Singaporeans are all reading the life of Dr Toh Chin Chye, one of the founding father of modern Singapore and the PAP. Chua Mui Hoong has a half page article of Toh Chin Chye in the ST today describing his tenacity and fearless fight for equality, press freedom, the politicising of the young Singaporeans and advocating more space for political freedom when he became a back bencher.
In the same breath it also described the irony of Dr Toh’s image as a repressive vice chancellor of the University of Singapore and his role as an integral part of the PAP machinery of oppression against dissenting voices and political opposition.
It seems that Dr Toh would be best remembered as a tough critic of the PAP during his last term as a back bencher, and for understanding and championing the plight of the powerless. The dying years of Dr Toh must be full of regrets that he did not do more for the powerless when he could. And when he was not in a position to do much, he fought hard but in vain, as a back bencher.
The moral of the story is that when a politician is in power, he is with the establishment, heart and soul. It was not a time to really think for the oppressed and the losers. It was all might and glory and fame. It is only when one is cast away from the pinnacle of power that one starts to understand what it is like at the receiving end or at the wrong end of the stick.
Such an enlightening experience seems to be repeated every time a politician falls from grace without fail. Several have stood up openly to speak for the oppressed people and even against the bad policies and culture of the power of the day.
Must such hypocrisies be repeated over and over again? Would those still in power reflect on this and stand up for the oppressed while they are still in power, still able to do something right, to live with their conscience of righteousness? Or would we see them crawling back, regretting that they should have done this and that when they could?
Would the living hypocrisies be repeated, be recycled all over again? Would more of such ironies be rewritten in the media as each leader hits the dust? May the living hypocrisies learn from the past masters and live a life of little or lesser regrets while there is still time for them to do something before they end up in the same boat?
The experience and regrets of our founding fathers are wisdom that is not taught in the textbooks. They are living examples and lessons to be learned to make one a better man. Future generations will be less forgiving of the failings of political leaders who could have done otherwise but chose not to do so in their heydays of power and glory.
Don’t come crying and wanting to defend the weak when they should have done so when they could. A spade shall be called a spade and hypocrisies should be called hypocrisies and nothing less.
2/04/2012
2/03/2012
Programming minds without the victims knowing
If you are those who hate North Korea, Iran and any country the US hates, you may want to read the full article by Stephen Lendman in World Affairs column under the thread 'Wake up or sleep with the curse of the evil West/US forever in www.redbeanforum.com. Below are some extracts from his article on Weapons of Mass Deception.
Selling War: "You Furnish the Pictures, and I'll Furnish the War."
By Stephen Lendman
Global Research, January 27, 2012
Throughout its history, America glorified wars in the name of peace. From inception, they're perpetuated against one or more domestic or foreign adversaries.
They include mass killing, assaults and abuse. Pacifism's called sissy or unpatriotic. Propaganda insists America's peace-loving. In fact, more than ever today, it's addicted to permanent war and violence....
In April 2007, Washington Post writer Tom Shales headlined, "A Media Role in Selling the War? No Question," saying:
"It's always depressing to learn that you've been had, but incalculably more so when the deception has resulted in thousands of Americans dying in the Iraq war effort" based on lies.
As in all wars, the more people rely on television for news, the less they know, and more susceptible they become to government and media propaganda.
In their book, "Weapons of Mass Deception: The Uses of Propaganda in Bush's War on Iraq," Sheldon Rampton and John Stauber showed how manipulative propaganda sold the public on war.
Combining PR and media deception, Operation: Iraqi Freedom was created. Deconstructing the process, they showed how top Bush officials planned war prior to his election, but waited until September 2002 for "product launch" to inform the public.
Using 'big lie" tactics, they associated Saddam with 9/11, forged documents to allege WMDs, and worked secretly to create the opposition Iraqi National Congress (INC). The PR Rendon Group coined the term. It got millions in funding and worked closely with CIA operatives. It became a driving force for war....
