An Unfortunate Choice of Words


TIME: A Tibetan Intifadeh Against China. Whatever the outcome, though, it seemed to be a turning point in the history of Tibet and perhaps also China. “This is massive,” said one Tibet specialist who was in touch with many Lhasa residents, “it is the intifadeh.”

Nothing more inaccurate than the Western media plotting turning points in modern Chinese history. Sometimes, China doesn’t turn despite the wishful thinking of the West. Why? Media bias.

Here’s another statement from the same article:

Chinese already outnumber ethnic Tibetans in Lhasa, and many Tibetans felt that they might end up as strangers in their own country, a fate suffered by Mongolians in Chinese-administered Inner Mongolia.

Chinese-administered Inner Mongolia? I’ve never been to Inner Mongolia, so I cannot speak about the environment there, but I suspect that TIME is manufacturing conflicts in this instance. Perhaps, a more appropriate conclusion would be that many Tibetans felt that they might end up as strangers in their own country, a fate suffered by Native Americans in the United States. However, if TIME starts printing stories like that, they’re not going to sell too many magazines…in the United States.

China should not be so obstinate and follow the American model. In America, Native Americans can achieve economic independence by building and running casinos. Tibetan stud poker, anyone?


Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *