Comments on: Dalai Lama: Do I feel guilty?

By: shafinaaz

shafinaaz — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 08:42:57 +0000

Congrats on winning the Best Political Blog at SA Blog Awards 2009

By: meofcourse

meofcourse — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 20:59:22 +0000

Hihi, I like ur description of “the Chinese sports journalist turned astute academic,” and the Canadian, and kinda happy I wasn’t there that time so I can’t be confused with ur European friends finding the munks sexy (O+M?!)Oh, and I agree with Olga, what is your alternative?

By: Nad Ko

Nad Ko — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 14:18:31 +0000

I agree – absolute nonsense that China is the economic panacea of the world. They own a substantial number of American govt bonds (definitely not 50%) They acquired the bonds not because they wanted to assist the USA economically but because it was in their own interest.
Neither would they recall those bonds either – because if the USA goes bust they will follow suit. They need the USA and the EU to keep their economy afloat, nothing else!!.

By: Olga

Olga — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 08:30:47 +0000

Interesting post – Siobhan I echo your sentiments entirely. Mr Essa – no disrespect but instead of being an armchair critic and claimant that passive resistance died with Ghandi, why not propose your alternative strategy as to the most effective way forward for Dalai Lama? That ought to be a very interesting post.

Lyndall – I hardly think you can compare France/ EU and South Africa. Best you research some basic macro-economic facts about who the economic mights are in the world before making statements like China needs Africa more than Africa needs China.

By: Anna Varney-Wong

Anna Varney-Wong — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 11:42:03 +0000

It seems crazy to think we could be like Tibet soon. I guess the main difference is the majority of our population arent Buddhist – only a small minority is. People are only hearing the rumblings now – they dont realize what these mean yet.
http://hummingbird333.blogspot.com/2009/03/i-dont-even-have-tv.html

http://anuradha.gaia.com/blog/2009/3/i_cant_believe_ive_just_been_hacked

By: minsk

minsk — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 15:41:00 +0000

For those of us not too knowledgable about Tibet its impossible to know if the Dalai Lama merits his accolades and status. But lets assume the worst: That he’s a fraud, a charlatan, a rabble rouser and as Trevor Manual claims a representative of an anachronistic and oppressive fuedal system. It is still to our shame that we denied him a visa.

He is no physical threat to our community, is a recognised leader and has something to say to us. By the founding principles of our republic, no voice is to be silenced by prejudice and we are free to decide right from wrong as our conscience dictates so long as we do others no harm. Are we now to be treated as children again by a patriachal state? Who else could be banned from entry by the same brand of policy: John Pilger, Noam Chomsky, Louis Farrakhan? The ethics on which a state are founded are always hard won. They can be quickly washed away by the wise fools who preach expedience though.

By: hendrik

hendrik — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 10:12:44 +0000

It seem that people forget much quicker than you can actually comprehend .Imagine inviting PW Botha and denying a visa to Mandella ,any country ,doing this during the apartheid days will have done the same in essence as the government has done ,denying the Dali Lama entry,but denying the Dali Lama is much worse Because this government was till recently a liberation minded gov.How all that has changed .What Rubbish we make of the liberation struggle.And when I felt so proud, being a SA citizen because I so firmly agreed that all one can do is working towards ,creating a HUMAN-RIGHTS CULTURE.Howe soon ,before I find myself in the midst of a police/military state ?are people truly that mindless and careless???

By: Lesedi

Lesedi — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 14:20:04 +0000

p.s. I’m also not sure about this business of shredding ones passport Mr. Smith! You’ll be hard pressed to find a place to go where you wont be plagued with the same sentiment at some point – Main dish/ side dish – it usually is the same sh@t dish!

By: Lesedi

Lesedi — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 14:09:19 +0000

Azad: Heroine – Lyndall: We are the only Country to have done a number of things, and we seem to always try and outdo ourselves when it comes to decisions that make you go ‘hmmmm’, so the kind of decision making process that brought us here sounds about right and in terms of our ‘brand identity’ i think we have been on the road to losing that for some time – the way i see this is; Straw-Camel-broken back!

By: Azad Essa

Azad Essa — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 10:12:42 +0000

thats a good point lyndall.

we look really silly.

perhaps china is financing….should i say it?