Gift of freedom
PittsburghLive.com, December 14, 2002

Though under the shadow of terrorism and the threat of war, Americans are again cheerily preparing for the holidays. Shoppers fill the stores and partake of the plenty our free way of life has provided us.

Elsewhere, many people lack the blessings we often take for granted and yearn for the freedoms we enjoy. Some resort to violent means to try to win their rights. Tibetans, though, after 52 years of brutal occupation by Communist Chinese invaders, persist in the nonviolent struggle advocated by their leader, His Holiness the Dalai Lama. 

False imprisonment and torture of Tibetans, even to death, continues. New restrictions curtail an already limited religious freedom. Chinese immigrants get most of the good jobs in Tibet, and their growing numbers, if unchecked, will soon render Tibetans an irrelevant minority in their own country.

Nevertheless, Tibetans remain true to the moral imperative of their Buddhist faith and resist by peaceful means. 

Short of violence, the options are limited for taking action against the perpetrators of oppression. However, on Dec. 7, the Rangzen Alliance, an international organization of Tibetans and their supporters, launched a campaign to boycott Chinese-made goods in order to pressure the Chinese government to allow both its citizens and the Tibetans their fundamental human rights and to cease its cruel subjugation of Tibet.

As we shop for gifts for our loved ones, we can also invest in a brighter future for our suffering Tibetan and Chinese brothers and sisters. This year, please avoid buying items marked "Made in China." Instead, give the gift of freedom.

Dave Ackerman
Richland

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