Culture vs. Politics

When I was studying religion in college, there were a few things that were so hammered into my brain, that I can still rattle them off today.  Buddhism has an eightfold path.  Catholics honor the holy trinity.  And the Jews were freed from their Babylonian captivity by Cyrus the Great.

That is why when I saw the headline "Cyrus the Great artifact to be displayed in Iran," my jaw dropped.  How could this be?

Before delving into why I ask that question, as well as trying to answer it, let's back track for a moment.  The artifact in question is actually a scroll telling a historically important story.  In 586 BC, Jerusalem was conquered by the Babylonian Nebuchadnezzar.  He destroyed the Jew's temple, and sent them into exile.

For nearly 50 years, the Jews were not allowed to return to their homeland.  Then, in 539 BC, the Persian King Cyrus the Great conquered Babylon.   In an act deemed a first for human rights, Cyrus let the Jews return to Jerusalem. 

The artifact referred to in the above linked headline describes how Nebuchadnezzar freed many people from captivity and allowed them to return home.  Though it doesn't mention the Jews directly by name, it is a known fact that they were among the ethnic communities freed from exile.

That is why I was so shocked when I learned that Iran was going to display this scroll.  Iranian leaders do not try to hide their distaste for Israel and it's people.  Why should the Iranian museum be allowed to display such an important piece of the Jews cultural heritage?  It didn't seem right.

But then I thought about it for a moment.  Why should the Iranian people be deprived?  Their views do not necessarily coincide  with their leaders.

I often say that ignorance, not malfeasance, breeds hatred.   Not allowing the Cyrus Cylinder to travel to Iran would be depriving the Iranians from an excellent opportunity to learn about human rights.  We all know they are not getting any knowledge in this area from their own government.
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9/14
Panda's death intensifies diplomatic spat

The instant I spotted the above headline, I remembered this post.  To understand this story, I must provide you with a little background.  Last week, a Chinese fishing boat collided with two Japanese patrol boats in highly disputed territory.  The Japanese took the Chinese captain, and his men, into custody.  This response has sparked an intense diplomatic debate between the two countries.*

Two days later, Xing-Xing, a 14-year-old panda on loan to Japan since 2002 from China, died during a routine procedure.  According to an article from the Telegraph, the Chinese are claiming the death was a result of the animal receiving too much sedative. Therefore, they can sue Japan for monetary compensation under a clause in the initial loan agreement. 

"According to the China Wildlife Conservation Association, a breeding agreement with Japan includes a stipulation for $500,000 in compensation should a panda die, Shanghai's Oriental Morning Post reported."
(Source: China poised to sue japan for compensation over dead panda)

Given the already heated tensions, this cultural catastrophe happened at the worst possible time.  Conspiracy theories are already multiplying, given the close proximity of the two events. 

The article from the Telegraph makes an important point valid to this post:

"During more cordial times, China's has used pandas to improve its often rocky relations with its wartime enemy."

The bond between politics and culture is apparently much deeper than I had anticipated when I started writing about it.  I bet if I keep looking, I can find more examples.

*Further information about the boat collisions, and the fate of the Chinese crew, can be found here:  Japan frees 14 crew members of Chinese ship