His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s Example is an Inspiration, Says Laura Bush[Thursday, 13 May 2010, 10:30 a.m.]

His Holiness the Dalai Lama with former first lady Laura Bush (1st L), Nancy Pelosi speaker of the US house of representatives and former US president George W Bush

Washington, DC : 
Former First Lady, Laura Bush, has said His Holiness the Dalai Lama is
“a dear and gentle man whose example is an inspiration.”  Her reference
to His Holiness the Dalai Lama is contained in her new memoir, “Spoken
from the Heart” that was released this month here in the United States.She
says His Holiness the Dalai Lama “embodies the hopes for freedom in
Tibet” and “is a man who has been denied his rights and his homeland
since he was a boy.” Calling President George Bush as “George”, Mrs.
Bush says, “George believes that acknowledging the Dalai Lama is a
special American responsibility.  The world looks to the United States
for leadership, and if we do not stand up for freedom, who will.”Following
is the full text of Mrs. Bush reference to the Dalai Lama in her book.
The meeting mentioned below took place in 2005.  President Bush also
subsequently met the Dalai Lama in October 2007.“On November 9,
the Dalai Lama visited George and me for the second time at the White
House.  The Dalai Lama is a dear and gentle man whose example is an
inspiration, he eloquently embodies the hopes for freedom in Tibet. 
Once, at the White House, he tickled a ramrod-straight, stoic Marine
guard under his chin, saying, “Smile.” The Marine did. But underneath
his soft nature is a man who has been denied his rights and his
homeland since he was a boy.  He told us that he genuinely feared for
Tibet, feared that its culture would be erased from memory as China
settled vast numbers of its citizens inside Tibet’s mountainous,
landlocked region.  George believes that acknowledging the Dalai Lama
is a special American responsibility.  The world looks to the United
States for leadership, and if we do not stand up for freedom, who will.”–Report posted by Bhuchung K Tsering of ICT