Dalai Lama: "No Disappointment" About Not Getting Invited To The White House (VIDEO)

President Obama did not meet with the Dalai Lama on his most recent trip to Washington, and the Dalai Lama seems to be the only one okay with it. Since 1991, every American president has received His Holiness at the White House. However, in his interview with CNN's Wolf Blitzer, the Dalai Lama likened these types of visits to a photo opportunity, insisting that "serious discussion is better than just a picture." Given Obama's upcoming visit to Peking to engage with China on a number of issues, the Dalai Lama believes that not embarrassing the Chinese president trumps his own personal agenda for human rights in Tibet. Blitzer countered that perhaps the Obama administration is more interested in its economic relationship with China than human rights in Tibet. Is the Dalai Lama too idealistic or is Blitzer too cynical? You decide.

WATCH part of CNN's interview with the Dalai Lama.

Comments

[TCanada]

09:07 PM on 10/13/2009

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Dalai Lama found guilty of persecution by High Court

We have recently received an update regarding the court case against the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan Government in Exile over their persecution of Dorje Shugden practitioners and their breaking of the Indian Deity discrimination law.


There was a hearing on the Dorje Shugden case on the 14th of September at the High Court in Delhi. This was the 3rd hearing, which was convened to examine the written response from the Dalai Lama's representatives to the allegations of Deity discrimination and religious discrimination against Dorje Shugden practitioners. This is nine and a half months after that response was received by the Court.


The Judge dismissed the Dalai Lama's arguments as unconvincing, further asserting that there was sufficient documentary evidence to prove that the Dalai Lama was in fact persecuting followers of the deity Dorje Shugden and that this would have to cease henceforth. The decision was made to issue a warning to the Dalai Lama to stop the persecution. The Judge declared that punitive measures would be initiated if the Dalai Lama refused to comply.

[Kirantana]

05:07 PM on 10/09/2009

Well now isn't that interesting! Wouldn't it have been nice for two Nobel Peace prize winners to sit down and have a little chat in the White House?

[TCanada]

04:12 PM on 10/09/2009

If Arianna would do her homework on this theocratic system head, then perhaps we might read more credible reporting on this renegade from the monastery.
Why do you revere a former agent of the CIA?
What kind of monk takes payment for sending his former serfs to die as Insurgents in China?
Why does this man hide the fact that his predecessor killed or had killed a Wisdom Buddha for him to enlist the Mongolian Cavarly to carry out his coup to assume Absolute Power over the Tibetans until the Chinese threw his medievalist serf owning butt out of Tibet?
Why do you confuse celebrities with actual lamas?
Why is the man to appear before the Shimla India High Courts for violating otheres Civil and Religious Rights?

[fem56]

11:56 AM on 10/09/2009

The Dalai Lama doesn't think with his ego but what will be best in the long run.

[Zenfull]

12:19 PM on 10/09/2009

Very Buddhist of him.

[bootooyoo]

01:51 PM on 10/09/2009

Best for who? What kind of system would the Dalai Lama like Tibet to be under? Tibet under the Chinese is far, far from perfect, but it was a sick, oppressive place for centuries under the lamas, including "His Holiness".

[MorpheusXNYC]

11:10 AM on 10/09/2009

People, if there's one thing we know about No Drama Obama is that he's a pragmatist.

As president during one of the most crucial moments in our country's history, with so much weight on his shoulders, Obama has to play one of the most complex games of geopolitical chess against multiple opponents employing different strategies, all at the same time.

He has to make decisions that are in our best interest and help to further advance our goals as a nation. Symbolic gestures that make some people feel good, but only calcify attitudes from those we must find common ground with is NOT a wise choice.

Does ANYONE here think he personally doesn't agree with the Dalia Lama's goals? Of course not.
But this isn't abut feelings or symbolism. We are in such a vulnerable and weak economic position as a debtor to China that we have zero leverage to dictate terms or apply any pressure.

Obama did the right thing.

[Pema]

11:18 AM on 10/09/2009

letting china run our forgien policy is never a good thing sometimes you have to do the right thing, the moral thing. the chinese use tibet as a dumping ground for their nule waste. they have children with guns in their hands held by chinese gaurds forcing them to shoot their parents. they rape and beat. what is practical isnt bowing to chinese pressure. what is practical is doing the right thing.

[Imago]

12:09 PM on 10/09/2009

But what is the "right" thing?

Blustering at China? Sticking our toes in the sand and drawing a line they can't cross?

That doesn't work even with small countries -- and China is poised to dominate the planet.

If you look at the human rights momentum that HAS been effective in China, the vast majority of it has come because China has opened it's borders to the rest of the world -- the more permeable those borders are, the less the Chinese government is able to strong arm its people, or those in dominated countries.

