Posted on 05/01/2009 8:57:45 PM PDT by mnehring
The Dalai Lama has been visiting the Boston area, and I’d like to mention a few reports. First, a note from an NRO reader:
Hi, Jay,
I had the great opportunity to see the Dalai Lama speak at MIT this afternoon. When he opened the forum to audience Q&A, the following stunning exchange occurred (I will paraphrase):
Audience member: “Can you give us an example of a leader we should look up to as a positive influence?”
Dalai Lama (after thinking for a few seconds): “President Bush. I met him personally and liked him very much. He was honest and straightforward, and that is very important. I may not have agreed with all his policies, but I thought he was very honest and a very good leader.”
All this in Cambridge . . .
Incidentally, when he said, “I may not have agreed with all his policies,” the audience broke out into relieved laughter, as if they could not believe that someone — the Dalai Lama — almost made it through remarks about Bush with only positive sentiments.
And here is an item from The Tech, an MIT newspaper:
After his speech, the Dalai Lama answered questions, including one about model leaders. He singled out President George W. Bush for his straightforwardness, but stopped short on complimenting him for much else.
“I love him”, said the Dalai Lama of President Bush, “but as far as his policies are concerned, I have reservations.”
Full article, here. (Is it MIT policy to leave commas outside of quotation marks, British-style?) And here is something from the Boston Globe: “. . . the Dalai Lama said, referring to former President George W. Bush, ‘I love President Bush,’ acknowledging serious policy disagreements, but citing Bush’s warm personality.” (Full article.)
Finally, a blogger, whom Google brought up:
. . . he came out and told people he and Bush instantly hit it off and he loved the warmonger. He said he would withhold judgment on the attack of Iraq. He also said he supported Bush’s “war on terror” because, according to him, some humans are just inherently evil, referring to the Muslim “extremists” Bush branded for the kill. Bush is evil but the Dalai Lama proclaimed he loved him. The Dalai Lama is no Buddist.
(Full piece here.)
In my experience — and I’m just generalizing here — the better the person, the more positive he is about George W. Bush. Certainly the less snarky and narrow. Most of the people I admire most, admire the 43rd president. (Please note that I said “most of the people,” not “all of the people.”) This is particularly true of those who know something about tyranny, and the need to resist it: e.g., the Dalai Lama.
Anyway . . .
Liberals like their religious leaders liberal. When they dare think anything other than 100% Liberal Orthodoxy, liberals actually feel better marginalizing ALL religious sorts, as being too nice or idealistic.
having “reservations” about policies shouldn’t be a negative. Nobody will agree 100% with amybody.
I thought Bush was a great leader too and liked his policies just fine.
Not too surprising. Tenzin is no fool. However, I’d be interested to hear what he has to say about Obama’s policies.
Ping, thought you would find this interesting.
Maybe the Dalai Lama disagreed with Bush’s handling of the illegal immigrant problem, too.
At least, I would hope that anyone with good character judgment would see through Obama. I do not expect the media to be able to.
Not surprising. I learned ONLY on FR that the Dalai Lama is also pro-2nd amendment and that his quote about self-defense with guns is one for the ages.
of course, love or hate W, W is truly 100 times the man our current illegal alien president can hope to be. I said “hope”...
The Dalai Lama is a joke.
Libs like the Dalai Lama as long as they can selectively quote him as a man of peace. As with Gandhi, they like foreign leaders who talk non-violence, even as they live under the protection of the world’s greatest military. Very childish.
“The Dalai Lama is no Buddist.”
I remember when the Dalai Lama surprised people a few years ago by saying - in public no less- that homosexuality was a disorder. I wondered what the Hollywood types that about that. Never could find out.
Barry Soetoro (stage name B. Hussein Obama) is now the POTUS and G.W. Bush enabled this individual to be foisted upon us.
The left in this country worships government and lays in wait for a weak leader on the other side to give them ammunition by acknowledging that part of their agenda may be justified.
If there is any lesson to be learned, it is that the left has to be fought and defeated at every turn if this nation is to survive.
G.W. Bush did not do that and failed to recognize the religious fervor of those on the left.
They never compromise or retreat, they only retrench and attack.
It is way past time to recognize this as a war - far more important than the "war" on terror, the "war" on drugs, the "war" on fat, the "war" on "drunk" driving, and whatever other "war" so-called conservatives want to wage.
This has now degenerated into a fight for individual liberty, and I find few people willing to wage it-on this forum, in the workplace, the houses of worship or the street.
I feel sorry for my children and grandchildren and would not blame them if they should decide to mobilize and destroy every surviving member of the WWII generation and every last baby boomer.
That is probably what has to be done in order to begin to solve this situation.
It would also be nice for some political leader to surface who is willing to stand up and ridicule the left for the assclowns that they are.
End of rant.
Last time I checked, we had an election in which people voted, that is how Obama got elected. Are you confused about that? President Bush had nothing to do with Obama’s win. You had more to do with Obama’s win actually...
I believe there are some real pychos in the MSM.
You're daft. The liberal policies of George Bush and the liberal views of John McCain had everything to do about discouraging a turnout from the conservatives. Give us a Reagan, a champion of the working man and you will get a conservative turnout. Bush lied about Social Security. He lied about disengaging our military as world policemen. He did nothing to stem cheap labor swarming over the borders. Not only did he afflict the left with BDS, he did the same to conservatives. He just about spent us into bankruptcy to rebuild Iraq and Afghanistan, two countries that will hate us. Oh, and the money he spent went to defend the oil interests of his aristocracy cronies, the ones living in America and Europe who have vast fortunes in middle east oil infrastructure. That's what Americans are dying for.
I agree. Bush 43 was a great president. Some take issue with his “delegation”, style but I honestly don’t get remarks like that. It will be a long time before this country sees a President as honest and talented as Bush 43.
How come we don’t have the Iraq oil if we went to war to give Bush money for oil buddies?
That is such an old, old, trite ignorant liberal comment. It shows exactly where you come from and what propaganda you listen to. If you believe that - you are one who voted for Obama.
W bump
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