Indians will rule the world - first stop, Lousiana

Indian-American wins in Lousiana

The US state of Louisiana has elected its first non-white governor, Bobby Jindal, since the 1870s.
Mr Jindal, 36, also becomes the youngest US governor and the first Indian-American to head a state.

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Ah. That's why we need the GRC system, because clearly the minorities can't get ahead, and because the majority always votes along racial lines. This is despite David Marshall and JB Jeyaratnam getting in without racial hassle, or needing the minority quota on a group ticket.

Bobby Jindal managed it in Lousiana, and there's a Sikh mayor somewhere else. They're doing it in a country where there's an even lower population percentage of Indians than in Singapore. They manage to get representation.

So why do we need GRCs again?

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CMIO promotes ignorance

Today is Dasera.

Wha?

Dasera is a major Hindu festival, as it makes up one of the three-and-a-half auspicious days (sade teen muhurta) of the year. It is the name imparted to the tenth day (dashami) of the bright fortnight of the Hindu lunar month, Ashvin. Also known as Dasara, Dusshera. and Dusshera.

Bet you didn't know that. Serangoon Road was in full swing Sunday night. I first realised something was up when nearly every Indian-driven lorry/goods vehicle had a garland across the grill.

The thing I really hate about the CMIO is that it gives you the false idea that there's all there is to the various races in Singapore. Just four categories - memorise their official holidays and customs, and you're done. Who needs to know more?



It's especially ridiculous when you consider that the entire spectrum of Indian religious gets subsumed under one category. India, nicknamed the Empire of the Soul, gets one lousy slot. Cos, you know, Parsi=Gujerati=Sikh=Hindu=yeah right.

And it does have an effect on people - I can't count the number of times I've heard people say,"Eh? Got Indian Muslims?" or express bewilderment that Indians come in various shapes, sizes, costumes, and religious accessories. Sadly, it's usually the Chinese who have that reaction. However, the Chinese get shortchanged in their own way - there are Cantonese, Hakka, Hokkien, and don't you dare confuse one for the other to some members of the older generation. My grandpappy hates Hakka, for reasons that I prefer not to think about.

Of course, dealing with all the variations is a bit.. messy. Much easier to have four boxes, to make the statistics easier. And the national holidays. And the costumes on national day, and racial harmony day. Much easier to act as though the variations don't exist.

Sometimes I think that the whole CMIO structure isn't about celebrating diversity, it's about making diversity uniform so that you don't have to think so hard.

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The Power of Faith, Muzzled.

Now that Singapore's finally woken up, and realised that there's something happening in Myanmar, I wonder if the powers that be are going to add al-Qaeda to their prayers tonight. In thanks.

After all, it's thanks to them that religious organisations in Singapore are very determined to toe the line and maintain the harmony.


Ok, no, it's not as simple as that. But historically speaking, religious organisations have power, even if they don't have an army, or even a treasury. In Myanmar and in Thailand, the Buddhists monks have a power of sorts, and they can and will use it politically.

In Singapore, there's no reason to believe it can't happen here. After all, more than one person believes that the Christian pastors hold some political influence, and there's a reason why certain visiting imams are going to get their speaker's pass revoked. Religious organisations do have power, even in secular Singapore. Some might even say, especially in secular Singapore, where people are turning to a religious revivalism to fill that unspoken hole left by a rapidly modernising country.

However, there's a current political clime of suspicion left by the events of September 11th. Every religious group is suspected of potentially fomenting inter-religious violence. At this point in time, it only makes sense for the religious leaders to support the status quo. A push for political change runs the risk of being seen as divisive, or opens themselves up for charges of being "disruptive". There are far more groups right now interested in doing interfaith work,than leading demonstrations or pushing the anti-Iraqi-war stance.

It's not as simple as that, of course. The Singapore government has shown that it's quite capable of maintaining religious peace and solo control of the country's joystick in the past. But I can't help thinking that the current "terrorists!!!OMG" atmosphere has given the religious groups an added impetus to stay the hell away from Parliament Lane.

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Things I have said to evangelists

It happened again. Two girls, bright, perky (in more ways than one), polite - approached me in a shopping mall, and asked me if I would be interested in attending a "special event" at their church.