This is a "chose between winning the battle or the war" moments -- how could Barack Obama publicly embarrassing the Chinese leadership help Tibet?

[Chubbster]

11:24 AM on 11/10/2009

just a bunch of pandering excuses for a lack of spine.

[Rharte]

09:18 AM on 10/09/2009

Not to be insensitive but why does the media think the "Lama" deserves attention at every corner? So what if the President does not meet with His Holiness?

[Pema]

10:43 AM on 10/09/2009

he isnt only a lama he is head of a government in exile. read one of his books. go tot he library and loo for one. then you might have a better understanding of why the world views him as they do.

[Rainman53]

11:27 AM on 10/09/2009

I am offended at the aggressive way Wolf Blitzer interviewed the Dalai Lama. I usually respect Blitzer as one of the more "objective" cable news journalists, but I am trying to imagine him using the tone and questions with someone like the Pope. He could barely stay in his chair waiting to pounce on HH to manipulate him to admit that he was "disappointed."

[Roadblock]

07:55 PM on 10/09/2009

So what happened to the seperation of church and state?

[justobserve]

08:22 AM on 10/09/2009

Obama, as he is, would have talked to the Dalai Lama in private before he announces publicly. If his Holiness is OK with it, not to meet with Obama, then whatever the perception is just speculation. These people are not selfish just to think about themselves, such as losing face,... They have bigger things to think about for the world peace. As the Dalai Lama said, meeting presidents are just photo ops, so if they are good, fine; if they make things more difficult then forget about it! No big deal!

[Balzac]

08:15 AM on 10/09/2009

I wonder if the Dalai Lama has found his successor yet. I think maybe he should change the role of the Dalai Lama to being King of Tibet. Then it would be easier to find a boy who wants to fill those shoes one day. I'd prefer to address the Dalai Lama as Tenzin Gyatso, King of Tibet.

[Imago]

12:12 PM on 10/09/2009

If I remember correctly, they did and the child turned the monks down...

Someone else will know if this is a real memory and have more info...

[Balzac]

05:27 PM on 10/09/2009

I read that too. I think the kid made a smart choice. They need to give the next Dalai Lama a better deal. Women, cars and money... I know Tenzin Gyatso had a nice car at least, brought up in pieces and assembled. But then came the self-righteous doctrine against feudalism from China.

Well, the Dalai Lama ought to show how many hot girls you can get if your in his shoes, and then some kid will want to take his place. Also, he could be looking for a girl to be the next Dalai Lama. Why not? It is even within his rights to recognize a wooden buddha or an animal as his successor.

[Balzac]

07:49 AM on 10/09/2009

It's going to be a most excellent meeting when President Obama meets the Dalai Lama. The reason for President Obama's patience is to allow the Dalai Lama and The President of China, Hu Jintao to coordinate in advance of this very significant meeting.

It's much more than political representation. It's brilliant personality and wisdom that Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama brings. That long line of succession is ancient and real.

Let economic and defensive nationalistic politics take a back seat to the treasures and wisdom of the ages. President Obama's Nobel Peace Prize heralds a New Era of profound appreciation and gratitude that we're all still present, either in the genuine identity or else represented ancestrally by memory, dreams or legacy.

[Pema]

11:11 AM on 10/09/2009

fanned and fav'd

[Balzac]

06:24 PM on 10/09/2009

Thank you. I should also mention that I read a bad rumor on a website. It said that the Dalai Lama had been slightly amused Berlusconi's first "joke" about Obama's "tan". ("abbronzatura" - It doesn't sound as bad in Italian.)

The Dalai Lama said something in Tibetan which translates to "nice tan" and also commented on Berlusconi's painted-on hair-line which is obvious to everyone but himself, apparently.

Repeating Berlusconi's sad "joke" caused an uproar in Tibet and news spread. Then reporters translated the Tibetan back to English and it sounded even worse for the Dalai Lama. And that was the reason the Dalai Lama was not invited.

[alphaa10]

03:17 AM on 10/09/2009

POWER VS. PRINCIPLE

Says HuffPost, "Blitzer countered that perhaps the Obama administration is more interested in its economic relationship with China than human rights in Tibet..."
---

Principled hypocrisy has a history with the American presidency, and was standard operating procedure to George W. Bush.

During the Tibetan demonstrations, arrests and jailings, as well as widespread protest around the world (including protests during running of the Olympic torch), Bush called Chinese Pres. Hu to underscore his concern about violence against the Tibetan people-- and then flew off to Beijing to see the Olympics. All, lest his statements be misunderstood.

