The China of Chinese antiques during the time of Marco Polo holds our fascination, as it should. Explaining a Confucian mind set that exists to this day, China remained a mystery, and very inward until the west blasted their gunboats along the coast, taking control of Hong Kong and Shanghai by British, Macao by Portugese, and a difference in coastal and inland awareness of western influence. And to some extent, so this exists to now, which China is attempting to change. China studies Chicago as the major reason America became so great, and is building a network of rail and roads to connect China, as has America.
And this system shows such promise that we now watch in some amazement at a British television crew in the Africa western nation of Congo, that fabled darkest Africa in century old novels. Joseph Conrad had his ship to hell travel up the Congo River to the hellish conditions that the King of Belgium really allowed during this time of enslavement of the people of the Belgian Congo as property of the king of Belgium. A very, perhaps worst, case of shame by white over black during a long litany of such cruelty.
And in this case, golden people are going to show the world that they will bring in their own contractors and employees to avoid the local corruption, employ and buld homes for the locals, in this plan schools and hospitals will dot the nation, and road builders and trains will soon encircle Congo, also making quick export possible of the copper and cobalt left, after the Belgians and others have stripped the diamonds and gold.
The Congolese and Chinese governments, we learn, employed a Canadian lawyer as a middle man to protect the interests of each, and we see him involved in the plans with representatives of each side. This is historic, and the west should wake up to this, as China has begun in several other African nations. But never so boldly, and so complete in using the old Roman, 30's Germany, and modern American model of a complete roadway for the army through the empire, as India is trying.
This is shown to greatly expand trade and increase efficiency, standards of living improve, more schools, more hospitals possible. This, if China does not renege on the spirit of this historic new agreement between donor and recipient, with essential copper and cobalt to China. Wise use of power, and the honest meeting of a need on both sides, sharing, not enslaving. Now if that principle is shown happening in Tibet, we will feel the world is becoming a better place, and we do pray for those in suffering and need in those earthquakes areas, everywhere.
Greek and Chinese antiques history has both had a wise and kind, or arrogantly powerful leadership. However, unlike Greece, China has always been imperial. Emperor or Chairman, all rules come from within the walls of the forbidden city and must be obeyed, or shame, pain, and death will follow you and your family into the grave.
Socrates drank his cup of hemlock for saying too much truth, but the people of Athens, disgusted, punished those Ruling 30 and soon all were in disgrace, banned or dead. His student Aristotle later told his own student Alexander that Socrates died a quiet death, insisted on no weeping, said he believed there was a divine power and that he was going to a better life where all were good and none so harmful and foolish as some here on earth. He felt he knew where his tormentors were going, and he was soon proved right
This was 350 years before the birth of Christ. Followers of Buddha had been here, history shows. So democratic ideals and a belief in a higher being and an afterlife that separates good from evil or foolish people was instilled into western hearts, but not so much in the east. Until it was forced upon them by America after Pearl Harbor, Japan is now of the west, and each little schoolgirl where the western influence has prevailed so far, from Korea in the south to Taiwan to more and more of the tigers.
It is brave to allow, as even in old British India, each school child should know what it means, this question of what is vote. Is coming, to a China near you, even if up and over your live body. With an Athenian Tibetan makeover. And so we see it happening in Tibet now. This sacred land of the most faithful followers of Buddha had been invaded by China in 1950 when the world was distracted with Korea. I recall as a boy why the world was not defending Tibet while at the same time it rushed to stop another Communist takeover in Korea. Korea was handy, right there on a peninsula that could be surrounded by the most mighty naval armada in history, and somehow be managed.
How do you get the mighty armada up over the Himalayas? Tibet would have to be considered lost to godless Communism. And the most famous faith based people on earth, perhaps, could await the eventual attention of some good old coastal hugs from pandas with rifles and large billy clubs. Well, with that new railroad right up to the front gates of the temples it is now very handy to have the Han soldiers begin their morning work out with a walk through town, from the morning television, and walk the streets beating any male wearing robes. Bad Tibetan, go home. Bad Han Chinaman, go home.
What a time to show your true democratic colors, just before the great Olympics that you intend to showcase your ancient and modern civilization. As a Tibetan monk said the the British reporter on camera, these people look like us, but they are not us. We are Tibetan, they are Chinese. Why can they come to us and beat us? Does any body any where care?
That sounds like the question in a letter that George Washington sent once to the Continental Congress. Mired in Valley Forge, without food, pay for the men, shoes for the men, rifles with bullets, with British and Prussian soldiers searched for them. Is anybody there? Does anybody care? We knew that his letter sat unanswered all too long, to the stretched breaking point until relief began to trickle in.
In Tibet, what trickles in are more British and Prussian soldiers, and enough settlers to soon overwhelm th locals. Soon, the majority will speak again the King's English, or good Prussian. We have stopped walking through native reserves beating the natives with clubs as far as I know. But Tibet is no Valley Forge, and we know that all we can to is use moral persuasion and show our eye to eye disapproval at all their lecturing scorn about internal matters. Mao prevailed in Tibet and his brutal legacy is arriving now each day on the train from China.
The Olympics, Chairmen, will have us applaud the athletes and enjoy the games and your grand spectacles, acknowledge your civilization in as far as it has evolved. But your great civilization pales in comparison to what the world has inherited from ancient Greece. And that is what a little Chinese schoolgirl asked when a big new decision was to be made in her classroom.
The class had a Hall Monitor who was a bully, and another smaller boy asked that the class vote on he or the other boy instead of the tallest being appointed.
Her words came across the screen as she asked, what is vote? And her face lightened up as it was explained to her that her and her classmates could all put the name of the boy to be their Hall Monitor in a vote box, and they all decide. She was elated that such a concept existed. The class went wild in happiness when the vote was counted. The bully was Hall Monitor no longer. More Athens town square and less Forbidden City mind set is being formed under your eyes, fellow Chairmen.
And speaking of eyes. Our eyes have seen the glory of the people of Tibet. Their shining eyes wince as the steely eyed glaze of all those Hall Monitors who more than just pull shirts. Shame, China, shame. You will hear that in the crowds this summer as well as Oh and Ah. Chairman Now, you are no Tom Jefferson.
Derek Dashwood has sinced written about articles on various topics from Energy Healing, Culture and Society and Politics. Derek Dashwood enjoys noticing positive ways we progress, the combining of science into the humanities to measure politics, wise use and mis use of power and protective love at