The word "Tibet" provokes a mystical sort of image in the mind. Images of Buddhist monks, candles and Everest all intermingle. It's distance is part of its pull. The fact that it is removed is exactly why people want to go there. It has a certain romantic appeal to those of us in the west, but few of us bother to educate ourselves on any of its history, which is made painfully obvious by reading some or the opinions here.

First, I'm one of those crazy liberals sporting the "Free Tibet" shirt, which I bought immediately after crossing the border into Nepal, from Tibet. Ironically, although I was "liberal" before, Tibet never really factored into my radar screen. I've seen the Dalai Lama speak in the US and I vaguely knew that "Tibet" is not synonymous with "China" but I didn't really care. But then, you go there, and it changes you. Forever. Perhaps you do notice that many people are living in a "medieval" way of life, they still use hand tools and don't have cars. No argument there, Tibet was extremely backwards and still is. But you know, up until the Chinese occupation, even with their "backward" farming techniques and monks begging for alms, famine was almost unknown. When the Han Chinese came and they tried to change agricultural techniques and tried to make Tibet their Ukraine, famine became a really, really big problem. The monks beg because it's a part of their Buddhist philosophy. They receive necessary nourishment and Buddhist followers make a contribution to their spiritual well-being. It's the same with our churches but by giving a monk food, you know what is being done with it. Tithing away your money you generally have no idea how the church spends it.

Who are we to say that they should modernize, I think if people are happy more power to them. The Tibetans I met and talked to, despite decades of oppression, starvation, and struggle were nice, friendly, happy and at peace. This was days before rioting broke out again.

Second, simply because someone wears a "Free Tibet" shirt or sports a bumper sticker and drives around in their crazy liberal towns of San Francisco and Boulder, CO (and yes, I am a Coloradoan, thank you) does not mean we support all out war with China. The t-shirt doesn't feature a picture of a bomber plane. I know its idealistic, but I think non-violent resistance can work and I support the Tibetan cause wholeheartedly. If you travel through the area, and I mean really travel not just view

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