Cardi B has spoken out against child predators in the wake of a controversial video of the Dalai Lama kissing a young boy on the lips and asking him to suck his tongue. The clip went viral on social media, prompting Cardi to address the issue on Twitter.
On Monday, Cardi tweeted a warning to her followers about predators, emphasizing the importance of parents being aware of their children's activities. "This world is full of predators," she wrote, without mentioning the Dalai Lama directly. "They prey on the innocent. The ones who are most unknowing, our children. Predators could be our neighbors, our school teachers, even people wit [sic] money, power & our churches. Constantly talk with your kids about boundaries and what they shouldn't allow people to do to them."
Many Twitter users expressed their agreement with Cardi's message. Damon Gonzalez commented, "Thank you, Cardi," along with a hundred points symbol emoji, while singer Lisa May added, "100,000[%] Cardi."
This world is full of predators. They prey on the innocent. The ones who are most unknowing, our children. Predators could be our neighbors, our school teachers, even people wit money ,power & our churches. Constantly talk with your kids about boundaries and what they shouldn’t… — Cardi B (@iamcardib) April 10, 2023
Dr. Nicole LePera emphasized the importance of teaching children about boundaries, saying, "Model boundaries. Don't force children to hug relatives. Allow them to say 'no' or to appear rude if they don't want to interact. Let them be autonomous rather than being conditioned people pleasers concerned with making others comfortable."
Cardi's tweet came shortly after the Dalai Lama issued an apology for the viral video. Some users found the video appalling, with one commenting, "Ain't nothing playful or innocent about what the Dalai Lama did. Wonder what happens when there is no mic?"
Others defended the spiritual leader, arguing that Cardi was not the right person to speak on the issue. One person said, "You don't know about His Holiness The 14th Dalai Lama. He has helped lots of Tibetan kids, non-Tibetan too!! In our culture, we take out our tongue as [a sign of] respect! Also, that boy himself had asked His Holiness for a hug. His Holiness is always been playful to children and people."
Cardi later shared a news article about the Dalai Lama's apology and expressed her thoughts in another tweet: "It was deep in my heart to talk about this 'cause me & my friend was talkin' last night, then the Dalai Lama thing happen[ed] this morning." She also thanked those who supported her and acknowledged that "the people attacking [her] are just projecting."
The Dalai Lama's office issued a public apology on Monday, saying he regrets his actions during an event in India earlier this year. The statement sparked a debate on Twitter, with some defending the Tibetan custom of sticking one's tongue out, while others argued that sucking another person's tongue is not part of that custom.
