The sudden interest in Tibet by the global main stream media (MSM), with the Olympic protests as a backdrop, has brought on a full-blown debate that has swept from Parliaments to the Blogosphere with this long-ignored issue. The geopolitical focus of the debate, however, leads nowhere if it doesn’t factor in what is arguably the most important variable of them all: the spiritual relevance of Tibet for millions of non-Tibetan Buddhists worldwide. The global reach of the Olympic Torch protests cannot be explained geopolitically, which is why pundits, bloggers and Chinese bureaucrats just don’t get it –it’s the Buddha, stupid!
By Jordi Barrett
May 2008
Special to The East Coast Ledger
As the Torch sputters doggedly through its international “Olympic Spirit” shit parade (as invented by J. Goebbels) shielded by armies of police and sequestered for its own safety— Japan’s foremost Buddhist temple has politely refused to allow the Torch to visit its premises in solidarity with their brothers and sisters of Tibet.
“We are Buddhists, just like them,” explained a temple insider.

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