I've always had a special interest in Christian evangelists in Singapore. Singaporeans as a whole seem to be shy about approaching strangers. Evangelists on the other hand, don't seem to mind, in fact, they're quite happy to do so. It's something they share with those credit card roadshow folks, time-share marketeers and "Hi we are looking for model" people.

(strangely enough, students on flag day seem prepared to die of embarrassment. And block the escalator while doing so.)

Anyway, I've thought that it was quite cool that they did so - after all, it takes guts to go up and tell complete strangers that they're currently on the pathway to hell. In some sense, I envy them - I've always wanted to tell people that they're going to hell.

So let's get this straight - I admire what they do, and the kind of conviction that can get you to overcome so many years of cultural conditioning.

But to be honest, it's a hassle to tell them that you're not interested in the kind of ecstasy they're pushing. After the most recent attempt at conversion, I started to think about all the experiences I've had with evangelists.

Mezzo, age 12

Bespectacled, vaguely aware that there's going to be an exam. Not entirely sure what religion is, except that for some it means no charsiew bao, and for others, no free time on Sunday morning.

Evangelist cousin, 19, and therefore has the answers to the cosmos. She corners me in her bedroom, along with an even younger cousin. Younger cousin is Catholic, or so her mother has told her.

Evangelist Cousin: Jesus saves. Accept him. Become christian.

Mezzo, age 12: Really?

EC: Yeah. Take a look at this handy little Christianity 4 Noobz booklet I happen to have here. All here.

Mz12: But I think I'm [insert faith].

Younger cousin: And I'm already Christian, cos I'm Catholic.

EC: Nya-uh. Did you know that [prominent leader of faith] went to hell? There was this guy, see, who had an mystical vision, and saw [leader] in hell. It's true. You can trust people with mystical visions.

Mz12 + younger cousin: *looks*

EC: Look, you wanna go to hell?

Mz12: .. no?

EC: Excellent. Take this book, and the booklet, and start reading it. Younger cousin, take one too, I know you're Catholic, so you'll need one. I'm so glad!! Oh, and do you want the rest of your family to go to hell?

Mz12: .. no?

EC: Well, you know what to do! I have more Christianity 4 Noobz booklets, just ask me for them. *leaves the room*

YC: Did we just get converted? Mum is going to kill me.

Mz12: I think you go to hell if you convert.

YC: Mum's worse.

Two weeks later -

Mz12: *dials* Um. Evangelist cousin? I don't think I can be Christian anymore.

EC: Oh no, why?

Mz12: I think my family would get upset.

EC: You're a very brave kid. You can do this.

Mz12: No, I don't and I think I'm too young and you're not allowed to chose religions if you're too young. I can't even watch porn yet, how can I choose Gods?

EC: You watch porn?

Mz12: Erhm. Bye.

Mezzo, age 15

A typical teenager, trying to fit in while trying to stand out. Hesitating a touch too long at a bus interchange, as if unsure of where to go.

An evangelical surveyer approaches, to show Mezzo@15 the way, the only way.

ES: Hey, do this survey. The one that cunningly yet casually asks you your religon with other data that only exists to make it look legit.

Mezzo@15 is a teenager, looking for a way, trying to take root while trying to uproot.

ES: Oh ho, I see you are a 'freethinker'. Let me get you to sit down and ask further questions.

Mz15: Sure? Why not?

ES: Have you seen my l33t Christianity for Noobz booklet? Got one right here. Now, if you're feeling lost, that's because Christ needs to be on the throne of your life. Like in the picture here. See? There's this cross, and it's sitting on a throne. That's good, cos now there's a big circle around the cross and the throne and you, and GOD, who unlike Christ and you, actually gets his name spelled out.

Mz15: I think I've seen this comic before.

ES: The circle is like your life. It's a circle of life, but without Elton John, because Elton is gay and God hates fags. Hahah. Now, the other picture, you're on the throne, Christ is not, and God is OUTSIDE the big circle which is your life. Which makes God sad. Do you want to make God sad?

Mz15: No?

ES: Then accept Christ on the throne of your life!

