By Hillary Edwards
Madison, WI – The City-County Liaison Committee of Dane County unanimously passed a resolution last night that would allow the Tibetan National Flag to fly about the City-County Building in downtown Madison to welcome His Holiness, the Dalai Lama, during his visit to Madison May 2-4, 2007.
A number of members of the Tibetan community and their supporters spoke in favor of raising the Tibetan flag, citing precedent for such a decision. The Tibetan flag has previously flown above the City-County Building to welcome the Dalai Lama in 1998, and was also flown above the Wisconsin State Capitol Building on March 10, 1997 to commemorate Tibetan Uprising Day. State Representative Joe Parisi, a long-time supporter of the Tibetan cause, and author of the Tibet Day resolution in Wisconsin which has received negative response from the Chinese Consulate in Chicago, was in attendance and spoke in support of the resolution.
“If you’re the head of a state, if Congress has voted to award you the Congressional Gold Medal, and you’ve been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, and you’ve instituted and oversaw your country’s transition to a democratically elected government and you visit our city, we’ll fly your country’s flag,” he said, citing that he was comfortable setting precedent for flying a flag at the City-County Building if the criteria included these elements.
A number of other community members supporting the resolution asserted that this resolution was not in violation of the separation of church and state, saying that while the Dalai Lama is a spiritual leader for the Tibetan people and those who follow Tibetan Buddhism, he is also a political leader of the Tibetan people and a world leader for peace. Speakers claimed that the resolution sought to greet and honor him as a great world leader, not as an endorsement of Buddhism or religion in general.
“This resolution honors not only the Dalai Lama, but the Tibetan community as well. This message will be one of hope when broadcast into Tibet by Radio Free Asia and Voice of America. Knowing that the this flag which is illegal in Tibet will be flying proud in honor of His Holiness, the Dalai Lama, will strengthen the hearts of Tibetans in Tibet and remind them that Tibet will soon be free,” said Sherab Lhatsang, who spoke in favor of the resolution.
This resolution has received negative response from the Chinese Consulate in Chicago, who threatened the Mayor of Madison by e-mail, insinuating that if he did not withdraw his support of the resolution, China would reconsider their trade arrangements with the State of Wisconsin. The mayor continues to support the resolution and the flying of the flag in the City of Madison during His Holiness’s visit.
