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Well, even though I'm sure it'll try, China doesn't determine who the Dalai Lama is... the Pinchman lama does...

All due respect to our compassion towards a potential loss of an ancient culture but i really feel the chinese occupation of tibet has done mostly good things to the tibetan people.

From what i have understood of the occupation of tibet is that before hand tibet was still in a surfdom land ownership. And the gap between rich and poor was tremendous. With something like 50% infant mortality rates, 90% illiteracy rates, and so fourth. The tratitions involved in both the establishment of royal feifs and surfdoms had been stongly supported by the traditions of the lammas as the lamas had a great deal of land and wealth just as did the royalty and wealthy laymen.

The lammas as strong figures within the population had long faught alternative systems and infliences that might bring greater equality. Upon the occupation of tibet by the chinese government the chinese did not actually perform a full scale invasion but instead enacted a large insurrection that annexed all political power from the princes and lammas.

At this point the lammas reacted and began fighting a propogandist war against the social reforms proposed by the chinese fearing that the government would then erradicate religion from the country. The chinese Opted instead to allow the nation to remain religious but barred the lammas from participating which eventually lead to the lammas' exile. This action was actually proposed and enforced by tibetan students whom wanted public education and socialist common wealth programs by convincing local tibetan peasants to revolt against the lammas and exile them.

Since the occupation infant death has dropped significantly, litteracy rates are around 75 to 80% and the nation is still majority buddhist.

Thus the dali lammas call to the freedom of tibet from china is not entirey convincing to me. Nor do i find tibets occupation inhumane infact i find it more humane than the lammas would have it.

As to the loss of culture which inevitably happebed with the passing of tibet's entire socio economic structure and tradition this is kind of sad. However i find it less sad when i realise even ancient religions are not permanent instead it is to be expected and even hoped that traditions such as that of tibet (where in they appear very backwards) are able to be corrected or more modestly said transformed.

And though the history of the lammas and their part in the social oppression of the tibetan people puts a dark shadow behind the current dali lamma and his efforts to free tibet i am overjoyed to hear that he advocates such a change in tradition as to search for the next dali lama outside of tibet and in turn begin to globalize and enrich his people's faith with the diversity of the entire world.