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survival
Big Wall climber
arlington, va
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Feb 15, 2008 - 08:29am PT
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THE WEARY WORLD
Three piece business suit, new plastic home in the hills
No amount of cash can satisfy
The oil hungry Hummer roars down the street,
Looking for a fix
Wearing his benevolent smile, the Dalai Lama shines.
Leaning his back against the mud brick wall,
Sweat trickling down his back and brow
The tired soldier from backwash Louisiana watches,
And ponders Cheney's ranch
War on TERROR satellite guidance predator drone suicide vest
Weapons of mass destruction
Cloaked in his robe of non-violence, the Dalai Lama shines.
Institution of higher learning campus rampage,
Young minds raised on love snuffed out
Lonely lunatic won't take it anymore
Took his own life, it can't happen here
Meditation on suffering, the Dalai Lama shines.
Land hunger buffer zone, ancient claims of ownership
Chinese chains of oppression
Wind swept plateau poverty stricken goat herder
Arrested for a photo of a smiling monk
Olympic lights, billion dollar investment, candles in Lhasa
Incense smolders, throat song chanting
Reincarnated patience, waiting for the world to turn
The Dalai Lama shines.....
me,2008
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Delhi Dog
Trad climber
Good Question...
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 15, 2008 - 11:41am PT
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No thoughts...hmm
Reminds me of the climbers which passed up the dying on their way to and from the summit.
If I don't look he's not really there...
save my own a$$
DD
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John Moosie
climber
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Feb 15, 2008 - 01:08pm PT
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Hey DD,
What do you think the U.S. should do concerning the olympics and tibet? I wouldn't want to see the U.S. deciding not to go. We did it with Russia and the only ones hurt were the athletes.
I think perhaps a writing campaign might help to get the media to cover the story. If we show there are people who are interested, then perhaps the media will take note. I would write a letter if others would join me. It seems like this story is going to build momentum as the olympics grow closer and so do the walkers, that is probably the point of taking so long on the walk.
Otherwise I can't think of anything that might help. Anyone else have ideas?
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survival
Big Wall climber
arlington, va
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Feb 15, 2008 - 01:38pm PT
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I don't think we have the political will to boycott the Olympic games. It does hurt the athletes who have worked so hard. The biggest thing that it has the possibility of doing for the Tibetans is that a boycott would create more media attention than anything else we could do.
However, I think the Chinese have such an economic grip on us that we don't have the sack to do it. An article in the National Journal states that Chinese investment in our national debt has tripled since 2000 and now stands at over $242 billion dollars. They are our second largest lender behind only Japan.
We can write to representatives, but focusing on writing to media outlets and even independent journalists might get more attention. Count me in.
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survival
Big Wall climber
arlington, va
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Feb 15, 2008 - 11:07pm PT
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Bump
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Maysho
climber
Truckee, CA
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Feb 15, 2008 - 11:09pm PT
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Bruce, I really like your poem.
Peter
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survival
Big Wall climber
arlington, va
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Feb 15, 2008 - 11:11pm PT
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Peter,
Thank you, kind sir.
Bruce
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Delhi Dog
Trad climber
Good Question...
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 19, 2008 - 12:40am PT
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Been out of town...in another place that has its own troubles. Kashmir.
The people always are the sufferers while the governments always call the shots.
Wonderful folks in Kashmir despite the "occupation" looking scene....
Wonder- thanks for the info.
John,
"What do you think the U.S. should do concerning the Olympics and Tibet? I wouldn't want to see the U.S. deciding not to go. We did it with Russia and the only ones hurt were the athletes..."
I'd have to say that the US will most certainly go to the Olympics. And, yes the athletes are the ones that are hurt. I really think the Tibetans will not succeed in getting them canceled either, and I'm sure the leaders in their hearts know that but stranger things have happened. Also, the world's attention is focused on China and will be even more so as the Olympics gets closer.
Congress amazingly awarded his Holiness the Dali Lama the Congressional Medal recently in direct opposition to a request by China. That is progress. That is raising awareness around the world (maybe not so much on the average American) but many in the world took notice of that act.
I think John's point of writing letters is a good one and worth doing.
Survival writes;
"We can write to representatives, but focusing on writing to media outlets and even independent journalists might get more attention." I'm guessing the same.
I think the best we as a country can do is encourage our own leaders to put pressure on China to at least begin a dialogue with His Holiness. This would recognize (at the minimum) that the Tibetan people do have a leader, something everyone knows, but China has so far denied. Getting China to at least treat Tibetans with some form of respect as a people is reasonable too is it not?
"It seems like this story is going to build momentum as the Olympics grow closer and so do the walkers, that is probably the point of taking so long on the walk." Agreed.
I was looking back at that first picture I posted and flashed on the eyes of the people. It reminded me of our own indigenous people's. What could we have done to help them at the time when their traditional lands were being occupied and control of it taken from them?
This photo is just one section of a long banner sent to the Tibetans at the protest from children in NYC. which was hung up along the street.
DD
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survival
Big Wall climber
arlington, va
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Feb 19, 2008 - 08:58am PT
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Hey DD,
Glad you're back from your trip. Did you do photos? How about a trip report?
I'm wondering, will you have time to get to this 6 mo. march a couple times? You could probably do some good with photos from the front end of the thing. You know, while people have time to digest and react?
Bruce
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Jaybro
Social climber
The West
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Feb 20, 2008 - 01:32am PT
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How do all the parts fit? style bump.
I vote for Tibetan representation at Bejing's Olympics!