Mz15: Um. Yeah. Let me think about that. Thrones.

ES: Here, take my Christianity for Noobz booklet. In fact, take three.

Mezzo, age 17

It's junior college, and partying is what you do, apart from angst. You're a jc kid, ergo, you party. Any party.

Friend: Come along to my Easter day party!

Mz17: Awesome! Ooh, movie! Ooh, guy in robes! Talking to himself! Ok, it's like he's going to die, no wait, he doesn't have to die, he's asking his father why he has to die.. eh. Think I know how this goes.

Evangelist Party-goer: Hi, person. Come sit with me! Don't worry about your other friend, she'll be sitting with my friend. It makes things easier when I break you down, um, bond with you.

Mz17: *notes that EP is unfanciable, loses interest*

EP: Hey, lookie at my Christianity for Noobz booklet!

Mz17: *spaces out*

EP: *ten minutes later* .. and here, God is in your life, cos Christ is on the throne. Also, he's the pathway to heaven!

Mz17: Never mind. Er, you know, I'm kinda already [member of faith]. And aren't all Gods one god anyway, and teach basically the same thing? We're all brothers. And world peace.

EP: No. Christ is the only pathway to heaven!

Mz17: Like Led Zeppelin?

EP: *is polite*

Mz17: *wonders if wise-assery keeps you out of heaven*

Mezzo, age 21

Still finding the way, but university's given the tools to navigate. If you're going to find your way, it helps to find your starting point.

At a train station this time, because Singapore's finding new ways too. Two girls approach, with a survey in the hand, and faith in the heart.

Evangelist Girls: Hey, survey! You're freethinker?

Mz21: Sorta, but I'm also kinda [insert faith here]

EG: Oh. Um. Could we go through this booklet with you?

Mz21: No. Absolutely not. Look, I've got friends who show me the way already, ok?

EG: Oh, which church? Come on, strike up a conversation with us, that way, it's harder for you to be so mean as to just leave.

Mz21: One of them. Thanks, but not interested.

EG: But! Save! Throne!

Mz21: No, don't worry about me, ok? Anyway, I've a friend who's going to turn up in a bit, so I don't want to keep him waiting.

EG: We could meet your fr..

Mz21: We're in a hurry. Movie. But thanks for caring.

Friend turns up, Mezzo@21 fills him in.

Mz21: They're the ones over there.

Friend: The pair talking to a makcik?

Mz21: Yeah.

Friend: They're dedicated.

Mz21: Optimists.

Friend: Christ is Hope, remember? Hey, that one's hot.

Mezzo, age 24

At 24, family starts being bearable again. You stop imagining that you're actually adopted, and acknowledge you could be related. Again, at a junction, a surveyer approaches.

Evangelical Surveyor, ver. 2: Ah. You're [member of faith].

Mz24: Uh huh. *wonders if actual prayers are required*

ESv2: Well, nice to meet you.

Mz24: *wonders if the booklet is the same colour* Huh? Where'd she go? That was fast!

Mezzo, present day

I'm standing in Novena Square, and the girls have pamphlets. I'm a working adult, almost visibly English-educated, and I look younger than I am. I'm not surprised I was picked.

The girls ask me if I'm interested in a special performance at their church. They've got leaflets, with colourful Photoshop images. For a moment, I miss that little orange booklet.

They ask me to come and listen. I know a bit more of what I am, than I did at 12. I know how to stand out and fit in, because I'm not 16. I'm not 17 either, and I know that nice-sounding concepts need to be supported by understanding and facts. Moved beyond 20, so I've done the readings. No longer a tentative 24, I can stand firm and say it, because I am an individual, and belonging to a family or a group greater than myself doesn't change it.

And I've been working for awhile, and I know what to say.

MzPresent: Thank you. But I already believe in Jesus.

Evangelist girls: That's fantastic!

Their pleasure is palpable. For a moment I feel like telling them that I don't think they understand it the same way I do. But what's the point? They'd get upset, and right now, they're happy and if I am a true believer in my faith, I wouldn't do that to them.

Maybe I should have just been straight with them. I didn't lie. Some beliefs are common to all humanity, too.

But I do believe. In my own way, and so do they. And it doesn't threaten me at all.

