Well hello there

Someone emailed me the other day to point out it had been more than a month since I wrote in this.

Bad Lorraine.

So what should we talk about?

Well today I went to see the Dalai Lama. In a stadium with 10,000 other people, including the Mayor of Auckland who introduced the Dalai Lama and wrapped up at the end.

Note I say the Mayor of Auckland. Not the Prime Minister. Both the leader of the government and the opposition in New Zealand refused to meet this man.

The title of his speech was compassion and kindness. In that vein I will refrain from the rant that is simmering away at the moment. However I don't think I'm being unkind in saying what I'm about to.

There are a number of global leaders who are objectionable above and beyond merely their politics; leaders who infringe on human rights or allow infringements to go unchecked in the countries they lead; leaders who are mouth pieces for terrorists or overtly terrorists themselves. Morally you can legitimately reject the opportunity to meet with these people. And by that standard you could include Nelson Mandela and most of the current political leadership in Northern Ireland in the list of people you have the right to not meet.

But somehow I don't see that happening.

I am not a particularly political person and I don't claim to know every in and out of this situation. However, this is a man who represents to pretty much everyone, well, compassion and kindness. And for the Prime Minister to refuse to meet him is shameful.