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survival
Big Wall climber
arlington, va
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Feb 20, 2008 - 03:51am PT
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I think the Tibetans would love to field a team in anything at all since it would mean they exist,.....which is exactly why the Chinese wouldn't want them.
Who decides that kind of thing? The Olympic whoobygooby committee? Under pressure from the Chinese govt. I'm sure it wouldn't happen.
Good vote Jaybro. What's a style bump?
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Delhi Dog
Trad climber
Good Question...
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 20, 2008 - 07:09am PT
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Not sure what they'd enter in but I agree anything would be worth it.
If they are half the archers the Bhutanese are, they'd have a chance at a medal-man do those guys have it dialed in.
I suppose too, that any sport which requires patience would go over well too.
Seems the Olympic Committee would be a target for a letter writing campaign. I think there is one in the works. I'll have to check up on that and get back.
You know with Karl's thread on Iran, whether you buy the premise or not and all the other sh*&t going on in the world its hard sometimes to keep on keepin on, but what the heck are we all going to do?
Seems think clearly, get our facts as straight as possible, support local, do what we can global, raise our kids to be thinking, caring individuals who have empathy for others, and are willing to do what they believe is right even if everyone else doesn't and to keep contributing to our own communities.
I remember a quote from somewhere that goes (regarding service to others)'...service to others is the rent we pay for living...'
I like that idea.
If climbing has taught me nothing else it has taught me the value of perseverance, commitment, and patience. I can only look to the Tibetans as the embodiment of the above qualities.
Cheers,
DD
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survival
Big Wall climber
arlington, va
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Feb 20, 2008 - 07:18am PT
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Hey DD,
Wow you posted just as I was checking my computer this AM!
The Tibetans probably have some good wrestlers. They did BITD didn't they? Just fielding an athlete would be such a great thing for their souls. You know how the last marathoner across the line often gets about as much attention as the winner? In that sense, medals would almost be beside the point.
I'll post again in a bit.
At least this thread has stayed on topic eh?
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Delhi Dog
Trad climber
Good Question...
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 20, 2008 - 09:24am PT
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You know I just had a revelation!
Maybe the Chinese are afraid they'd loose an event to the Tibetans...
On another slightly different note this walk will be a pretty long one.
What's the longest walk anyone out there has done? If Tenzin Tsundue does in fact finish the march he and his fellow Tibetans will have covered some distance.
I like the idea of not knowing (or sharing) where the crossing will be too. There is power hidden in that.
...'why should the Indian government stop Tibetan refugees voluntarily returning home on foot?' Why indeed?
Here they just stood around because the protest was so peaceful.
I'm thinking this will be pretty interesting to see as time gets closer. All the more reason for media/journalist types to begin to follow the story now.
Survival writes:
"I'm wondering, will you have time to get to this 6 mo. march a couple times? You could probably do some good with photos from the front end of the thing. You know, while people have time to digest and react?"
I'm sure going to try! What the heck, I figured if nothing else they'll be good company. I'd love to be there when the crossing happens...
Cheers,
DD
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survival
Big Wall climber
arlington, va
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Feb 20, 2008 - 10:55am PT
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DD, good for you! At the front end, spirits and energy will be high, and the whole thing will likely be safer.
Of course the crossing is where the danger and the real story probably is......
How can they possibly keep that secret for long? If there are enough cameras in attendance, killings would not be so likely.
Many arrests, then transportation to less visible areas is a much greater possibility.
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Delhi Dog
Trad climber
Good Question...
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 20, 2008 - 11:25am PT
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This sweet women is one that "escaped" from Tibet in the past.
I post this photo just to show what many have gone through just to get to "freedom"
You notice the absence due to frost bite which is a fairly common among many Tibetans who have made that journey. Sometimes its difficult to recognize frostbit from leprosy which is also somewhat common in this part of the world. I thought that was the case until a began to talk with her through an interpreter...
It is interesting too to note that many families in Tibet will send their youngsters over the mountains to be raised by family members or other Tibetans so that they will know their "own culture"...
DD
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b.p.
climber
bishop
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Feb 20, 2008 - 11:26am PT
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Trying to get a couple of photographers/journalists in Europe onto this, they are juggling their schedules to be at the border crossing. DD. do you have a time frame for that?
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survival
Big Wall climber
arlington, va
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Feb 20, 2008 - 08:24pm PT
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bp, you've got a couple guys that are trying for the crossing?
Well done! You will get many karma points......
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Delhi Dog
Trad climber
Good Question...
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 20, 2008 - 11:05pm PT
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d.p.
regarding "Trying to get a couple of photographers/journalists in Europe onto this, they are juggling their schedules to be at the border crossing. DD. do you have a time frame for that?"
No. I'm not sure they do either however...
Best to have them contact Tenzin Tsundue directly or any of the following:
Tibetan Youth Congress, http://www.tibetanyouthcongress.org/
Tibetan Women's Association, http://www.tibetanwomen.org/
Gu-Chu-Sum Movement of Tibet (an association of former political prisoners), http://www.guchusum.org/
National Democratic Party of Tibet and Students for a Free Tibet, India.
http://www.studentsforafreetibet.org/
Also, I noticed in the letter this;
For more information please visit: www.TibetanUprising.org
I'll do some more research and post what I find here. If you do the same we should be able to come up with some info. to help.
I'll also check in with some Tibetan friends here. They are an extremely connected group of people. It seems news travels fast through that community and they are all committed to the same thing.
Thanks for your time and energy to this.
Cheers,
DD
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