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Events described here are real, though I will admit to paraphrasing it for the purposes of coherency and to allow for my impressions to come through. I've actually been approached many more times than this, but some were less pleasant, as well as somewhat irrelevant.

To the two evangelists I met at Novena - Um. Sorry. Yes, I do go to a church in Bishan, like I told you, but when I said "church", I was broadly interpretting it as "place of worship". By the way, you're cute. Really. Are you single?

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Singapore Mosques reaching out to non-Muslims

Muis aims for all mosques to reach out to non-Muslims


The goal is to have all 69 mosques in Singapore reach out to those beyond the Muslim community, by the year 2009.
Challenging new-generation mosque leaders at their investiture yesterday to adopt an inclusive attitude towards non-Muslims, Mr Alami Musa, president of the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis), said: "Doing so can ensure that our mosques become a catalyst for national integration."

So far, said Mr Alami, 56 mosques are running joint programmes for the elderly with grassroots organisa-tions such as the community development councils (CDC).

But he hopes all 69 would reach out beyond the community in the next three years, as spelt out in Muis' second three-year work plan unveiled over the weekend. One major change announced was that Muis would manage mosques in clusters, CDC-style.

Shouldering the responsibility of shaping the "community-friendly mosques" will be 197 individuals invested as volunteer members of 18 mosque management boards. Of the 57 who are newcomers, 14 are tertiary educated.

Those Today spoke to felt there was scope for mosques to conduct more programmes with non-Muslim organisations. Such tie-ups should go beyond meals together during festive seasons, said Mr Anis Maricar, 36.

He suggested forming working committees to share experiences on common social problems, such as broken homes and low-income families.

Mr Kamsari Sanuh, 38, added: "And when we have agreed on which areas to focus on, we can move on to conducting workshops that can benefit not just Muslims but also non-Muslims." /rose

Posting this for my own interest. Good idea if it actually works out.

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Things I heard in the Kallang Roar

A conversation that did not quite happen last night after the Singapore-Thailand game.

"Anyway, we wanted to shout 'Ho Ching', but decided against it."

"'Ho Ching'? Why?"

"Cos she brought down Thailand? And wasn't even trying?"

"No shit. I guess we know who wears the Lee pants now."

"Guess so - didn't they used to say that she's a man?"

"She'd totally take out the Thai team."

"Yeah. They're all girls, anyway."

"Girls? Really?"

"They're Thai, they're all transgender - didn't you watch Iron Ladies, the one about the volleyball team?"

"Those were men pretending to be women, not the other way around."

"Yeah. Wonder if Ho Ching plays volleyball."

"Thanks, now you made me think about Ho Ching's kar-ching."



Anyway, that conversation didn't happen. But the game was fun, for reasons that had nothing to do with the game. The National Stadium's got a lot of memories for me - I remember being a performer for the SEA games, and the days spent with classmates practicing our moves and our bridge game. The way Khong Guan biscuits and 100 plus tasted (the official sponsers). The stairs that always smelled of urine, even after they cleaned it up. Blissfully caught in the rain with the one that I thought was my first true love.

The grand old pee-stained lady's going to go soon. I don't want to launch into a discussion as to whether she should be kept; architect historian that I am, I want to build and preserve at the same time.

But I was glad to be there once last time - with thousands of others, to cheer on the national team, so that we could say all the things we never say, in that one last Kallang Roar.

(And for those of you who weren't there, yes, someone led the crowd in a cheer that went *clapclapclap* SHINCORP!* A lot of things get said at the National Stadium, that we never ever say outloud. )

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En memoriam

I've always had a reluctant crush on MP Ms Indranee Rajah, ever since her great boobs and fantastic poise caught my attention. I don't know her personally, and I think she's mildly condescending, but I've never had the urge to diss her competence. She's ok, and I think she mostly knows what she's doing.

So the news of her brother's death was - well, I wouldn't say upsetting, since it's not as if I was friendly with either of them - so let's just say that it caught my attention in a "oh shit, that sucks" kind of way.

Of course, the fact that it took place two floors below me was a factor as well.



