IntroductionA common image in America is that of a hippie protester on the streets holding a homemade sign that says "Free Tibet". Sure the hippie means well, but what does “Free Tibet” mean? Does this mean that China should simply liberate the Tibetans and allow them to form their own state? Would Tibetans want this too, to go from being part of a world superpower, which offers them security and wealth, to a potential landlocked third world state? Maybe, but what does the sign that says “Free Tibet” mean: free Tibet from the situation that deprives it of its human rights. Or maybe there is a third option, which is that the hippie carrying the “Free Tibet” sign does not understand the reality of the situation in China, since he most likely cannot locate Tibet on a map, he probably thinks that Tibet is between the bittersweet state and Thailand. But seriously speaking, what the mainland Chinese government is accused of is horrific beyond belief and could only be compared as less sadistic and evil than the events that occurred under Nazi Germany and the governments that participated in the Dirty War. in Latin America. The level of horror is not discussed, but what is discussed is the lack of understanding of people outside the mainland about the rationality of thinking that mainland China commits such acts. Why does it matter Why does it matter whether mainland China violates human rights or not? It is important because mainland China is now the world's second largest power and other states will soon, if not already, follow in mainland China's footsteps. China could set a precedent to change the international norm that any violation of human rights, regardless of what the U...... middle of document ...... quarterly 12.1 (1998): 74 -102.REUTERS. “China aims to completely silence the Dalai Lama.” www.nytimes.com. Np, nd Web. 3 December 2013. .Jacobs, Andrew. “Rights Report Violates Mass Relocation of Tibetans.” NYtimes.com. Np, nd Web. December 3, 2013. Sautman, Barry. "Resolving the Tibet issue: problems and prospects". Journal of Contemporary China 11.30 (2002): 77-107.Chan, Joseph. “A Confucian Perspective on Human Rights for Contemporary China.” The East Asian Challenge for Human Rights 212 (1999). Nathan, Andrew J. “Human Rights in Chinese Foreign Policy.” The China Quarterly 139 (1994): 622-643. Dr Rich, WKU 2013, “It's like nailing jelly to the wall”