His Holiness speaks at Memorial Coliseum, Red Hot Chili Peppers follow

Mary Earp
May 13, 2013

Buddhism and Rock and Roll are generally not thought of as going together, but last Saturday, the two were married perfectly. On May 11, His Holiness the Dalai Lama spoke at Memorial Coliseum, and his lecture was followed by the musical entertainment of the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

The day-long event began with a panel on climate change. His Holiness was accompanied by David Suzuki, Andrea Durbin, scientists specializing in the environment, and Governor John Kitzhaber. The group of four debated on ways to remedy the current global crisis.

One of the main topics of this discussion was the new fact that the carbon dioxide measurements in the atmosphere reached 400 parts per million the previous day. The four all agreed on one point: the source of the problem is us.

This panel was followed by a short break after which the Dalai Lama spoke by himself. The topic of this lecture was compassion; he posited the idea that internal happiness cannot be found through external goods but rather from the inside of oneself.

Following this, everyone was provided with a white scarf. These scarves bring happiness, and the white represents purity. They were all held in the air at the end, by all 11,000 spectators, in honor of His Holiness.

The entire event was a spiritual journey. The Dalai Lama’s laugh exuded so much happiness and peace that not a soul in the venue could escape it. Following this spiritual experience, however, was an entirely different mood.

The Red Hot Chili Peppers came onstage and immediately blasted their rock music, which resounded loudly throughout the entire coliseum. Though the energy was much different than that provided by His Holiness, the two somehow complimented each other. The peace which was given by the Dalai Lama allowed for all to enjoy the music and feel happiness through that.

The entire event was named an Environmental Summit. Headed by Maitripa College, the event was also a fundraiser. More than 300,000 dollars were raised for Maitripa College and various charities around the nation.

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About the Contributor

Mary Earp, Co Editor-in-chief

Perfectionist, outgoing and busy are just three of the many words that describe Mary Earp, senior. Earp heard about Amplifier from her eighth grade English teacher, and has been a part of the staff since her freshman year. Currently, she is one of the three Co-Editors-in-chiefs of the paper. Most people have goals that they would like to pursue in their life, and this is a true statement for Earp as well. “I want to be a doctor, and I know this sounds cheesy, but I would really like to make a difference in the world,” Earp said. After high school, her hopes include attending either Pomona College or University of California, Berkeley. Outside of school, Earp has a very hectic life which includes playing co-ed soccer, being a member of the school Mock Trial team and being the President of National Honor Society. She is traveling to New York in late October for an international Mock Trial Competition, Empire, where she is assigned to present the closing argument and both direct and cross examinations for the trial. Some highlights of Earp’s summer were hanging out with friends and taking a vacation to North Carolina, where she visited family and spent some time at the warm sunny beach. If Earp could visit any place two places in the world, she would choose “Italy and Machu Picchu, Peru, because the scenery is beautiful,” Earp said. Her favorite year in high school so far was junior year. “It challenged me the most and broadened my horizons,” Earp said. So far in her senior year, the class Earp most enjoys is AP Environmental Science, “It’s very interesting, enlightening, and I have a great teacher,” Earp said. Earp’s senior year is packed with AP Environmental Science, AP Calculus BC and AP English, leaving her with a long night of work to complete. The most challenging part of taking these classes “is all of the work involved,” Earp said. So far, her last year in high school has been hectic and full of work, yet she is excited and looking forward to all of the opportunities that lie ahead in her future.