Tom,
There is no worse dictatorship then Mao’s. Today’s China is far better then in those days but no one really discusses, especially in China, the cultural lobotomy given to the Chinese people by Mao and his regime. They were responsible for more destruction of property, cultural relics, classic Chinese thinking and human lives then even the Japanese. This same destruction occurred in Tibet to the Tibetans when the Chinese invaded. The question here is, if given the choice, would the Tibetan people want to revert to their old system, would they want independence under Western principles or would they like to remain a region in the Chinese Empire?
Protesters around the world are basically acting out based on their own wishes, desires and notions of what the Tibetan people aught to want. I see plenty of Westerners wearing “Free Tibet” t-shirts (Made in China?) and not a single Tibetan. That is not to say the wish for Tibetan autonomy is not the prevalent condition among Tibetans. I am simply not reasonably convinced that it is.
All that said, anything that sticks a pin in the Chinese balloon entertains me 10,000 times more then a dragon parade all smoky with firecrackers and iron bells.
