free tibet! (with purchase of any autonomous region of greater or lesser value)
by Max Clark
Published: May 9, 2008
Since the civil unrest screeched through Tibet like a cat on a hot tin rooftop of the world, the global community has renewed its love affair with protesting for Tibet’s freedom. It has now been fifty-seven years since China “peacefully liberated” the region and after taking a breather from paying lip service to causes like Darfur and hunger (honestly, who campaigns to end hunger these days) the protestors are hitting the streets yet again. “Free Tibet” sharpied to their poster board, megaphones turned up to 10 and fire extinguishers charged, these protesters are ready to make a difference. Unfortunately, they probably won’t.
First and foremost, vocal opposition to the policies of the Chinese government has never really been received with deference - to put it mildly. Now, we can say that this is because they are a repressive government which is too invested in its own worth that it tramples the voice of the global community, but then, of course, we do it too. Consider, if you will, how many effigies of Uncle Sam or President Bush are set ablaze every day from South America to Europe, down to Africa, up through the Middle East to Asia. There must be a remarkable industry to produce so many likenesses of American iconography for the pyre. Do we care? We’re America, we don’t have to care. China doesn’t either.
In addition, Tibet engenders the same sort of rabid possessiveness that Taiwan does. For the last five thousand years and more intensely since the 1970s, China’s number one concern has been internal security and unity. Tibet, Taiwan and Hong Kong are considered parts of China and any move by any internal or external force to interfere with this unity is not even remotely tolerated. When I was traveling through China, I had a number of Chinese nationals apologize to me. They told me they loved America, our music and culture and were really sad we’d have to go to war with each other because of Taiwan. In short China takes unity seriously.
Another problem is, of course, that with China, there is also the problem that news of these protests does not effectively penetrate the media shell powered by the CCP. The average Chinese person may only be vaguely aware of any happenings in Tibet and what information they do get is simply eclipsed by the amount of counter-information they receive from the Bureau of Propaganda. Yes, there is a Bureau of Propaganda; ironically the only information that the CCP doesn’t cover up or distort is the fact that they actively cover up and distort information. They are very upfront about it, in fact, as it makes the job easier.
Lastly, the torch-bearers are not high-party representatives. Most of them are athletes and people who have waited their entire lives for such an honor as bearing the Olympic torch. Please, don’t tackle them.
But do not be disheartened, oh weary protester. These protests are going to have an impact down the road. The Olympic Games were engineered to renew China’s place in the world and restore its respectability with the global community. The reaction to the events in Tibet certainly has the leadership in Zhongnanhai silently and respectfully cursing. It is also keeping world leaders honest about their engagements with the rising power. While this will in the short run change very little - China will certainly be able to ignore the intentions of these protesters - the world is getting the gist of it. So if the people of the world remain focused, keep their resolve without immediate results and continue to apply pressure on this issue without a lick of positive reinforcement, this is a winning cause. It’s just a pretty big if.
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