What and where is the racist?
One of the many memorable scenes in "Alice In Wonderland" was the debate over the phrases "I mean what I say" and "I say what I mean".
We all know that they are different. But Alice and apparently many other Singaporeans don't.
The whole seditious affair is unfortunate. It is all the more unfortunate when what could have been an excellent opporunity for Singaporeans to re-examine our fundamental prejudices and pride of different ethnic groups has been let slip.
I do not agree that the two bloggers should be left unpunished just as I do not agree nor think it's fair that they should be made the examplary showcases of What-Not-To-Talk/Blog-About.
A snowballing hyperbole should ideally never be the basis of judging one's intention and character. Flamewars in cyberspace function in a slightly different realm of logic than in the real world. But apparently, our justice system does not distinguish this.
Fair enough, but I still think that more creative ways of punishment would do all parties good. The judge could have ordered a four-face meeting of the two Chinese bloggers, the Malay woman who wrote to the Forum and the young Malay woman who reported the seditious comments to the police. They can then come to a mutual understanding, if not agreement, of why they say what they say.
The two Chinese guys should be asked to do some community work amongst the Muslim community. Recognize and, more importantly, help in the community's struggles to better themselves.
Jailing them will only drive simmering problems and future misunderstandings underground. It is sad and ironic to harshly punish someone who probably don't mean much of what they hyperbolically say and risk letting slip of those racists who actually don't say what they mean.
The latter are the true cancerous cells of our society.
We all know that they are different. But Alice and apparently many other Singaporeans don't.
The whole seditious affair is unfortunate. It is all the more unfortunate when what could have been an excellent opporunity for Singaporeans to re-examine our fundamental prejudices and pride of different ethnic groups has been let slip.
I do not agree that the two bloggers should be left unpunished just as I do not agree nor think it's fair that they should be made the examplary showcases of What-Not-To-Talk/Blog-About.
A snowballing hyperbole should ideally never be the basis of judging one's intention and character. Flamewars in cyberspace function in a slightly different realm of logic than in the real world. But apparently, our justice system does not distinguish this.
Fair enough, but I still think that more creative ways of punishment would do all parties good. The judge could have ordered a four-face meeting of the two Chinese bloggers, the Malay woman who wrote to the Forum and the young Malay woman who reported the seditious comments to the police. They can then come to a mutual understanding, if not agreement, of why they say what they say.
The two Chinese guys should be asked to do some community work amongst the Muslim community. Recognize and, more importantly, help in the community's struggles to better themselves.
Jailing them will only drive simmering problems and future misunderstandings underground. It is sad and ironic to harshly punish someone who probably don't mean much of what they hyperbolically say and risk letting slip of those racists who actually don't say what they mean.
The latter are the true cancerous cells of our society.