I heard that Dr Rajah had a heart attack while a student was consulting him in his room. Much as I live for the drama, I'll skip this starring role in ER: Singapore edition.

Poor guy. Heart attacks are just awful - it's out of the blue, and that little chunk of muscle that we never pay attention to as it blip-blops along suddenly goes blip-blop-bzzzzt.

You never get to say goodbye - so other people have to do it for you. I don't know the man, so the notice that was sent out on the mailing list will have to do:

Death Notice - Dr Ananda Rajah

It is with great sadness that I write to say that my friend and
colleague Ananda Rajah died on the afternoon of Tuesday, 9 January
2007, of an apparent heart attack at the age of 54. Ananda is probably
best known for his research on the Karen and on ethnic relations,
particularly relating to Myanmar, but anyone who had the pleasure of
knowing him will also remember his fine sense of humor and the great
pleasure he took from relating to friends, colleagues and students.

Paul Kratoska
Editor, H-SEASIA

He was one of the first generation of NUS academics, back when it was the University of Malaya. He would have remembered a time when the university believed itself an insitution of learning, not the Human Resource centre of Singapore, when they accepted government grants as homage, not as payment.

And now he steps into the past, carrying his memory with him. I think the older professors look at him, and see their own future - the last of a greater generation, marginalised by a government that sees them as inconvenient reminders of another time.

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A rant in the museum

Rant mode: Am I the only person on the planet who actually likes the National Museum? Or am I simply one of the few people who've actually spent more than 20 minutes in it? Seriously, half the criticsms I've read are by people who don't seem to know what was going in there.

I don't think the exhibits were perfect. I think there's area for improvement. I can name one, actually. But some of the criticisms that the NMS has received simply aren't justified. And for that matter, I've seen perfectly blah exhibits in some of the "world class museums".

I'm quite tense this today, so I'm definitely overreacting. But I can't help feeling that the NMS is going to have to face the problem of having to be all things to everyone.

Screw them. Heh. I need to put my head down and get some perspective. I suppose if people perceive it to be a problem, then there is a problem, whether I think it's there or not.

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The rude(?) Singaporean

Last Saturday, the MRT was crowded - not quite peak hour crowded, but the next best thing. The average person there was carrying shopping bags galore - it was the coming-home-from-Xmas-shopping crowd - the kind that clears out of Orchard so that the heading-out-for-dinner crowd can move in.

Two senior citizens got on. Senior with an S - white hair, pajama top and polyester print - not one of those can-withdraw-CPF sort of senior citizen, the kind that doesn't quite identify themselves as senior citizen until financially or morally convenient.

The seats filled as usual.

Pause.

Two people - under 30 - got up and gave their seats to them. Both of them were carrying bags as well, and looked slightly knackered from a day of shopping. One man, one woman, not together.

I remember the man's face - vaguely uncomfortable at reaching out to another person in the potential breach of a social contract that sacralised personal space in the crowded MRT in lieu of not actually having any, slightly awkward because god forbid he should actually draw attention to himself, wanting to go unnoticed while at the same time needing to get the senior's attention.

The elderly man sat down, and smiled in thanks.

The younger man gave a slight grunt and nod of acknowledgement, and quickly turned away. I fancied there was a tinge of pink to him now.

It's not the first time I've seen it happen - enough for me to question the maxim that Singaporeans are innately rude and uncaring, or that young people have no breeding. Granted, I've never taken the MRT at the real peak hours, where I'm sure all the real shit takes place. Still, it makes me wonder if the whole "rude Singaporean" meme is an overreaction to the official line that Singapore is a gracious society.

I don't think we're particularly gracious, nor are we particularly rude. I think we're not very good at standing out from the crowd, whether it's to do the right thing or the wrong, thing, and we're more likely to bitch that something went wrong than when something went right. I think we're human, with all that entails, and all the variations between.

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Law! Huh! What is it good for! | absolutely everything

A little kerfuffle - or lack thereof over the MHA Women's Focus Group Discussion session. The topic was about article 375 (marital immunity) and article 377 (homosexuality).

Sayoni have done a great job of covering the event, so there's not much to say (especially since I wasn't there.)

