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Letters to the editor

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Chinese claim on Tibet doubted

Re “China’s view of Tibet,” Opinion, April 25

Kishore Mahbubani makes the mistake of viewing Tibet’s history, the recent uprising and the West’s response through the prism of governments instead of people. The Tibetan people developed their own culture, society and political institutions over 1,000 years. There were virtually no Chinese living in Tibet when People’s Liberation Army troops entered in 1949-50. The Tibetans will never view themselves as Chinese and are reacting to the effort by the Chinese government to turn their culture into a museum artifact.

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The Tibetan people hardly enjoy meaningful autonomy. They have no say over policies adopted by Communist Party hard-liners, who ensure that political and cultural repression is greater in Tibet than elsewhere in China. Western governments, admittedly, offer only token help to the Tibetan people. The Western public, though, genuinely desires to see the people of Tibet and China enjoy freedoms the Communist Party denies.

Dennis Cusack

Berkeley

The writer is a member of the Tibet Justice Center and the author of “Tibet’s War of Peace.”

According to Mahbubani, China’s claim to Tibet is, in part, based on its control over this area going back to the 13th century. Along this logic, Denmark could lay claim to a large chunk of Western Europe and Mongolia could insist on ownership over much of Eastern Europe.

Peter Weisbrod

Laguna Beach

Mahbubani’s fanciful gloss of Sino-Tibetan history omits one major point: Tibet was independent from the fall of the Qing dynasty in 1911 until 1950, when China invaded. Whether or not Tibet was part of China dating back to the 13th century is irrelevant. Tibet was independent and wanted to remain independent, and the Chinese denied that.

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To argue for Chinese sovereignty is a realistic viewpoint, but it should be recognized for what it is, a concession by the Tibetan people rather than a morally consistent position. (And, by the way, Tibet’s current “autonomy” is a joke -- just look at the “re-education” policy being foisted on the Tibetans by Beijing.)

Brian Gygi

Richmond, Calif.

Smear tactics of GOP excoriated

Re “GOP makes a target of Obama,” April 25

Do the Republicans still not get it? They have decided to begin attacking Barack Obama. Don’t they understand that I don’t want one presidential candidate telling me what a loser the other is? I want the candidates to tell me what they’re going to do for this country. One GOP strategist said: “Hillary [Clinton] is a better target for us. But the more you see Obama in action, the better we’re liking him.” A perfect example of the GOP mind-set: If the person is a viable threat to the Republican candidate, launch a preemptive strike and try to convince the country that the Democrat is a loser. It’s time to move on, people. I don’t know about the rest of the country, but I can’t handle another four years of war-mongering Republican leadership.

Daniel V. Shannon

Winnetka

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Just listen to conservative pundits tout Clinton as the one who represents the best chance to beat John McCain. Why would dyed-in-the-wool conservatives push for such a choice? Clinton has poisoned the Democratic Party waters in her quest for the presidency by slander and the ridiculous math she offers to show her supposed commanding lead over Obama.

If the Clinton slime machine succeeds in derailing the candidate who offers change, then history will judge her as the Democratic candidate who facilitated the continuation of the disastrous leadership our nation has endured for more than seven years.

Four more years of McBush is not an option.

Jack Kenna

Whittier

I wonder why the media, including The Times, are being baited into this whole “Is Obama electable?” non-question. Obama leads Clinton in the popular vote, has more pledged delegates and twice the states won. Shouldn’t the question actually be: “Is Clinton electable?”

It seems to me we are witnessing the Clinton machine’s attempt to grease the wheels for a convention coup, wherein the superdelegates overturn the popular will by awarding Clinton the nomination. To do so would damage, if not destroy, the Democratic Party for a generation.

Jason W. Perrault

Studio City

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Here we go again: The GOP smear machine is firing up its greasy engines for a busy season of running dishonest ads designed to frighten less-educated, lower-income individuals whom they see as gullible and not bright enough to vet the candidates and decide for themselves.

Shame on the Republicans for peddling lies and distortions about worthy candidates who could do much good for the country. And shame on them for deceiving their own base as if they were a bunch of naive suckers and rubes. It just shows that the GOP is incapable of winning honestly.

Mike Laskavy

Oak Park

Take us out to the ballgame

Re “Stadium makeover is unveiled,” April 25

The Dodgers’ new stadium plan sounds and looks wonderful. But before it attracts larger crowds, the current chaotic parking situation should be corrected. Management keeps touting the “wonderful fan experience.” No matter how great it may be, it dissipates quickly when it’s time to go home.

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Ken Chane

Tarzana

Dodger Stadium is only a short distance, as the crow flies, from the Metro Gold Line Chinatown station. Angelenos can’t fly like crows, so I have two suggestions.

First, create a walkway from Chinatown to Dodger Stadium, with a pedestrian-only bridge over the freeway. Include a covered escalator for use on game days for the steep uphill part of the trip.

Second, open up the perimeter of Chavez Ravine with walking and biking trails to give Chinatown residents the chance to enjoy the area. Provide year-round access by the pedestrian walkway and add a gondola system from Chinatown, like the one at Mammoth Mountain, and Chavez Ravine becomes a “destination” for physical activity as well as the purchase of Dodgers memorabilia.

Maybe then I will become a Dodgers fan.

Andrew Shaddock

Manhattan Beach

Plans to renovate Dodger Stadium are admirable, and the idea of adding a dedicated bus line and transit plaza shows vision. However, this year’s game at the Coliseum clearly demonstrated the inherent capacity limitations of a bus-based transit system.

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Furthermore, Dodgers owner Frank McCourt’s call for city officials to “tweak and adjust subway lines” smacks of naivete. Given Metro’s current budget shortfall and upcoming service reductions, we should not expect a dramatically enhanced transit system any time soon -- unless additional resources are brought to bear on this problem.

For this reason, I urge anyone hoping to avoid future traffic jams -- at Dodger Stadium or anywhere else -- to support the new transit sales tax on the November ballot.

Ian J. Crossfield

Los Angeles

The media as a corporate tool

Re “Sleeping with the enemy,” Opinion, April 24

The continuously consolidating mainstream media are controlled by conservative corporate owners whose agenda is not new -- or news -- for anyone old enough to remember Pogo’s warning. The media have long since opted out of any adversarial role with the powers that be and have become little more than caricatures and buffoons -- witness the recent alleged debate on ABC emphasizing trivia and manufacturing scandal for titillation and viewer share.

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What was once a reliable source for information and a valuable educational resource has degenerated into a puerile display of “psychophants” on parade parroting the party line, so as not to offend their sources of disinformation or be denied access to them and lose profit margin and future business.

We have only ourselves to blame for this. As consumers of the stuff that passes for news these days, we are willing accomplices, because if the truth really mattered, we would be voting with our feet and pocketbooks to demand quality and accountability.

Pogo was prescient -- and right: “We have met the enemy and he is us.”

Michael Hagerty

Piatra Neamt, Romania

Reverting to wild

Re “Showbiz grizzly kills trainer-stuntman,” April 23

This bear killed its trainer for “unknown reasons”? Give me a break.

How about these reasons: living in an unnatural, restricted environment; being subjected daily to the will of humans; performing rote and meaningless activities under duress?

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How many attacks will it take before humans get it -- you can’t tame a wild animal, nor should you try.

Ronna Siegel

Van Nuys

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