The "Free Tibet" Protesters....

And why they piss me off...

I know I'll probably come off like some old codger in this but please hear me out.

I totally think China is unjust in their occupation of Tibet.... and I get Tibetan desire for autonomy, and I respect it. What I fail to understand is how protesters... or even Tibetans themselves ever expect to achieve anything. I believe the truth of the matter is the protesters are more interested in appearing to be socially conscious..... and the "Free Tibet" sympathies have been a must for bohemians and neo-hippies for quite some time. Protesters have no concept of what they expect our government to do... and most don't even know the History behind Tibet. I can almost guarantee most of these naive college kids and bohemians probably don't even realize that the Dali Lama has been living in exile for many years (1959) and that Chinese occupation began in 1949.

So what really irritates me is that half of the people out waving signs..... half... no... ALL OF THE PEOPLE out waving signs will have, at least one article of clothing made in China on (Many of them will likely have an entire wardrobe that is made in China... perhaps purchased at Urban Outfitters, Hootenanny, or The Proletariat). Yet their idea of putting an end to China's reign is a boycott on the opening ceremony of the Olympics? Please... Like China's going to give a rat's ass... and people will still watch in droves anyway because when one network drops the coverage... another opportunist will pick it up. Per usual people don't have the guts to do what it would really take to accomplish their dream.

So Tibet is an occupied nation of pacifists who will kill themselves in protest, before they will take any sort of major offensive against their Chinese occupiers. The rest of the world could boycott Chinese goods... but this will never happen... because as we know the kids aren't going to be giving up their replica vintage t-shirts, plastic Buddha statues, incense burners, amongst many other fine Chinese products made by 12 year old children. China has abysmal human rights records throughout the country let alone Tibet. The problem is people love cheap stuff and convenience.... and as long as it is available they will purchase it. Now it is almost impossible not to buy Chinese products.

There is also the bigger question of how one can expect to help a people who will not fight for themselves? Pacifism only works when everyone is a pacifist. You have to lock your doors, you have to protect your self, when you don't... the animals will take the opportunity when they see it. These are the rules of survival.

Going back to the protesters and why they piss me off.... I think they are naive, ignorant, and most of all.... insincere. There are few things that bug me more than an insincere political activist. Just because you put some bumper sticker on your car... quite frankly it doesn't mean sh*t, besides the bumper sticker was probably made in China.

Apparently I'm not alone in this thought process as I just found this link after I wrote this up:

Made in China - Free Tibet! (Great political cartoon!)