There's just thing I want to bring up. During the session, Ms Indranee Rajah had this to say:

Indranee: Logic has little to do with whether the law stands or not… It is more about maintaining the status quo. [follows up with point about religious groups being upset]

Indranee: You are right, it does not have a physical impact on them. But it is more of an emotional impact, and what kind of message we are sending by removing the law. We have to look at parents. They might be afraid that their children will turn gay, if they see other people being gay, and they think it is okay to be gay

I actually have a soft spot in my heart for Indranee Rajah - and maybe even a hard spot somewhere else. She has an awesome car, fills out a T-shirt really well, and generally comes across as quite sensible. I don't agree with what she says, but I can appreciate that she's damn good at spinning the party line.

And smart chicks = hot. Chicks that spend their careers with their heads up the patriarchy's backside = so not hot, and yes, I'm looking at you, beyotch.

So anyway - I am willing to believe that Indranee doesn't believe everything she says. That being said, I don't have her personal LJ account (screw the p65 rubbish, indraneerajah.blogspot is where it's at!) , so all I can crit is what she says publically.

No, the law isn't about maintaining the status quo. It's about protecting rights, rights that were laid out in the constitution. In fact, the law should never be used to maintain the status quo, because more often than not, the status quo is stupid.

From Pandogan.net

The more things change, the more they stay the same, huh? Reading those above pullquotes back to back confirms why civil rights for gays and lesbians should never be decided at the ballot box. Bigots of all stripes, indeed the public at large, are never comfortable — and more often than not are hostile — when it comes to granting rights to an oppressed group.

Time eventually reduces the hostility over time, but in the end, it is the courts that end up protecting and establishing rights when people cannot do the right thing because of fear and prejudice.

The sad difference today in the struggle for gay civil equality is that both political parties at the national level have accepted and promoted the proposition that it’s fine and dandy that our rights should be determined by the American public.

That’s shameful

I am not a political activist, or if you chose to call me one, I'd be a pretty poor one. I don't "get" politics in the sense that I don't know how to get things done. So that's my caveat and disclaimer - I may be wrong about what's happening in Singapore.

However the problem I have with some of the arguments put forth by both sides of the gay rights discussion in Singapore is that it sometimes seems to be centred around the idea that people must be made comfortable, that people might complain. Govt says "People will hate it/religiousblahblah", Gay rights activists reply, "No they won't/who cares?"

You can't win with that sort of framework based around the idea that hypothetically someone might be offended. You can't win, because you can't prove that "No one will complain" or "no one will get hurt" or "society will stay intact".

Surely the argument should be based on demanding that the law protect your civil rights, rather than the non-existent rights of potentially non-existent groups to infringe on your rights? Why should the law care if the status quo isn't maintained? That's not what it's there for. For heaven's sake, the status quo also believes (or used to believe) that people shouldn't date interracially/inter-religiously. (remember the scholar who did not get his scholarship revoked despite writing disgusting racist comments in his blog? I swear, Singaporeans should grasp that there are scholars, and there are no-one-applied-to-that-organisation scholars.)

The law is there to protect the rights of the individual, not the prejudices of the majority.

I'm sure Indranee is aware of that. I just wish she could say so.

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In a more light-hearted mood, there's the kerfuffle US-side over Mary Cheney (right wing VP Dick Cheney's daughter)and her long-time partner Heather Poe's decision to have a baby. Some of the more hilarious nuggets that it inspired from the apoplectic religious right:

You got blood vessels and membranes in your behind. And if you put something unnatural in there, it breaks them all up. No wonder your behind is bleeding. It’s destroying us. Can’t make no connection with a screw and another screw. The Bible says God made them male and female. The Hebrew word Negade, which means complimentary nature - there is something unique to man and unique to woman and it takes those two things to compliment each other. You can’t make a connection with two screws. It takes a screw and a nut! (shouting)…”
–D.C. pastor Rev. Willie Wilson during a sermon.