A Final Comment
Things remain the same. Deceptive reports manipulate the public mind on Syria and Iran. "There is no doubt that the mainstream media are crucial in this idea of selling that the US is going to be in a perpetual war."
They're key in making Americans believe military intervention is vital. Robert Parry said:
"I've worked at Newsweek as well (as AP) and other major US news organizations. And what I saw, especially at places like Newsweek, was this idea that the media was actually part of the establishment. It was that the American people were to be guided more than informed."
In fact, "political solutions" are alien to America's vocabulary. War profiteers demand jingoism. A century ago people were manipulated to accept war with Cuba. William Randolph Hearst hyped the big lie about Spain sinking the battleship Maine when, in fact, a coal bunker explosion did it.
Hearst, however, told his Havana illustrator: "You furnish the pictures, and I'll furnish the war." To this day, lies launch them. They're all based on lies to get people to go along with what wouldn't be possible otherwise.
Selling War: "You Furnish the Pictures, and I'll Furnish the War."
By Stephen Lendman
Global Research, January 27, 2012
Throughout its history, America glorified wars in the name of peace. From inception, they're perpetuated against one or more domestic or foreign adversaries.
They include mass killing, assaults and abuse. Pacifism's called sissy or unpatriotic. Propaganda insists America's peace-loving. In fact, more than ever today, it's addicted to permanent war and violence....
In April 2007, Washington Post writer Tom Shales headlined, "A Media Role in Selling the War? No Question," saying:
"It's always depressing to learn that you've been had, but incalculably more so when the deception has resulted in thousands of Americans dying in the Iraq war effort" based on lies.
As in all wars, the more people rely on television for news, the less they know, and more susceptible they become to government and media propaganda.
In their book, "Weapons of Mass Deception: The Uses of Propaganda in Bush's War on Iraq," Sheldon Rampton and John Stauber showed how manipulative propaganda sold the public on war.
Combining PR and media deception, Operation: Iraqi Freedom was created. Deconstructing the process, they showed how top Bush officials planned war prior to his election, but waited until September 2002 for "product launch" to inform the public.
Using 'big lie" tactics, they associated Saddam with 9/11, forged documents to allege WMDs, and worked secretly to create the opposition Iraqi National Congress (INC). The PR Rendon Group coined the term. It got millions in funding and worked closely with CIA operatives. It became a driving force for war....
A Final Comment
Things remain the same. Deceptive reports manipulate the public mind on Syria and Iran. "There is no doubt that the mainstream media are crucial in this idea of selling that the US is going to be in a perpetual war."
They're key in making Americans believe military intervention is vital. Robert Parry said:
"I've worked at Newsweek as well (as AP) and other major US news organizations. And what I saw, especially at places like Newsweek, was this idea that the media was actually part of the establishment. It was that the American people were to be guided more than informed."
In fact, "political solutions" are alien to America's vocabulary. War profiteers demand jingoism. A century ago people were manipulated to accept war with Cuba. William Randolph Hearst hyped the big lie about Spain sinking the battleship Maine when, in fact, a coal bunker explosion did it.
Hearst, however, told his Havana illustrator: "You furnish the pictures, and I'll furnish the war." To this day, lies launch them. They're all based on lies to get people to go along with what wouldn't be possible otherwise.
Dr Toh Chin Chye passed away
Toh Chin Chye passed away this morning at the age of 90. He was one of the founding father of PAP and modern Singapore. He was also a Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the PAP then.
Another historical figure that has turned to ash. Another chapter of Singapore's history comes to an end.
Another historical figure that has turned to ash. Another chapter of Singapore's history comes to an end.
The rich communists are coming
Unbelieveable! Up to 30 years ago, communists are the parallels to poor, uncouth, ruthless and revolutionaries. Today the communists are the new rich, the big spenders. They are travelling the world using their communist passports and welcomed with red carpets, to spend their communist dollars. The top fine arts auctioneers, the top luxury car makers, the top jewelry and designers, are all queuing up to wait on the communists as their best clients.
