I apologize that this is so short since it absolutely deserves more. Among warnings from China, the President will stand beside the Dalai Lama as he is granted the Congressional Gold Medal, America’s highest civilian honor. This is an important recognition of the amazing accomplishments that the Dalia Lama has achieved through his lifetime. It is my sincere hope that this award, and the controversy it creates, will help to bring more attention to the struggles of Tibet.
I actually have “The Dalai Lama: his Essential Wisdom” on my desk and read from it daily. I highly recommend reading it at least once, though I think that like me many of you will want to keep on hand. Here is a quote that I feel is highly relevant to this website and to current events.
It would be much more constructive if people tried to understand their supposed enemies. Learning to forgive is much more useful than merely picking up a stone and throwing it at the object of one’s anger, the more so when the provocation is extreme. For it is under the greatest adversity that there exists the greatest potential for doing good, both for oneself and others. ~ His Holiness The Dalai Lama
This does however bring up a surprising parallel that I was unaware of until I started writing. Mr. Zhang, Tibet’s Communists Party boss, said of the Dalai Lama’s award ““We are furious, If the Dalai Lama can receive such an award, there must be no justice or good people in the world.” This sounds remarkably similar to the tirades directed at Al Gore for winning the Nobel Peace Prize.
~ William ~