Langhua Hu’s letter, Understand Chinese issues, culture before judging it (SN 3/31) made me think a little bit.
In Tibet, racist murder gangs incited race riots, killed random Han Chinese and burned down houses and what is the response of many Americans? They raise their hands in delight and sing “Hurrah!”
Such a reaction is nothing more than a natural consequence. After all, the Dalai Lama and his “idyllic” charm attracts all sorts of sensible, American middle-class liberals. It makes sense — poverty and backwardness disguised as “Buddhist peace and humility” makes a better mental picture than the communist, atheist, crowded, contaminated and industrialized cities. It’s almost borderline racist — the thought that only Westerners enjoy running water and electricity, while everybody else is happy with living in abysmal conditions. But when something — no matter how terrible and vile — is crowned by the made-up mysticism of an exotic religion, it’s going to be sure that you are going to get some bored Western kids tailing it.
Don’t misinterpret me — the Chinese Communist Party is made up of a bunch of thugs. However, the “communist bogeyman” holds such a tight grip on American hearts that it leads them to support all sorts of reactionary and savage vile — all for the sake of “anti-communism.” Honestly, how can nationalists murdering random people in the name of “ethnicity and culture” be anything positive at all?
Amir Ouyed
mechanical engineering freshman
Published on Wednesday, April 2, 2008
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