What else is new? Who would become the new beggars of the 21st Century? We used to have tourists from the US, Japan and Europe. But these were the retirees and many have gone broke because their pension funds were washed down the drain by the crooks in Wall Streets.
The rich communists are the new rich entrepreneurs, young and vibrant, princelings and children of the nouve riche. And they are seen as the big spenders. The communists are big spenders! They don’t go to Chinatown for cheap handicraft from China. They marched into LV, Gucci, Prada, Coach in Orchard Road with sacks of cash.
Strange indeed. And stranger still, China is the most trustworthy country in the world, UAE number two, ‘according to the ‘2012 Edelman Trust Barometer, an Edelman Public Relations annual trust and credibility survey run across 25 countries. The global online survey measures trust levels in four key institutions - government, businesses, non-governmental organisations and media.’ Singapore comes in third.
What else is new? Who would become the new beggars of the 21st Century? We used to have tourists from the US, Japan and Europe. But these were the retirees and many have gone broke because their pension funds were washed down the drain by the crooks in Wall Streets.
The rich communists are the new rich entrepreneurs, young and vibrant, princelings and children of the nouve riche. And they are seen as the big spenders. The communists are big spenders! They don’t go to Chinatown for cheap handicraft from China. They marched into LV, Gucci, Prada, Coach in Orchard Road with sacks of cash.
Strange indeed. And stranger still, China is the most trustworthy country in the world, UAE number two, ‘according to the ‘2012 Edelman Trust Barometer, an Edelman Public Relations annual trust and credibility survey run across 25 countries. The global online survey measures trust levels in four key institutions - government, businesses, non-governmental organisations and media.’ Singapore comes in third.
SPP’s renewal plan
Chiam See Tong said he is aggressively pushing for leadership renewal for his party. The departure of the 6 promising young men and women is a big set back to the Party. It is not reported that the party is aggressively trying to bring in people in their 20s into the CEC. Chiam is now 76 and still young if other politicians can still be active in the late 80s. So Chiam has another ten more years to bring up the youth in his party to fill his shoe.
What is a bit unfortunate is that at this point in time, there is hardly anyone to fill his big shoe and to take over the party leadership just in case. Chiam may have very high and demanding standards for whoever to succeed him. Such a person must be difficult to find for him to take so long and has to look at the twenty somethings. Maybe with Lina Chiam in charge, there is still plenty of time as she is only 62.
LKY also has a big shoe to fill. And being a giant in his own right, finding anyone to fill his shoe was a near impossibility. But he managed to find several to fill it. It is really no mean feat to find someone to fill LKY’s shoe.
I hope Chiam will be able to find someone quick to fill his shoe as well, no matter how big it is, or how difficult it is to find someone good enough. Filling political shoe is a very demanding task as the expectations are extremely high from the incumbent’s perspective. The emperors generally found it easier to have their own sons to fill them. The North Koreans are still doing it. In a democratic process, it is a bit touchy when sons are expected to fill the shoes of fathers, and of course, much easier to fit in.
What is a bit unfortunate is that at this point in time, there is hardly anyone to fill his big shoe and to take over the party leadership just in case. Chiam may have very high and demanding standards for whoever to succeed him. Such a person must be difficult to find for him to take so long and has to look at the twenty somethings. Maybe with Lina Chiam in charge, there is still plenty of time as she is only 62.
LKY also has a big shoe to fill. And being a giant in his own right, finding anyone to fill his shoe was a near impossibility. But he managed to find several to fill it. It is really no mean feat to find someone to fill LKY’s shoe.
I hope Chiam will be able to find someone quick to fill his shoe as well, no matter how big it is, or how difficult it is to find someone good enough. Filling political shoe is a very demanding task as the expectations are extremely high from the incumbent’s perspective. The emperors generally found it easier to have their own sons to fill them. The North Koreans are still doing it. In a democratic process, it is a bit touchy when sons are expected to fill the shoes of fathers, and of course, much easier to fit in.
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