6/25/2012

The frightening tags of the past



There was a time when the British tagged the nationalists as terrorists or insurgents to put them in prison. The tag was changed to communist after the war. The communist tag was very dangerous even after we became independent. It was a tag of death or life imprisonment. Reading or holding a piece of communist literature or listening to communist broadcast was serious enough to have the tag pinned on for a life behind bars.

There were other tags like chauvinist, racist, religious bigots etc etc that were used in the past. Even anti govt or anti establishment tag can be dangerous. Was there an opposition camp tag?

Then, with the resurgence of terrorism, the terrorist tag became the new fearsome one. They are useful and important in genuine cases when terrorists are tagged correctly and kept from mischief and destruction. The concern is if someone is mis-tagged or wrongly branded for the wrong reasons.

There are signs of a new tag appearing. The xenophobia card is being waved furiously these days. Would this become the new tag to be pinned as a badge of dishonour and for more sinister things to come?

Branding is so easy a thing to do.

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13 comments:

  1. AnonymousJune 25, 2012 9:35 am

    Maybe because SIA is fill with FT for the loosing teeth? Was SIA LIKE THAT BEFORE WHEN it employ more Singaporeans?

    And shame on you for belitteling singaporeans who include your family. Unless you are not singaporean to begin with.

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousJune 25, 2012 9:39 am

    The first commentator must be speaking from experience ... so pls don't be too hard on him ....

    or he is an ideologue of LKYism

    Bengster

    ReplyDelete
  3. Chua Chin Leng蔡镇龍 aka redbeanJune 25, 2012 9:41 am

    The Sinkies have been belittled by its own kind for so long that they are numbed to it. Dig in the spurs and they wouldn't feel anything too. The spirit of our forefathers to fight for our rights and future has been dulled. Where on earth have the people of a country being attacked left and right at home and feel so sheepish about it?

    Soon the poor Sinkies will be running to hide in their HDB flats when they see foreigners around.

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousJune 25, 2012 9:48 am

    The tag DICTATOR still holds truth and relevant in Singapore after 46 years of history from independence

    ReplyDelete
  5. VeritasJune 25, 2012 10:03 am

    ////
    Singaporeans are generally lousy service providers. Take SIA for instance, even the smile is loosing teeth.
    ////

    SIA are lousy service provider in my opinion, outsourcing to foreigners is the major culprit.

    2 months ago, I called SIA SG office from oversea to change my flight. The call was routed to India.

    First, a Indian lady told me she cannot retrieve any of my info even after I give her my ref number.

    I suspect she foul play. I called again and this time, a guy from Indian office pick up the phone. He solve my problem in few seconds.

    I complain to SIA, up till now, they did not follow up. other than 1 ACK email.

    India office call center staff has clearly sabotaging SIA's reputation. They are deliberately playing and making fun with customer.

    I have called various SIA office during my business trip. As long as call center is LOCAL and not routed to India, you can be assured of good service.

    ReplyDelete
  6. AnonymousJune 25, 2012 10:15 am

    We don't call them the Pro Alien Party for nothing.

    Or for that matter.
    The Pretend Action Party.
    OR
    Proud Arrogant People.
    OR
    Pillage And Plunder.

    ReplyDelete
  7. patriotJune 25, 2012 10:23 am

    I had a similar situation like Veritas lately. Got back from Ho Chi Minh on Singapore International Airlines and discovered loss of a bunch of keys with two miniature super magnets which I had put in the side pocket of a backpack.

    Called SIA Lost and Found, not easy to get to speak to anyone without having to go thru the voice prompts. Got to speak to a human, described and gave her all the informations, Flt Number, Seat Number etc.

    After a week of no response, me called SATS Lost and Found, reported the loss again. It gave me a reference number to my report and sent me an sms to my mobile. As there was no further information from SIA or SATS, me sent 3 smses to the telephone number with the pre fix 44. After waiting for a few days still no reply or response. Me than called SATS Lost and Found again and was told that there was no positive result.

    Me worked at the Local Airports decades ago and all travellers, local or foreign were treated with the highest care and service. Sad to say no more, even the cabin service and airport services suck.

    patriot

    ReplyDelete
  8. patriotJune 25, 2012 10:47 am

    As for tagging, there is a Chinese Saying(e jia zi zui, he huan wu ci) 'there is thousand and one reason when there is an intent to make accusation(to find fault or for conviction/persecution). At the end of it, it is the motive of the intention that matters. Unfortunately, most intentions are foul and vicious.

    patriot

    ReplyDelete
  9. VeritasJune 25, 2012 10:57 am

    Very few people know that outsourcing was pioneered by Indian Criminal Anil Kumar, who forms the Indian mafia gang with another criminal Rajat Gupta, when the later work as CEO of Mckenzie.

    Using the weight of Mckenzie, Anil Kumar sell the ideas of outsourcing, mainly to India, meanwhile hyping up the quality of Indian service industries like no body. That play into the books of corrupt western elites who wanted to do wage arbitration by firing the much better while middle class workers, and transfer to job to India.

    Our SIA CEO also realize that to give himself more salary, he has to fired all the capable Singaporean and transfer whatever possible to India.

    Today, the father of outsourcing, Anil Kumar are shown to be criminal. Nevertheless his damage is done every where.

    Today, if you want to change SIA flight schedule, its better to make a oversea call to Taipei office than local call in SG who will route you to India.

    The Taipei office straight away connect you to a operator. In SG, you will be force to navigate the sickening automated call response system, before someone in India pick up.

    The Taipei office manned by sweet lady solve your problem in no time, while certain naughty girl in India call center played me up.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️June 25, 2012 11:19 am

    "Labelling" is a very effective strategy used by states and other groups of power to demonise certain behaviours, ideas and people themselves. Like most human inventions, labelling is sometimes spot on and at other times it is wrong but still used for total absolute control.

    Many Singaporeans have rightly earned, and richly deserve to be labelled with the "xenophobia" tag, because they consistently provide the empirical evidence in (their) THOUGHT, WORD and DEED.

    Got judgmental mind?

    ReplyDelete
  11. Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️June 25, 2012 11:29 am

    SIA has definitely slipped in my experience over the decades I've been using them to get the fuck out of Kampung Perth, Bandar Sydney, and Kota Melbourne. For short haul flights, I now fly cheap cheap budget carriers. For long haul I prefer Thai, MAS, Qantas. Thai and MAS cabin crew have much better attitude than the fakers on SIA. Qantas is straight up and down Aussie attitude.

    SIA? Better sell to Tony Fernandez or Richard Branson lah.

    ReplyDelete
  12. AnonymousJune 25, 2012 11:49 am

    remember the 'quitters' tag by GCT? fuck later we found out his own kids r quitters.

    ReplyDelete
  13. AnonymousJune 25, 2012 12:12 pm

    If you are not getting any benefits, why the hell are you still voting for the Pro Alien Party?

    ReplyDelete