PeaceRiders give presentation at Harrisburg Area Community College
Day Three: 7:30 pm, April 12, 2004Harrisburg Area Community College, Harrisburg, PA
Ananda Reed: Students For A Free Tibet Chapter; President and FounderJigme Norbu stood firmly at the podium in the Student center of the HACC as he introduced his fellow fifteen riders flanking him to the left and the right. They carried with them a sense of immediacy as some were about to be given their first chance to tell their story. The audience of approximately forty students and local community members sat patiently awaiting something special, which was surely delivered. Having briefly outlined the history of previous non-violent efforts Tibetan groups have carried out, He elaborated on his Fatheršs role in the Independence Movement, which yielded the International Tibetan Independence Movement, who co-organized the PeaceRide along with Rinpo Tenzin and the Tibetan community in Minneapolis. Jigme dedicated the scheduled fourteen day, 600+ mile Ride from Washington DC-Toronto to the legacy of his Father- Thupten Jigme Norbu: Takster Rinpoche (the eldest brother of His Holiness the XIVth Dalai Lama) who recently had a severe stroke which made it impossible to duplicate his personal participation in covering the very same ground he had years prior on one of his many PeaceWalks for Tibetan Independence and World Peace.
After a consolidated history outlining the Tibetan Peoplešs struggle for independence over the past forty-five years, it was time to hear them speak individually. One by one they assailed the podium draped with a flag, which they relayed was just one example of their unique and long standing independent culture. In extremely personal statements, which ranged from being forced to flee their homeland to never knowing what it means to feel Tibetan soil beneath their soleš, the Rideršs lips trembled and their eyes glassed over. Tears became the currency of the remainder of the event as the speakers struggled to choke them back and continue to address the audience, while those listening and imagining a reality incorporating these details eventually broke down. Some of the Riders rose unannounced and spoke in their native tongue in an effort to hammer home a point they were too shy to relay earlier. Being able to share their motivations and explain their own familyšs struggles since the illegal occupation of their nation by Communist China clearly illuminated their firm reasoning in choosing to be part of the PeaceRide. An hour after the presentation concluded the mixed audience of students and community members remained in their seats as the dialogue stood strong.
Ananda Reed, the founder of a brand new Students For A Free Tibet at the University, organized the eveningšs event and helped raise funds for the myriad of expenses that the group has incurred. Her Father -Dave Reed, also came through for the group by obtaining housing at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Boiling Springs, cooking a traditional Nepali dinner, as well as arranging for a healing ceremony of Buddhist prayers and offerings at the crash site of US Flight 93 in Shanksville, PA on Wednesday April 14th. After driving down to DC for the start of the ride, Ananda and her SFT Chapter look forward to creating a bookend of sorts to their involvement in the tour by heading up to Toronto for the commencement of the ride on April 24th. The PeaceRiders expressed their extreme gratitude for all the help the Harrisburg community and the Reed family have provided and feel energized by their warmth and support as they prepare for the great push up and over Mount Ararat in the coming days.
