After all, Freeing Tibet is one thing – but rank heresy of this sort?
Audience member: “Can you give us an example of a leader we should look up to as a positive influence?”
Dalai Lama (after thinking for a few seconds): “President Bush. I met him personally and liked him very much. He was honest and straightforward, and that is very important. I may not have agreed with all his policies, but I thought he was very honest and a very good leader.”
There are surely limits, yes? After all, the fellow was disturbing his listeners’ religious sensibilities most harshly with a statement like that.
See The Corner, The Anchoress, and the Boston Globe*, all via Right Side of Lowell.
Moe Lane
*I understand that this is now that paper’s theme song:
I’m not surprised. Bush was all for freedom and Dalai Lama is fighting for the freedom of Tibet. Afterall, we can’t have the Chinese out of controll.
The Dalai Lama was just being honest. Bush stood up to China’s diplomatic bullying when he presented the Congressional Gold Medal to the Dalai Lama in 2007. Bush also pressed the Chinese repeatedly to negotiate with the Tibetans about autonomy. In contrast, Hillary Clinton has sent a signal that human rights are secondary to corporate and financial interests in dealing with China. Hopefully, Obama does not share her views and will meet with the Dalai Lama, and then let China know that if it wants to keep trade with the U.S. it must improve on human rights. In this global meltdown, China needs our markets more than we need them. http://www.FreeingTibet.com