Tibetan Serf Emancipation Day... okay we GET IT

Well a couple of days ago the Tibetans and Chinese celebrated the end of serfdom in Tibet, and what better a way to celebrate it than to have rows upon rows of Tibetans - mostly older folk and of course young girls holding little red flags - arranged in front of the Potala Palace in Lhasa while selected speakers discussed their horrible experiences under the old Tibetan Lama regime and the new opportunities that the change in government the experienced brought them. As many people know, Tibet was a part of China for hundreds of years until the chaos of the early 20th century known as the 'Warlords Period' when it and many other parts of the old Chinese Empire broke off into powerful and semi autonomous states, only to be reunited again by Mao Zedong and the communist regime. Of course this would inspire over half a century of mostly American-lead political disdain towards the Chinese and the rise of the popular western cry 'Free Tibet!' - a cry that was somewhat renewed with new energy and zeal prior to and during the recent Chinese hosted Olympics here in Beijing. Protesters would be present at airports when the Chinese Premier would visit different cities worldwide, and the rise of the popular idea that crying out for the return of the Dalai Lama to Tibet was somehow a push for the fight against tyranny, despite the fact more often than not I find that these protesters are usually uninformed or unaware of the history of Tibet and more importantly the political situations of the Tibetan peoples. And more often than not in this case I regret to say I find this to be correct.

I'm not a Marxist by any means, but the system before the Chinese reasserted their central rule from Beijing was certainly a feudal(ish) one and exploited it's lower classes by all means. The Lama regime didn't give a rats ass about the serfs (I hesitate to say slaves entirely) and the Dalai Lama himself was the world's largest scale slave owner of the 20th century. The Lamas seemed to have nearly 100% of the wealth and control of goods, and lived much more well off than the commoners. And people were literally their property, and if not serfs then they were the poor monks whom were forced to beg for simple things like food and drink based on the monastic ruling system in place which favoured only the elites.

Certainly it is true that in modern times the PRC has improved life for the majority of people Tibet - more cash has been funneled into the infrastructure and lives of the lower classes in the last half century in Tibet than ever under the Lama regime one could argue. Think of Communism and China what you will, this is a fact.
It was a genuine end to serfdom. A modern Tibetan under the PRC lives a far, far better life than any of their ancestors before the Chinese retook Tibet. Something for the sign wavers to dwell on perhaps.

Quite honestly I feel a lot of people justify their red Sinophobia with the excuse that 'the poor Tibetans are being bullied/persecuted' - quite frankly they are at the same level as all peoples across the whole of the PRC under that same government. They are not ethnically being persecuted at all, unless you're a rioter - and a Han rioter in Beijing would have the same kind of punishment or worse. The Tibetans in China (PRC) are also just as welcome to join the Communist Party and partake in governmental process there if they so choose - which many Tibetans actually do. And ironically enough the Tibetans are doing better under the said 'evil' PRC regime than they ever were under the tyrannical religious Lama regime, which originally was set up as a Mongol puppet to begin with and pursued policies of public humiliation, torture, and rough executions until it was overthrown. It was a regime that deserved to be shattered and I'm personally glad it's forever gone. It is impossible to deny that Mao and the PRC did the Tibetans a service by crushing the Lama regime. Of course the debate becomes complex when we continue on to think of what it was replaced with, a regime in itself that for decades would be stained in it's own bright red coloured bloodshed.

... And on the side as a reminder lets not all forget that the Dalai Lama was never the 100% sovereign ruler of Tibet in theory or historical practice anyway. His position, while viewed as 'ancient' took the reigns of power in it's own historical governmental coup thanks to the Mongols and their yoke... there was quite another set of rulers in power before the said Dalai Lama and his chosen regime. And while probably as medievally barbarous in their dealings and rulings, they existed back then. The Dalai Lama ruled up until recently on the historical scale.

So let's return to the present, as I didn't mean to engage in a long and winding history lesson that is vividly spotted with my opinion. The idea of a Serf Emancipation Day in Tibet isn't a bust - the method in which it was carried out perhaps was, and done lamely to in a fashion only the Chinese could imagine - if any of you saw footage from Lhasa two days ago - but in the end my advice to the pot-smoking hippy lunatics who intend on making their life purpose to annoy foreign governments for populist reasoning they don't really know much of or understand I only beg that they take the time to do at least the slightest bit of research. It's not at if it is being labeled a 'Happy Tibet Since the 50s Day'. And no, the PRC isn't the most wonderful polity in the world and Mao himself as we know was a brutal leader, but China has drastically improved that land from the one at least the Tibetans were forced to live in. As of late especially. And the fact is Mao's long gone - your calls for the return of the regrettably very much alive Dalai Lama and the return of his sadistic regime aren't helping anyone and possibly making the situation in Tibet even more strict. Making 'communist' a pejorative while pushing the idea that Lama and government together is not, is well, bordering insanity. Think about it. And be honest, you don't really know what you're talking about, do you? ;)

... And to my dear friend China, please stop trying to shove it down all our western throats so much. We're choking on it. A small taste, tastefully done is what might do the trick. Some of us actually get it. I respect what was done in the removal of the Lama regime, but don't play it off like it was something pretty and done with clean hands and that everyone is perfectly happy today. Reality is never that clean, nor ever has to have perfect rows of elderly people sitting on plastic stools lamely listening to endless winding speeches about freedom. Call me a pessimist, but let the millions of dollars you are investing into that land speak for itself, hospitals and roads and schools go a lot further than lame celebrations that no one seems to really enjoy... although I respect the symbolism of it all - having a special day to inspire the indignation of the more ignorant people in the world will only cause heightened trouble, and annoy the hell out of me when I'm trying to watch English language TV.