The media doesn’t know the term for when an adult asks a child to suck their tongue. It’s called child sexual abuse! The child was in distress but nothing will be done about it. Shame on The Dalai Lama. The world calls him "a great spiritual leader". We know what he really is. pic.twitter.com/LFGAO2i9QI

— Landon Starbuck (@LandonStarbuck) April 10, 2023

“A video clip has been circulating that shows a recent meeting when a young boy asked His Holiness the Dalai Lama if he could give him a hug,” the statement said. “His Holiness wishes to apologize to the boy and his family, as well as his many friends across the world, for the hurt his words may have caused.”

“His Holiness often teases people he meets in an innocent and playful way, even in public and before cameras. He regrets the incident.”

Many people are still responding with concerns about his behavior. Others wonder aloud why the media isn’t covering this as intensely as you might see if another religious leader, such as the pope, had done this to a child in public. … If this is how he acts in front of the camera with kids, people are wondering what he might do behind closed doors.

[He *should* regret it. It’s gross, and people should be asking questions about this behavior. As Florio writes, other such leaders would be immediately held to account for it and likely investigated by the media, anyway. That may still happen now that the clip has gone viral. — Ed]