And the responses on the internet:

look, God was a carpenter, so he’d understand this a hell of alot more than some pastor. a screw doesn’t go on a nut. it goes into wood. and you need at least two of them to make a connection, otherwise it’s just a pivot point which pries out. so two screws are good to go. two nuts also work fine, provided you have a medium for them to act through (generally a threaded shaft of some sort, but for people, hands, tongue, or gizmos would be fine.) so gays are good, and lesbians are fine, so long as they don’t exist in a vacuum. but I think other problems would introduce themselves there. like explosive decompressi.

and you can’t switch over to bolts and nuts (which do require one another) because they you gotta ask what the hell is the washer is. a condom? foreplay? your patriarchial metaphor would fall apart with either of those.

From Pandagon.

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Did you know Singapore has no press freedom? | ad infinitum

Singapore's dropped 6 places in the Press freedom index. According to Reporters San Frontieres, we're at 146 now because

Singapore (146th) slipped six places because of new legal action by the government against foreign media.

Can't say that comes as a surprise. I suppose they're referring to the requirement that foreign media take out a bond/hostage for the Singapore government, so that they could be sued under Singapore law. The Far Eastern Economic Review refused (no surprise there, since they've been stung before), and promptly engaged on a round of Singapore-bashing. While the bashing was deserved, it doesn't say all that much about FEER's objectivity either.

Rest of the report

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Citizen newsgathering | stomp

Jon Stewart has something to say about Stomp - I mean, CNN's new I-report, whereby everyone is recruited to become a CNN reporter.



The BBC editors' blog - have I mentioned that I really do love their blogs? - also wrote about the idea of citizen journalism.

Essentially, they make an important distinction between citizen newsgathering, and citizen journalism. Stomp - newsgathering. Yawningbread, Backfence, Singaporeheritage, Yesterday.sg - citizen journalism. Newsgathering is just that - getting news and reports in - or out. Journalism - refers to sorting out the story, and analysing it, ultimately producing something that needs to be recorded and presented.

History's sort of like that. You get a stack of materials, from shopping receipts to court records, and while the part about the chancellor caught in flagrant delicto with the tortoise is undoubtedly hilarious, it doesn't do anything for the overall story, nor is it particularly earthshaking. (Unless it involves the phrase Chelonius Mobilus, and that's a whole new planet. Literally) So you leave it out.

In fact, the recent efforts by the National Heritage board have reminded me of this important distinction. With webbies and programs like Singaporealbum.org and the Family tree project, and the NLB's decision to archive websites - well, what the NHB is doing to essentially citizen heritage resource gathering. (That's a damn clumsy phrase, I admit.) They're gathering records for the future and the present, sending citizen heritage/memory gatherers into past. And eventually, a historian will put it together, and write up these little histories.

There's also a point that the BBC makes, that I think historians can empathise with. Much has been written recently about the threat that blogs and citizen journalism pose towards the traditional media - both from insecure bloggers and equally insecure MSM. (I'm not going to discuss the Singapore context here) However, it's worth noting that BBC, arguably the veteran of MSM, doesn't quite share the concerns of lesser newsbeings, and in fact has taken the simple stand that there isn't a threat - and in fact, that they complement each other.

Historians don't regard citizens as a threat - why should the BBC?

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Gay animals in Norway | Singapore art

There's a gay animal exhibition in a museum in Norway. I understand that's the first time such an event has been held in a museum.

Curators say a Norwegian exhibition on homosexuality among animals has been well received, despite initial indications of strong opposition.

from the BBC

Sometimes, I think that it's Singapore's attitude towards sex/political commentary/mystical Asian values that is holding the arts scene back. After all, art thrives - heck, throws parties - on top of societal OOB markers. Those are the grey areas, relatively uncomprehended, which requires explanation and illustration through art.

The odd thing is this - the MDA always cites some group being potentially offended as a reason for clamping down. But often the cited group doesn't care, or thinks that kicking up a fuss will just make them seem silly. Take Talaq, for example, banned on grounds of being insensitive to Muslims - every Muslim I talked to couldn't figure out why it should be banned. Ironically, Malays as usual got the brunt of the blame - which is odd, since it was an Indian group that first complained.

So just who is holding MDA's leash? Or is the MDA like a tradition that's gone on for so long that everyone continues to do it, despite the fact that no one can quite remember why?

Bah. I want to see gay penguins in Singapore. Then again, there's always been something gay about penguins.

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