Of Tyrants and us

• mancha

  4 Jun 05, 21:08

  I read in Today paper an interview with Iraqi UNIFEM coordinator Ms Basmah Al Khateeb.(Today, June 4-5 2005, Instead of one tyrant, we have 3,000).
  One of her answers struck a cord in me.
  Here is the extract:
  
  Q: As a former civil servant to Saddam HusseinÂ’s government what was your reaction when the United States invaded your country?
  
  A: We had been told for so long that we could depend on the government that even when we saw SaddamÂ’s statue toppling over, we thought it was a trick.
  We thought he would show up and fight. We did nothing because we had become so unused to using our initiative because in the earlier regime if you tried to do anything different, you were punished. SaddamÂ’s government had killed all our initiative and our willingness to be part of a civil society. It had become like a dead muscle that needed physiotherapy.
  
  IsnÂ’t that like Singaporeans.
  IsnÂ’t that like us, Singaporeans?
  
• LazerLordz

  4 Jun 05, 21:13

  we've known that for a long time man..
• Meia Gisborn

  5 Jun 05, 01:23

  The only difference being, there is a distinct shortage of LKY statues in Singapore to topple.
  
  (I do not think toppling the Merlion statue would accomplish much, though. )
  
  MG
• lwflee

  5 Jun 05, 02:54

  Originally posted by Meia Gisborn:

  The only difference being, there is a distinct shortage of LKY statues in Singapore to topple.
  
  (I do not think toppling the Merlion statue would accomplish much, though. )
  
  MG

  I'm guessing those will appear when he dies. The media will protray him as whiter than white. Thereafter, you will probably hear about plans to build an LKY memorial. The public (or rather, the ST) will be overwhelmingly for it, and lo and behold, you will have your LKY memorial.
  
  Let's see.
• LazerLordz

  5 Jun 05, 03:37

  Originally posted by lwflee:

  I'm guessing those will appear when he dies. The media will protray him as whiter than white. Thereafter, you will probably hear about plans to build an LKY memorial. The public (or rather, the ST) will be overwhelmingly for it, and lo and behold, you will have your LKY memorial.
  
  Let's see.

  And I will just ignore it.Or treat it at best another object to practice my still life on.His good deeds are shown by our country's progress, we do not need a statue.
  
  For his flaws..well, why would you need a statue more?
• Meia Gisborn

  5 Jun 05, 12:51

  Originally posted by LazerLordz:

  For his flaws..well, why would you need a statue more?

  To remind the people to never repeat the same mistakes?
  
  MG
• skyfoo

  5 Jun 05, 20:39

  Originally posted by LazerLordz:

  And I will just ignore it.Or treat it at best another object to practice my still life on.His good deeds are shown by our country's progress, we do not need a statue.
  
  For his flaws..well, why would you need a statue more?

  we just need another 'icon'