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MTV News caught up with Adam Yauch — MCA of the Beastie Boys, if you’ve lived under a rock since, like, the beginning of hip-hop — at the Tribeca Film Festival here in NY. He’s debuting his street-basketball documentary “Gunnin’ For That #1 Spot” there, and it’ll soon hit theaters. (More on that later.)
But what we wanted to share with you are his thoughts on the protests by Tibetans in the lead-up to the Olympics this summer in Beijing, China. (30 Tibetans were sentenced to prison today, with some to serve life sentences.) Yauch is a looooongtime supporter of the Tibetan cause — a fight for cultural and religious freedom, and independence from China — and he had plenty to say about the bravery of the Tibetans, and the possibility for change. And in case you haven’t heard the man — a devout Buddhist, a vegan, and a generally righteous guy — talk about the plight of Tibet, he knows of what he speaks. One eloquent and well-informed Beastie he be.
Yauch’s comments after the jump.
“It’s powerful times. I mean, the Tibetans are putting themselves at very serious risk by demonstrating. Many of them have been killed or imprisoned and tortured as a result of it…I just hope that some positive change will come of it. I think they see the Olympics coming up and it’s their one chance to really let the world know about what’s going on there.
“Man, I think the protests should stay non-violent, and I think for the most part the protests are non-violent. I think the Chinese government has chosen to show the couple of violent moments that have happened over and over again — which is very dangerous because it’s creating animosity. I think there are a lot of Chinese people who now feel very angry at the Tibetan people. So I think what really needs to happen is China needs to open up and allow foreign journalists to come in and allow the United Nations to come in and allow it to be resolved like that. I think it’s very scary that China has pushed out all the foreign media.”
Filed Under: activism
The world is not as black and white as you see in movies. I'm not going to argue about the history of Tibet in China as it has beaten to death. I'm just going to ask you one thing: Do you honestly think that the Chinese will listen to what you say about Tibet? Honestly, do you? The Chinese government has 1 billion people to answer to when they make a decision at home. They have already angered many nationalists by just offering to talk to Dalai Lama the god-king (ask yourself, if Dalai is just a religion figure why is he the head of a "government" for 50+ years already).
Tibet is about the national interests of China and China will not sacrifice its national interests to make a few celebrities in the West feel good about themselves.
Yes the thugs will crackdown Tibetans again and again, there will be more blood and sufference, but the world is watching you, is that what China wants?
The Dalai Lama was today named the most influential Leader by the TIME magazine! Do you think that is a lie too? Don't be an ignorant nationalist! Even Chairman Moa said Han Chauvinism sucks!