Arrogant or Wise?
Should you hear a leader utter such words, how would you think?
-
"I am often accused of interfering in the private lives of
citizens. Yes, if I did not, had I not done that, we wouldn’t be
here today. And I say without the slightest remorse, that we
wouldn’t be here, we would not have made economic progress, if we
had not intervened on very personal matters – who your neighbour
is, how you live, the noise you make, how you spit, or what
language you use. We decide what is right. Never mind what the
people think.”
In my PERSONAL view, IF i am from a matured and educated
society, with a strong single conservative religious majority,
taken out of context it would be a horror beyond comprehension upon
my liberal sensibilities. How should such a leader hope to lead if
every move one makes is being watched and control?
However, if i came from a young and largely uneducated
MULTI-RACIAL society of the last century, such words would mean
differently.
'Who your neighbour is' - should we be segrated
into religious or ethnic enclaves, whereby we know not how each
other live to foster better understanding?
'how we live' - being minimally educated,
should we as a society best be developed to our highest economic
potential in a highly competitive national neighbourhood?
Should not we be worried about putting food on the table more,
rather than to hanker after incomprehensible philosophies, of which
many would not be ready yet to contribute to society?
'the noise one makes' - being multi-racial, it
would mean cultural mores and differences, and if not controlled,
would it not only lead to antagonism and strife?
'the language one use' - Being of diverse
ethnicities, each will lay claim onto the superiority of their own
lingo. And language can be an unequal imposition upon minority
groups. However and fortunately, the world of the last century was
operating on the common lingo of English - a language of commerce
of which our sea trading nation is part of, had it not serve us
well in commerce as well as being a common societal building block
to unite the various ethnic groups?
'We decide what is right' - Had not the
Singapore government been a freely elected body politic, on the
choice made by our votes that had been secret and sacred, something
of which even modern chinese COMMUNISTS are not allowed today?
Therefore, if they have the mandate of the people and society as
a whole, do not the ones in govt get to decide what is right? And
if they wrong, do not our society have the right to kick them
out?
I would readily admit there will be differences of opinion, and
it should be if our society is to be 'open' and to mature.
Others should be allowed
to voice their opinions, right or wrong, without fear or favour,
more so in a forum of any topic or thread such as thus and not be
bullied in any way by anyone to remain silent. Let silence be a
choice and not an imposition.
We would only benefit, if we share our views respectfully, and
not by clamping up or allowing others to set the agenda to control
our lives