From: x0y3510@tamuts.tamu.edu (Xuejun Yang)
Subject: Re: What About Tibet?
Organization: ~/lib/organization
Date: Sun, 23 Aug 1992 21:21:46 GMT

In article <1992Aug23.184610.1077@eagle.lerc.nasa.gov> fstawit@icomp01.lerc.nasa.gov (Tawit Chitsomboon) writes:
>
>I have always thought that the Chinese people are polite, courteous
>and most of all civilized. That's why I married a Chinese. That was
>probably why my mother married a Chinese.
>
>My recent posting about the the atrocities the Chinese have done to
>the Tibetans has obviously upset a lot of Chinese. I thought the
>Chinese has more class than bombarding fellow human with abusive
>languages. Perhaps, I underestimate the effect of CULTURAL revolution.
>
>My simple questions to my Chinese friends:
>
>1) If you all claim that Chinese atrocities to Tibetans never occured
>as published in foreign press, why not open the area for free information
>gathering?
>
>2) Why do you all believe in the Chinese government publication about
>Tibet while totally rejecting those in foreign press? I chose to honor
>the Tibetan version because they are the ones who suffer, I tend to
>give them benefit of a doubt. Again, the truth can be settle very
>easily just by letting free foreign journalists to gather news.
>Until then, all the Chinese gov report should be considered as
>nothing but distortion.
>
>3) If the Chinese government can committ gross human right violation
>to its own fresh and blood (The Tienanmen Incident), Why do you find
>it's incredible that the Chinese government will be even more harsh
>to the 'babarians' out west?
>
>4) If the Chinese soldier can hit the monk's head with the rifle's butt
>in front of foreign journalist's camera, Why do you find it's incredible
>that they will be much more cruel in the jail where no one can see their
>action?
>
>5) You all claim that Tibet is a province of China as a historical fact.
>I'm sure that Tibetans will not agree. There's a stone inscription in 
>Tibet portraying the agreement between a Tibetan king and a Chinese
>King recognizing each other national soveriegnty and friendship 'forever'.
>To me, this is quite an evidence that the Chinese recognized Tibet as a
>nation of it own long time ago. But, I'll go further, Why does the
>Tibetan need the Chinese recognition to be able to call themselve a nation? 
>They existed as they existed, that should be enough to get respect to be an
>indepentdent nation. Even if they were really a part of China all along,
>Why can't they demand independence now? What if the Mongol claim that
>China used to be part of Mongolia?, I'm sure none of you would go with
>that. As a matter of fact, large part of Southwestern China use to be
>provinces of Thailand. What if Thailand claims Southwesthern China as 
>China claims Tibet?  The prosperous Nan-Choa kingdom (in present day
>southwestern China) was also of Tibetan people; can they claim back
>their land? Of course not, it's ridiculous to do so.
>How far back in time do we go to use history as our 
>pretext for selfish acquisition of territory ?  Seems to me, we go
>as far as our military might allow us to.
>
>I hope some of my Chinese friends will enlighten me in civilized ways
>to my questions. We are all fellow human beings. We all want happiness;
>none of us want sufferring. But it has all along been our nature that our
>happiness is more important than other people's happiness. Why can't we
>open our heart and see the sufferring of the Tibetan people. They have
>existed uniquely as a nation for so long, why can't they continue to
>exist as such? I used to hear the phrase "Those who have no respect
>for themselves will not respect others", it didn't seem very deep to me.
>As I think more and more about the phrase as I get older and older
>having more and more insight into things (still far from being able
>to call myself a 'learned' man), I begin to realize the deep philoso-
>phical implication of this phrase, more and more. I ask that my
>intelligent Chinese friends, collectively as a nation, search their
>souls and learn how to respect themselves as a nation. Until then,
>all you will have is national pride and patriotism which will cause
>more and more suffering to anyone you come in contact with.
>
>-Tawit
>
>-------------------------------------------------------------------------
>Outside the cage of compassion, wisdom is the most dangerous beast ever
>roams planet earth.
>-------------------------------------------------------------------------

I would fully support your advocation if the foreign press
doesn't nit-pick the Chinese(tell only one side of the story)
Every time they report China, its almost certainly bad news.
Giving people the impression that good things happen only in the
Western civilized countries. Furthermore if you guys return
this land to the Indians, I will support the independence of
Tibet! So stop lecturing others while you have finished doing
all the bad things.
Sorry all this sounds so barbaric, but this is how the western
civilization established itself. the point is you can not
use your current standards to force others to follow.
No body likes that even though you may be right.
Such is the real world.

Newsgroups: soc.culture.china