If a Tibetan monk is beaten by a soldier and video of the human rights violation is censored, did the beating occur? The Chinese thugocracy has blocked YouTube access because it is afraid of letting its citizens see what is happening in Tibet.

It is unrealistic to expect that First Amendment free speech freedoms enjoyed in the United States would apply worldwide. However, there is no reason to condone censorship designed to suppress the truth about human rights abuses inflicted upon others.

How many monks must be tortured and killed before we stand up and shout “Enough!”

The elephant in the room that no one wants to address because of “free trade principles” is the ability of the G-8 countries to topple the ChiCom regime by slapping 1000% tariffs on all of its exports until such time as Tibet is freed (and the persecution of the Dalai Lama and the monks ceases). Until we flex our collective financial might, China will continue to commit crimes against humanity.

There are some who claim China will retaliate by dumping U.S. debt that it has purchased over the years. There are two responses to this. To buy what? Not many bargains out there these days, particularly if there’s a solid stance against the regime by the G-8. Secondly, are our ethics so situational that a few attrocities are okay as long if it doesn’t inconvenience us? Western civilization will fall if we don’t stand for something other than a right to watch “American Idol” without it being preempted by an Obama press conference.

China has drawn a line in the sand when it comes to fundamental human rights. Even beating foreigners abroad who support Tibet’s freedom.

The Chicom government is counting on its size for us to ignore human rights abuses no different than those committed in Darfur.

What do you think? Will we cross the line and demand fundamental freedoms or simply fiddle as Tibet burns?