Such a reaction is nothing more than a natural consequence. After all, the Dalai Lama and his “idyllic” charm attracts all sorts of sensible, American middle-class liberals. It makes sense — poverty and backwardness disguised as “Buddhist peace and humility” makes a better mental picture than the communist, atheist, crowded, contaminated and industrialized cities. It’s almost borderline racist — the thought that only Westerners enjoy running water and electricity, while everybody else is happy with living in abysmal conditions. But when something — no matter how terrible and vile — is crowned by the made-up mysticism of an exotic religion, it’s going to be sure that you are going to get some bored Western kids tailing it.

Don’t misinterpret me — the Chinese Communist Party is made up of a bunch of thugs. However, the “communist bogeyman” holds such a tight grip on American hearts that it leads them to support all sorts of reactionary and savage vile — all for the sake of “anti-communism.” Honestly, how can nationalists murdering random people in the name of “ethnicity and culture” be anything positive at all?

Amir Ouyed

mechanical engineering freshman