Servility is not patriotism
Sunday, August 23, 2009 at 5:21AM Apparently Miss Juliet Chua thinks that sucking up to the PAP government is justified patriotism, thinks that the government is the country, and that "young bloggers" should be ashamed of criticising said government.
IT IRKS me that young people blog negatively about the Singapore Government. They live in an era where there is peace and harmony, they have a roof over their heads, plenty to eat and so much to enjoy.
First of all, not only "young" bloggers are critical of the government, and I definitely do not think I am "young". Secondly, "They live"? Doesn't she live in Singapore as well? Is her world filled with violent conflict, hunger and a dearth of blissful enjoyment? I don't think so, but trying to paint the picture as an "I'm old enough to know you young whippersnappers are wrong" is misleading and indicative of a sycophantic mentality.
Not to say that there aren't people who are struggling, there are plenty of them. The squeeze on the middle-class citizens make it a continuous struggle for most Singaporeans. But the benefit of a liberal mind is an ability to entertain a thought, no matter how vile or false, without accepting it. And she proves my point when she says:
The question often asked is, 'What can the Government do for me?', but shouldn't it be, 'What can I do for my country?'
There we go, the unmistakable sign of linking the government with the country. It is perhaps testament to the power of the PAP's machinery to seed and foster that link so successfully among the many lemmings in the Singapore population. Or maybe it is an revelation that there are enough weak-willed people who would believe in everything the government tells them and will defend them out of sheer ignorance, failing to perform their duties as citizens to safeguard ourselves and our rights or simple fear of change, and therefore failing themselves and the country.
Further proof that all Miss Chua wanted to do is to write a love letter to her favourite political party?
I am grateful to the Government, which has done a great job, and in particular Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew, who has gone through so many trials and tribulations. Even now, at his age, he has not stopped caring about Singapore. My heartfelt thanks to MM Lee and I wish him happiness and health.
I think she would have more credibility if she just wrote "HI PAP AND MM LEE I LOVE YOU ALL, WOULD YOU LOVE ME BACK?"
Sarcasm aside, her brand of patriotism is not actually patriotism, in spite of her assertations. It is servility, and being a servile citizen is not a patriot. To hide and disguise sycophantic servility as patriotism is perpetuating a vice as a virtue, and that is as unpatriotic as one can get.
Entire generations have went through trials and tribulations to make Singapore what it is today. By elevating one man's experience and contribution above others is convenient, and wrong. And by insinuating that those who criticise the government as people who stopped caring about Singapore not only does us bloggers a disfavour, it castigates anyone and everyone who wants this country to continue progressing, to continue improving, to become the home that everyone will be proud of.
That you have so sacrificed our integrity for your stoogery irks me. Shame on you, Miss Chua, for even pulling that stunt.
Callan Tham
I am reproducing parts of an email sent in by a reader, with his permission of course.
[H]ere is an article that puts his logic to the extreme end of the spectrum :
http://www.bluecorncomics.com/sovreign.htm
In the US of A, the tribal nations of native Americans have a unique arrangement where they are separate policitical entities from the US gov't. Yet native Americans can be both
1) members of the First Nations (as they are called today), as well as
2) US citizens
Something to think about perhaps. He also had the following to say:
[W]atching the NDP 2009, i saw a whole contingent of PAP banner carriers, and whole contingents of GLC's like Sembcorp, Capitaland and what-not all being under the Temasek stable. [W]here were the contingents for opposition parties? Is this a PAP party event or a national event? Who does the funding for NDP?
[T]he only thing i remember about the SAF pledge, back as a recruit, is that we swore to protect & uphold the CONSTITUTION, the PRESIDENT and the PEOPLE with OUR LIVES. Not to the PAP.
Some things are easily forgotten, but worth every effort to remember.
Juliet Chua, What I DON'T Appreciate, bloggers in Politics, Rant, Singapore
Reader Comments (2)
I'm shocked. Is she talking about me?. Hahhas.
You fit the profile as a "young blogger", but I see that as an indication of a blind, mindless, misled and confused idiot.