"You can't come home again
Each time it's different
And the yards around your feet fall away while you're asleep
Each day, spend it with me now
All my time, spend it with me now
But each day spend it with you now
All my time, spend it with you now
But out here, no one can hear me
Out hear no one can hear me"
"In the wind, in the yoke, my ride will go. Central, remote, any further and I'll know. Pressing matters bear. Through trials and time, I keep my feet right in line for flight so we never recognize. Pressing matters bear, anable wear and tear on you, tear on you. Remind me. Tear on you, wear on you."
"When I clung to you there was nothing to hold on tight with, you left me adrift."
"It's a call
I fell into your arms that night
Don't ask
It's the time we had apart to sort things out
Just don't ask
It's the work you say you're doing
But baby, I don't even ask
It's the love that came undone between us
and nobody ever asks
There's a place and time for everything I know
Don't ask
But when I'm around you still I lose control
Just don't ask
You suggest the struggle goes both ways
but baby, I don't even ask
I just wish you had a little faith
but I'm learning not to ask"
"I want you to know
When I look in your eyes
With every blow
Comes another lie
You think it's alright
You think it's alright
You think it's alright
You think it's alright"
Grizzly Bear defines my life. |
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| Here and Now: China, Tibet & The World |
[Apr. 23rd, 2008|05:05 pm] |
| [ | Tags | | | 2008, beijing, china, chinese, civil, current, dalai, dream, edokins, events, free, genocide, germany, gyatso, himalaya, himalayas, his, holiness, human, lama, mankind, map, military, nazi, olympics, one, oppression, people's, prc, psychology, republic, rights, riot, sociology, suppression, tenzin, tibet, tibetan, torch, uprising, world | ] |
A short while ago I realized that you can take a certain subject and subscribe to receive updates, articles and even videos about it. So, rather than spend more time looking through a plethora of pages, I decided to take the more efficient route and combine these updates with my own efforts.
It sure has been a struggle for everyone to deal with this issue, and yet still, nobody seems to understand the true message here.
I’m going to list some opinions I’ve come across that seem to be the main sources for peoples’ arguments.
Tibet:
-is not a part of China.
-once was a part of China but now is not.
-was a part of China, but, due to its location, it was able to maintain a steady autonomy, if not being mostly an independent country.
-is a part of China.
Before going on, I have to say that any claims of owning land are absolutely ridiculous. Such claims are only reflective of the egoism that has grown to run rampant in society. Mankind seems to have forgotten where it came from.
First of all, not only does Tibet have its own language, but it also had many other attributes that may as well have made it free if it weren’t already. That being said, the social structure of Tibet before the PRC’s involvement was indeed far from ideal. The rich were few, but they were powerful. Additionally, the historical British involvement in Tibet is not very pretty, either.
We can all sit here and dispute claims and actions, but, aside from severe procrastination and heightened tension, what does that accomplish? I’m not saying the past is the past, and therefore Tibet should be free and have nothing to do with China, because that stance would be far too narrow-minded. However, the fact is that this is what’s currently going on.
China reflects on the British, mentioning how they killed many Tibetans and treated them unjustly. That’s understandable, but it’s also over. If the British were still there, or even just trying to get there again, maybe that would be a bit more understandable, especially when used to reason current military occupation.
China also calls America out on their treatment of Native Americans. This makes complete sense in terms of comparison, but when used to support an argument it’s extremely faulty. I think most, if not all Americans know that the way the Native Americans were treated was completely out of the question. Furthermore, America is a melting pot, comprised of many ethnicities, religions, etc., and is frequently changing. I was born in America, but my ancestors weren’t. My ancestors did not fight the Native American presence, and they did not own slaves. Also, if I wasn’t involved, and I certainly wouldn’t like for it to have happened at all, nor happen again, why am I to blame? So saying that the early settlers’ treatment of Native Americans justifies the PRC’s presence in Tibet is illegitimate. In bringing up that issue, China basically said, “Yeah but you…” which can be compared to an argument with a young child. Also, if this stance was applied on a larger scale, it would mean that, for example, Germany should be prevented from standing up against anything remotely related to human/civil rights, even though its current views are monumentally different than what they once were.
China also has very Orwellian censorship. After the riots in Tibet, even news reporters within China were unaware. This censorship has to come under question when discussing facts, and separating them from the opinions sprouted from not knowing key components. China says that Tibet has always been a part of China, and
that there are many sources of evidence to support this claim. Yet, not only are there also documents that suggest Tibet’s independence, but also, how can you believe China’s claims when the restriction is so great? It’s quite clear that the censorship has provided those within China with a sense of solidarity in their views, and one must question how much control China has over its people. For, even if said documents were presented before the public, how would you know if they were fabricated or archaically obsolete?