Either human rights are non-negotiable, or they are salable commodities, which renders Tibet and its people a continuing pawn in US-China relations.

Tibet is not even remotely the case of Taiwan, but the struggle of a people for national sovereignty, taken by force in 1950. The anniversary of China's attack on the Tibetan army was October 7, 1950. In the battle of Chamdo, 40,000 Chinese attacked a small force of 8,000 Tibetans, killing half of them.

See--
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invasion_of_Tibet_%281950%E2%80%931951%29
and
http://www.tibet.com/whitepaper/white2.html

Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/08/dalai-lama-no-disappointm_n_314576.html

[bootooyoo]

01:36 AM on 10/09/2009

Perhaps Obama is breaking the tradition of welcoming "spiritual" or religious leaders of any kind into the whitehouse?
No, that would be too good to be true.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7t2Ztb92mE

[breakerbum]

01:09 AM on 10/09/2009

Have any of you ever seen a card trick? It's sleight of hand.

Behind the scenes, it was probably the Dalai Lama's suggestion that he and Obama not meet. Come on people, think strategically. Both of these people are intelligent. Do you really think what we're seeing on the surface encompasses everything that is happening?

[gaiuscaprica]

01:17 AM on 10/09/2009

Then why not just say the Illuminati are behind this...oh yea speculation and paranoia.

[gaiuscaprica]

02:23 AM on 10/09/2009

You assume way too much. And you grant both a dishonest quality that even I would shrewder to say.

[Ametista]

12:44 AM on 10/09/2009

Is this even a real "article"? seriously?

[gaiuscaprica]

01:03 AM on 10/09/2009

My dear most stuff here on HP is fluff...but you need fluff to make smores!

[ZimboChick]

06:58 AM on 10/09/2009

i guess.... lol

[3015551212]

11:53 PM on 10/08/2009

The President and the Dalai Lama understand each other and there is no ill-will. The greatest good at the moment demands that the President put Chinese-American relations first.

President Obama is wise to decline meeting with the Dalai Lama at the moment, and I'm sure that both of them are wise enough to transcend this particular bit of diplomacy and look to a future time when they will be able to meet.

President Bush was not presiding over a global economic disaster as President Obama is. It's much easier to be loose and easy with diplomacy when the stakes don't seem too high.

[bsmithslo]

12:39 AM on 10/09/2009

Imagine his holiness getting pissed for being snubbed. How catty! Perhaps he should try something to overcome it. Perhaps meditation? Buddhism?

Here's the thing. Bush and other politicians look for political expediency in these circumstances. Do a quick photo op, say a few tough words about China and call it a day. The fact is however Bush never made any real progress with China. The politics of China, like the politics of Iran, are largely internal and are not easily influenced by harsh words from the leader of a debtor nation.

To think that Obama snubbed the Dalai Lama is ludicrous. Everyone knows the stakes here and knows that there are certain priorities that are more important than mere words and a photo op.

[gaiuscaprica]

02:48 AM on 10/09/2009

Shhhh! don't tell the guys below...they'll call you names.

[gaiuscaprica]

12:46 AM on 10/09/2009

3015551212-

With all due respect; there is so much wrong with The president's actions as with your comments.
Having Pan American-Chinese relations is good but completely worthless in lieu of a strong human rights stance.

Now the Dalai Lama always reminded me of W because he is wacky, always dismisses with a chuckle the fact that he is a symbol of Human Rights abuse. Reminds me of a battered spouse making excuses for the man; ironically the man here if Pres. Obama. The Dalai Lama should have used stronger language to let the Pres know he can't appease a totalitarian regime just to let them save face.
In my other post I have always stood by our Pres, because in a long time he is one of the few that embodies the American spirit. But it is also time the citizenry stops patting him in the back saying don't worry it was Bushy's fault. Especially here when he should have stood on his own like a man.

[inkinwater]

02:00 AM on 10/09/2009

China is not a totalitarian regime (check definitions). True, Its human rights conditions are still appalling although much better in a historical view. But when Dalai left the country he was the head of a slavery system, and he still runs a theocratic government in his base. Please listen to what he himself has been saying for the past couple of years. He knows better than anyone what is good for his cause. He is not the representative for Tibetans within China. Only those people and their fellow Chinese citizens of other ethnicities together could change their own fate through difficult choices. And as a wise man he himself knows it.

[vascopyjama]

11:47 PM on 10/08/2009

President Obama's not that stupid. Imagine what the Chinese would have said.

[FearlessFreep]

01:07 AM on 10/09/2009

But when he chose Rick Warren to deliver his inaugural invocation, he didn't imagine what the LGBT community would say.

[Kim Mance]

08:31 AM on 10/09/2009

Word up. Well put.