Tibetans and Pontius Pilate

Brothers and sisters in Christ, and anybody else reading this, I am ashamed of myself. I am ashamed of my country, and of my Western culture.

Rod Little, in an article in the Spectator U.K. (link below), speaks of how pathetic the Tibetan monks are, hoping that someone will come to their aid. In fact, we seem rather to all be trying to out-Pilate Pontius Pilate.

http://www.spectator.co.uk/the-magazine/features/563886/pity-the-monks-of-tibet-who-dare-to-hope-that-anyone-will-come-to-their-aid.thtml

Basically, Little complains bitterly that his entire government seems to have dropped any real criticism of China’s horrendous human rights record, which they continue to build on enthusiastically, just to do business and avoid trouble.

The amount of attention, such as it is, which China has gotten for the Tibetan protests has already shaken up the regime profoundly. Serious challenges from the free world (yes, I still use that “obsolete” term) would put terrible pressure on them. In fact their tremendous economic growth is fragile and cannot endure any serious publicity problem.

If governments and media in the free world joined together vigorously castigating China and lavishly publicizing its human rights violations, public opinion and therefore business would surely follow. The economic threat would be huge, and also the loss of face in front of the world (yes, they care about that; nations always have, China more than most, whether we want to admit it or not).

If crushing Tibet ceases to be in their interest, they will cease doing it; it’s that simple. Alexander Solzhenitsyn vigorously criticized Western leaders and media who tried to say that the totalitarian regimes don’t care about Western public opinion. They are very sensitive to it. They always have economic interests which are affected by such opinion. Moreover, they do in fact want to be esteemed members of the global community and hate it when they are ostracized.

Of course coming to the rescue of Tibet has to be handled with diplomacy as well. But if they feel sufficient pressure, they will be open to skillful approaches which offer compromises so that easing up on the Tibetans can be done while still protecting their security. Offering face-saving solutions would be vital, especially to Chinese, but it certainly could be done.

But it will never happen if they don’t think they have to. And why should they? The government and media establishments in the free world are turning their backs on all the victims of Chinese totalitarianism; and moreover are doing so with mealy-mouthed rationalizations that bring them right up with Pilate.

I might as well start sending them little packets of moist towelettes so they can wash their hands of the Tibetans on camera.

Of course, I’d have to save a few for myself. What have I ever done, aside from the—so far—rather trivial effort of this blog entry? When I really sacrifice regularly to research and compose for this blog, and do whatever else I can do to publicly support the causes I believe in, I’m as bad as they are.

I pray the Rosary (not enough). I have a “seven sorrows” rosary. I read that Catholics have always come up with their own private devotions to supplement the various ones enjoined by the Church, including for the Rosary. With this encouragement, and seeing the enormous variety of Rosary devotions in books and on the Internet, I came up with some of my own. One is what I call my “Penitential Rosary”; the Seven Dark Mysteries. One of these is “Pilate washes his hands.” In this one, I ask to be reminded of all the times I have turned my back on some injustice, even in my own heart (I have never been Governor of anything), and put the blame off on someone else. Like Pilate.

In this prayer, I pray for forgiveness; I pray that when I see others turn their backs that I always remember that I have been the same kind of sinner and am in no position to feel superior. Which is a very bad habit of mine; may God forgive me.

So. Can we please not turn our backs on the Tibetans too quickly? I have taken the time to write this blog entry. It’s little enough, but it’s a start. And I hope I have made it sufficiently clear that in fact I am a very big offender in this area myself.

My guiding principle in this weblog is that the log in my own eye has priority over the mote in my neighbor's.

Please pray for the Tibetans. And if you can do anything else, no matter how little, please consider doing it. In fact I believe I will write some elected officials—the usual list.

Any other ideas of what us ordinary slobs can do?

Oh, and please pray for me as well. I need it too.

Sadly yours,

LogEyed Roman