From: gwu@nujoizey.tcs.com (George Wu)
Subject: Re: Tibet Film Series (Re: Discourse on Race in Modern China)
Organization: Teknekron Communications Systems Inc.
Distribution: na
Date: Thu, 15 Oct 1992 18:58:01 GMT

In article <2001@acf5.NYU.EDU>, cqk5188@acf5.NYU.EDU (Chien Kwok) writes:
> underdog@leland.Stanford.EDU (Dwight Joe) writes:

> >By the way, this issue should be important to all Asian-Americans
> >since Asian-Americans are Americans and have an interest in
> >opposing oppression committed against an un-armed people.  In this
> >case, the Chinese are committing brutal oppression against the
> >Tibetans.

> >Interestingly, 2 or 3 posts have been submitted in the past 7 months
> >(by Chinese) calling for remembering Nanjing and Tenanmon; further,
> >those posts were sent to s.c.a.a. even though no effort was made to
> >show how those issues tie in with the _AMERICAN_ newsgroup s.c.a.a.
> >Of course, the Chinese are strangely silent about Tibet on this news
> >group.  I wonder why ...

     Well, how about because they simply don't know anything about
the Chinese government's actions in Tibet?  Beyond the Nobel Peace
Prize to the Dai-Lai Lama, I haven't heard anything on the news
concerning Chinese oppression, and yet I'm sure there is such action
in Tibet.  On the other hand, Tiananmen Square achieved national
news coverage, and local stations interrupted local programming for
hours to cover events as they unfolded.

> You'll have to enlighten me.  My understanding of the situation in Tibet is
> that at least through the Ching dynasty, Tibet was part of China.  When the
> dynasty fell, China being so weakened, lost control of Tibet until the 
> Communist takeover in 1949, after which China retook control.

     So many borders have changed in the past century, I doubt there're
many countries which don't claim land currently controlled by another.
I consider such historical claims to be raw imperialism.  Such attitudes
merely begat open warfare.  Consider Iraq and the Serbs in Yugoslavia.

     Even if China's claim on Tibet *is* valid, they certainly aren't
entitled to ruthless oppression and human rights violations.

> If you also compare this to America and the plight of the native Americans,
> the settlers definitely imposed their rule over them after many centuries of
> living under self-determination.

> Of course you can argue that any unwelcome rule by invaders is wrong. But
> that would be ignoring the realities of how history has shaped nations.

> I would then like to know if those people who are so ready to stand on the
> side of the Tibetans will be as willing to step off the face of the American
> continent. The exception of course being the few remaining native Americans.

     Sure, America's wronged the American Indian.  Does that make China's
actions any less wrong?  At least past persecution of Native Americans is
recognized in this country, and the initial steps to correct what we can
have been taken.  Can China say the same of Tibet, and it's own people
everywhere?

							George

----
George J Wu, Software Engineer         | gwu@tcs.com or uunet!tcs!gwu
Teknekron Communications Systems, Inc. | (510) 649-3700
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