I am willing to stand corrected on Indonesian policy in East Timor. It may well be currently geocidal. Unfortunately, even though the most prominent Timorese spokesman won the Nobel Peace Prize, he gets little attention. I actually try to keep on top of that situation and don't remember his name.
Many other groups have been hurt by not having a charismatic spokesperson a la Nelson Mandela or the Dalai Lama. Of course, some drag themselves down by their own internal divisions, e.g. the much-suffering Kurds.
As for the DL himself, another aspect in his appeal to Hollywood elites, etc. that has not been mentioned is his connection to esoteric countercultural elements in the US. Thus, Uma Thurman's mom was the girlfriend of Timothy Leary before Bob Thurman got her (aside, Uma was a wallflower who couldn't get a date in high school in Amherst). Leary's book, "Turn on, Tune In, Drop Out," was actually adapted from the Bardo Thodol, the Tibetan Book of the Dead. And Allen Ginsberg used to hang out at the Tibetan Buddhist Naropa Institute in Boulder, Colorado. All this preceded Richard Gere, etc.
To Gary: Frankly, I think your "say out" could refer to a number of things. Why don't you let me note just which one was on your mind off list, please. Barkley Rosser
-- Rosser Jr, John Barkley rosserjb at jmu.edu