Sam Amico
It appears the Dalai Lama owes the world an apology.
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Thankfully, he has offered one.
The crime? Asking a young boy to suck his tongue. Without a doubt, that strange request warrants an apology.
“His Holiness wishes to apologize to the boy and his family, as well as his many friends across the world, for the hurt his words may have caused,” a statement from the Dalai Lama’s office read.
“His Holiness often teases people he meets in an innocent and playful way, even in public and before cameras.”
It was indeed a joke. Just a weird, confusing one. The world has no place for those types of jokes, especially those involving children.
The incident occurred back in February in Dharamshala, India, when a young boy asked the Dalai Lama for a hug. The Dalai Lama, 87, motioned to his cheek before the boy gave him a kiss on the cheek and a hug.
After that the Dalai Lama stuck out his tongue and told the boy to suck on it. Several laughs from the crowd followed. So at least some people knew the Dalai Lama was teasing. Either that, or they just felt uncomfortable.
“He regrets the incident,” the statement from the Dalai Lama’s office read.
Granted, sticking out your tongue can be considered a way of greeting people in Tibet. But the Delhi-based child-rights group HAQ said video of the incident revealed that this was no oridinary greeting — or a greeting at all.
“Some news refers to Tibetan culture about showing tongue,” the organization said, “but this video is certainly not about any cultural expression and even if it is, such cultural expressions are not acceptable.”
