"F---, those imperialists!" ??

today, I went to the arts fac to pick up some readings. and I saw some students protesting about the Tibet issue at the Vivekananda statue where every other day there is a protest march / something or the other...

I bumped into a communist friend of mine later that day... I happened to mildly taunt him (to my utter mistake!) "How can you be a communist when Chin..." and I was interrupted with a shouting string of words that were inappropriate, to put it mildly... Never expected such language coming out of the mouth it was coming from! I was, to say the least, taken aback. didn't know what to say. and wished I could rewind time. Then followed what on his side was a heated debate, while I mildly (and somewhat scared to say anything) interjected with calm observations for him to heatedly and passionately debunk. I 'think' I am 'glad' to 'lose' in this 'confab'. (can you see my confusion?)

He made some good points and I wish he didn't think he needed to be so angry and vehement. I would have gladly appreciated his novel views. Especially because I don't trust the media or the newspapers. So it is interesting to get a view that is not the commonly accepted opinion that has been generated by the Media.

He argued against Tibet for these reasons: (May I stress here I DO NOT agree with him, am merely stating his views!! )

1. Tibet was never an independent state in the first place that China forcefully occupied. the freedom movement is a development which happened in response to the Chinese revolution.
2. Tibet once freed will be a theocratic, feudalistic state - which is bad since it is a retrogression. and a return to the middle ages.
3. He called Dalai Lama names (which I was horrified to hear!) and said that he(Dalai Lama) is a mere figurehead of American neo-imperialist capitalist propaganda.
4. This fight for independence is funded by America whose sole purpose is to have a strategically placed military base in Tibet.

Now, I only pointed to him that Dalai Lama does not wish for Tibet to be an autonomous state. and if the people of Tibet want independence, then they should get it. Why is China so adamant to keep Tibet? Secondly, what is so wrong in a theocratic state? "Live and let live" has been my motto, and I abide by it. I am not a very religious person, but I admire those who follow their religion for themselves and not shove it in other people's faces, and I don't think Tibet is doing that. On the other hand China must realise that suppression of this sort cannot be tolerated. Ben recently visited Tibet and what he told me shocked me. I will not repeat it here, but lets just say it wasn't all flattering for what China has done to Tibet. I feel yet the Chinese policy in essence is wrong.

But whatever it may be, I hope I will not bump into this friend soon. I am not ready for the string of curses again!!!