Comments on: Pelosi Thumbs China’s Eye With Praise for the Dalai Lama http://washingtonindependent.com/1907/oopelosi-thumbs-chinas-eye-with-praise-for-the-dalai-lama National News in Context Thu, 26 Nov 2009 21:22:41 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: muse http://washingtonindependent.com/1907/oopelosi-thumbs-chinas-eye-with-praise-for-the-dalai-lama/comment-page-1#comment-1714 muse Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:00 +0000 http://www.washingtonindependent.com.php5-9.websitetestlink.com/?p=1907#comment-1714 I don't condone China's crackdown, but Israel's behavior needs to be considered in this situation. Without accusing anyone of supporting violence and without passing judement, Gaza's being declared a humanitarian disaster by numerous human rights agencies tarnishes any US credibility in criticizing the crackdown in Tibet. Sure, Israel claims its actions are necessary for national security. I'm sure China does too. There are contextual differences between the two situations, but if human rights truly are universal, its is of no matter. I don’t condone China’s crackdown, but Israel’s behavior needs to be considered in this situation. Without accusing anyone of supporting violence and without passing judement, Gaza’s being declared a humanitarian disaster by numerous human rights agencies tarnishes any US credibility in criticizing the crackdown in Tibet. Sure, Israel claims its actions are necessary for national security. I’m sure China does too. There are contextual differences between the two situations, but if human rights truly are universal, its is of no matter.

]]> By: nikkym http://washingtonindependent.com/1907/oopelosi-thumbs-chinas-eye-with-praise-for-the-dalai-lama/comment-page-1#comment-1715 nikkym Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:00 +0000 http://www.washingtonindependent.com.php5-9.websitetestlink.com/?p=1907#comment-1715 I believe that not speaking out is worse than being silent because we're worried about hypocrisy. Yes, the US has loads of abuse and neglect to account and atone for, but let us do that also, starting with each citizen, rather than cease to speak out about egregious acts. Imagine if a mighty nation spoke out against the US and had the power to wield sanctions against us? Maybe we'd finally clean up our act. Remember the Cold War? That's when we were actually scared of another country. Hell, remember protests? When it felt like our own country could be held accountable by us, the citizens? I believe that not speaking out is worse than being silent because we’re worried about hypocrisy. Yes, the US has loads of abuse and neglect to account and atone for, but let us do that also, starting with each citizen, rather than cease to speak out about egregious acts. Imagine if a mighty nation spoke out against the US and had the power to wield sanctions against us? Maybe we’d finally clean up our act. Remember the Cold War? That’s when we were actually scared of another country. Hell, remember protests? When it felt like our own country could be held accountable by us, the citizens?

]]> By: justaguy http://washingtonindependent.com/1907/oopelosi-thumbs-chinas-eye-with-praise-for-the-dalai-lama/comment-page-1#comment-1716 justaguy Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:00 +0000 http://www.washingtonindependent.com.php5-9.websitetestlink.com/?p=1907#comment-1716 I was sitting in an internet cafe in Beijing a couple of years ago reading a story in the Guardian about someone who was seized by the CIA and put in a prison in, I believe it was Morocco, where he was subjected to tortures that included surgically mutilating his penis. I described that to a friend of mine, an ex-cop, and his reply was something to the effect of - "Wow that's fucked up - your government does that and then criticizes China for their human rights?" Last year police in Beijing cracked down on African drug dealers by seizing any black skinned person the came across, beating them and dragging them to the police station. An American journalist went to the police station and, while talking to the police, criticized them for their violence. The cop said something to the effect of, "Sure, and your government never does anything like that, huh?" I would never belittle the horrors of the Chinese crack down in Tibet. But Pelosi doesn't have to worry about the US government loosing its moral authority over not speaking out on Tibet. That ship sailed a while ago... I was sitting in an internet cafe in Beijing a couple of years ago reading a story in the Guardian about someone who was seized by the CIA and put in a prison in, I believe it was Morocco, where he was subjected to tortures that included surgically mutilating his penis. I described that to a friend of mine, an ex-cop, and his reply was something to the effect of – "Wow that’s fucked up – your government does that and then criticizes China for their human rights?"

Last year police in Beijing cracked down on African drug dealers by seizing any black skinned person the came across, beating them and dragging them to the police station. An American journalist went to the police station and, while talking to the police, criticized them for their violence. The cop said something to the effect of, "Sure, and your government never does anything like that, huh?"

I would never belittle the horrors of the Chinese crack down in Tibet. But Pelosi doesn’t have to worry about the US government loosing its moral authority over not speaking out on Tibet. That ship sailed a while ago…

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