Known for his roles in classic movies like "American Gigolo," "Pretty Woman," and "An Officer and a Gentleman," actor Richard Gere is also famous for his steadfast support of Tibet. So it comes as no surprise that he was tapped as an expert by the House Committee on Foreign Affairs as members of the panel discussed religious freedom, democracy and human rights in Tibet, Burma and North Korea.
Gere, a Buddhist and a chairman of the board for the International Campaign for Tibet, visited Capitol Hill Thursday morning to testify. "I, for one, am so extraordinary moved by the words I hear, but even more so the passion in the voices and the hearts of all of you on this committee," Gere told members. "You are educated, you are feeling, you are committed people and as a U.S. citizen we couldn't ask for more of you."
After providing a lengthy statement to Congress, with various prescriptions for the future of Tibet, Gere immediately tossed most of that aside. "I hope you would look at that later because I spent a lot of time working on that," he said. "I would rather have a lively dialogue between us, I think that would be more fruitful."
Among his suggestions, Gere recommended that Congress continue to fund broadcasts such as Radio Free Asia and Voice of America, which pipe news into Tibet.
"When the Dalai Lama met President Obama in the White House in February 2010, monks in Amdo lit off fireworks to celebrate that the world's greatest democracy still cared for the plight of Tibet. How did they know the new president would be meeting with their spiritual leader?" Gere asked. "By listening to Voice of America."
