Letter to my Senator

Dear Sir,

I am writing to commend the US Congress for awarding the Gold Medal to the Dalai Lama on October 17 of this year. As an individual, he is worthy in his own right. Acknowledging him and his contributions to peace and non-violence sends an unambiguous message to the world as to the stance of the United States on these matters. The world needs to know that Americans support freedom and liberty for all human beings. This award will raise awareness of the necessity for continued work of this sort. Bringing the Dalai Lama to the US Capitol and honoring him in this way shines a spotlight on a vital area where we must not lose commitment.

To that end: It is critical that the United States continue and increase our support of Tibet and Tibetan culture. This unique and precious nation is being crushed by Chinese expansion. The Chinese government has gone so far as to legislatively prohibit reincarnation within their territories. At first, this might seem to be nothing more than a ludicrous move by an explicitly secular government. On reflection, it is quite sinister: The Tibetan Buddhist beliefs on reincarnation hold that everyone is reincarnated. This rule makes state criminals of newborn children unless the parents renounce their religion.

Not to put too fine a point on it – I would prefer to pay extra dollars for my imported goods, rather than seeing another culture swept off the face of the earth. China may be a valuable trading partner to the United States, but there is more to living a good life than just driving the best bargain.

For this, and for many other reasons please make the award of the Gold Medal a first step, and not a conclusion, in our support of Tibet and its culture.