I am worried about Tibet, and concerned that China will retaliate to the recent outbreak of violent protests by the Tibetan people. Tibet is a peaceful country, and has remained so miraculously, despite all of the crimes committed by the Chinese. Their culture has been repressed and controlled beyond belief. Tibetans want desperately to practice their religion, yet they are not even allowed a picture of the Dalai Lama. This is insane.

When I visited in 2000, upon landing in Lhasa, my luggage was completely torn apart by Chinese officials. I had several books with me – these were the days before Kindle – and the guards took nearly an hour with them, tearing Toni Morrison and Zora Neale Hurston and Langston Hughes and James Baldwin to pieces – searching through every page to make sure I didn’t have any Dalai Lama photos stuffed in there. We were not even allowed to say his name. Sometimes you could subtly mention “H.H,” the Dalai Lama’s DL nickname, but mostly, you had to be careful with what you said and who you said it to.

I don’t understand why the Dalai Lama is such a danger to the Chinese. His philosophy and peaceful, non-violent teachings have won him a Nobel Peace Prize and earned him an esteemed position among all the great world leaders. His books are translated into every language. He is a huge presence within the spiritual lives of millions, people who pay small fortunes just to be in the same room with him, who do nothing without consulting “The Art of Happiness” – yet those who need him most, the people of Tibet, the people who worship him as a living deity, are forced to live without him. If China wants to be respected as a true first world nation, they must be accountable for their actions. They should not be allowed to hide their dirty laundry behind the Olympics or anything else.