AWARE Saga: Post-mortem

Posted on May 6, 2009 by calsifer

What’s a post with a sequel but lacking a sequel’s sequel?

There’s a ton of information and blogs in cyberspace touching on it, so instead of saying what’s already carried all over the net, I’m going to link to choice sites/posts. But before that, let me jot down a few IMOs, which points are all supported by the linkages to come (in themselves just a sampling of the content online). Thereafter, we’ll get back to the pertinent issues – kitties, kitty pics and thoughts and concerns for the non-squabbling denizens of this earth.

  • Congratulations are in order for the new old-guard exco, but it also has its work cut out for it – engagement, progression, change.
  • The statements by religious leaders did do their bit in reigning in the potential “army of God” siege that could have kept the Josie Lau exco in place. (I saw a reference to an online letter to ST from a woman claiming to have decided to skip the EOGM after discussion with her cell group post Dr John Chew’s statement, but can’t find it now. If you see that, please paste the link in the comments section of this post, thanks!)
  • The media reports portrayed the old-guard supporters as rowdy, loud and rude. However, they left out how the eogm seemed to be organised to disadvantage them.
  • I am still having difficulties wrapping my head around the fact that such a takeover bid succeeded at all. This surely shows up inherent problems with AWARE, at least with regards to its structure? And I say this without any rancour, with the utmost respect for its achievements.
  • I am not a Christian nor am I considered religious by any definition, but neither do I feel all secular activities including the mundaneness called working for a living, can be totally devoid of an individual’s faith/belief system. There is no denying what every individual does or say is informed by that, it’s inherent in the human mind/psyche. My beef with the AWARE takeover was how religion seemed to be the motivation and core of it, even unto the way the volunteers were organised on the EOGM preparation earlier in the day and how the “red-shirts” seem to up and leave after the casting of the no-confidence vote.
  • The sudden flurry of protests by concerned parents to MOE about the AWARE CSE programme content reflects unfavourably on the protesters. Yes, no protest does not mean no problem. But the sudden outpouring of “outrage” manifest a herd mentality hinting at taking someone’s word at face-value rather than herd members learning (AND understanding) the truth for themselves.
  • The AWARE saga is not, and should not be, construed as a Christians vs the rest tussle. But it is hard not to view it as such given the facts of the case. Members on all sides of the divide can deduce any number of things, but it would boil down to:
    • Conservative/fundie Christians believing they are being discrinimated against for having to tolerate alternative views and not being able to force their agenda on others.
    • Non-christians of other religions beleiving they are are being marginalised for having to tolerate an aggressive Christian agenda/voice and for its imposition of its agenda on everyone else (section 377A anyone?)
    • Moderates of all persuasions who have been sandwiched and feel the impetus (for whatever reason) to keep silent rather than raise their concerns about the pro-active aggression characterising small segments of their belief systems.
    • Civil society must be free from politicking of all ilk or “agendas” to function objectively and healthily.
    • The world is really not just made up of “normal” people (aka religious people who are decree-abiding heterosexuals) vs”abnormal” people (aka irreligious people who are decree-breaking homosexuals), and there are OTHER stuff that commands the world’s human population’s attention. (There was a reference somewhere to women being more concerned with the economy and bread-and-butter issues than homosexuality. If you see that, please paste the link in the comments section of this post, thanks!). Leting a particular segment of the population string up another due to misunderstanding, fear, bias, discrimination is the first step down the road to ruin. Strictly speaking, it’s not like this is really the first step in this agenda, but does Singapore want to be dragged along?
    • The enthusiastic response to the K.F. Khoo petition demonstrate the power of faith. If only a portion of this enthusiasm could be harnessed for pressing issues of the day.
    • Secularism is not and cannot be the exclusive domain of atheists – it may be tempting and all too convenient but the “Godless” are not to blame for all the failings of the world but unless you’re that frog in the well, even that’s too narrow and myopic a view.
    • slightly off-topic but consider this: unless there is only ONE religion which also happens to condemn all unbelievers to hell, and exactly ONE belief system in the whole wide world complementing said religion, the only thing every human being can be sure of is the guarantee of feeling the heat at the end. Crispy or well-done? Come on, why so serious?

The EOGM REPORTS

COMMENTS and THOUGHTS

Media

Straits Times:

Today

TNP

Blogs

mrsbudak

Youth.sg

taikiew.net

akikonomu

Mr Wang Says So

To Fix A Mocking Peasant

Writing-Yoga-Living

Siew Kum Hong

Yawning Bread

The Wayang Party

The Online Citizen

For more: we-are-aware.sg

Filed under: Advocacy, Blogging Matters, News, Rambling / Minion wunderings, Singapore, Social Commentary | Tagged: , , , , ,

« »