Yet, from the other side, the USA has indeed allowed itself to commit similar acts of censorship. Among others, CNN was called out for cropping its images to promote an anti-China bias. Though the network apologized, additionally stating that the original photographs could be located within the gallery, it is still heavily criticized.
China has even described His Holiness The Dalai Lama as having a “human face and the heart of a beast.” The Dalai Lama has been calling for peace, and even threatened to leave his position as the head of the Tibetan government in exile if the violence continued, yet China still calls him a separatist. China has condemned His Holiness The Dalai Lama and his supporters, calling them the “Dalai Clique,” refusing to have anything to do with them, despite global efforts for China to have a discussion with His Holiness. China is also forcing Tibetans to publicly denounce the Dalai Lama.
Having said all that, I must say that this conflict is not completely one-sided. The recent treatment of Chinese by Tibetans is indeed disgraceful. Even though the Dalai Lama encourages nonviolence, Tibetans have injured, killed, or otherwise threatened the well-being of many Chinese people, committing the very acts that they protest. It is very clear that this is not right, but history is more useful in this case. Since the PRC’s occupation of Tibet: Monasteries have been destroyed (only to be rebuilt and exploited for tourism); important documents, religious artifacts, etc. have been looted, decimated or taken for public, foreign exhibition; and many Tibetans have been severely injured, killed or imprisoned and tortured for reasons such as practicing their religion (conducting ceremonies, celebrating, etc.), having a picture of the Dalai Lama, peaceful protests, etc. Granted, these reasons don’t apply to all cases, but certainly to many of them. The Chinese also continue to affect the fragile balance that exists in Tibet’s environment. The railway is in the way of animal routes, and it continues to bring in many Chinese that flock to Tibet because of the many promised high-paying jobs, thus running many Tibetans out of work and home. Even though many may say that this is not true, because of China’s attempts to stomp out the Tibetan language, many Tibetans are unable to find jobs at all simply because they do not know Chinese. The land is being used for reasons that are improper (ex. crops), and places that were once considered sacred have been turned into Red Light Districts for Chinese soldiers. It seems that China is focusing almost solely on numbers–the billions of dollars they’re investing in Tibet–without paying attention to the Tibetan people or Tibetan culture.
Why is it that China is just now clearing the air in Beijing? Why is it just now that all these efforts are being made to clean up? Should it not be that efforts are made only after the rest of the world is watching? If China wants to claim its rule over Tibet, they’re certainly doing themselves a disservice by handling it the way they are. Being so hostile towards His Holiness and his efforts for peace, and getting so enraged at other countries for having anything positive to do with him does not help China’s image at all. The actions of the Chinese people, even outside of China, are also detrimental to the image that China is attempting to convey. One of the hottest topics in relevance to this is, for me, the counter protest at Duke University. It was clear that both sides had an opinion, but the actions of the group in favor of China’s rule were completely uncalled for. Additionally, the maltreatment of a young woman who was only trying to mediate the conflict is even more disgraceful. Is this the way people will be treated if they don’t pick between black or white?
Everyone can play the name game, but it really comes down to a matter of action. The Chinese have accomplished some good things in Tibet, but they’ve taken it too far too fast, and don’t seem to acknowledge any of the mistakes they’ve made. With the recent publicity that the issue of Tibet has attracted, facts and constructive suggestions have been increasingly trampled over by people who base their arguments off of the gist of things that they (think they) know. There are many people who protest, but can’t even locate Tibet on a map. Who, then, do you need to go to in order to rationally discuss this issue and actually have it noticed?
It seems as though we’re led to believe that humans are the most progressive species, and that people have the power of decision and voice, yet when it comes to being heard, the world leaders are too busy gambling with our lives. It is in this day and age that we need to truly listen and understand, for if we judge too quickly we’ll only exacerbate things. |
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| Bad News Is Bad |
[Apr. 1st, 2008|11:04 am] |
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So I don't really write here anymore, and I just found my Windows Live blogger thing again. Anyway, times have been rough lately, what with having to juggle college plans as well as my already hectic school, social and personal life. But you've got to keep your head up, right? |
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| やった～！ |
[Nov. 8th, 2007|12:44 am] |
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Hooray! Windows' new Live update really has many cool things. Now I can write here without actually writing...here. Hopefully this will encourage me to post more... |
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| (no subject) |
[Aug. 11th, 2007|01:13 am] |
Skinnydipping.
That awesome ID.
That great speech.
Those great memories.
Stories.
Those dark woods.
That sad face.
The holding of hands.
Friends.
Together.
The loving of friends.
Home.
Running from the cops.
Troopers.
Meredith.
Lizzy/Libby/Stephanie.
Beer.
Swim trunks.
Trees.
A lonely rock.
Moped.
Peeing in the woods for an eternity.
Anything that is forgotten shall be commented I'm sure.
Meredith, please come home safe. |
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