Moral Terrorism And Political Religion's Hate Machine

Ever so often this lady writes about things that are thought provoking. And last Thursday was no different. This time around, in her forth-nightly column, “Musings” in the Star, Marina Mahathir talks about “Moral Terrorism”.

In it she tells us of what is happening presently in the den of the “neo-cons”.

This coming week, the leader of the majority Republicans in the United States, Senator Bill Frist, is participating in a telecast geared towards labeling the opposition Democrats as acting “against people of faith.” This is because the Democrats are opposing the nomination of judges with extremely conservative views. But, as columnist Frank Rich of the New York Times says, Senator Frist and his allies do not mean people of all faiths, only those of their faith.

In the US these days, politics is becoming increasingly enmeshed with religion, or, at least, one religion. The government and its supporters are determined to impose their particular beliefs onto all their citizens regardless of their own individual faiths.

Later, she added that –

The reason Senator Frist is so upset about any blocking of appointments of the “right” judges is because the US courts had refused to allow the government to interfere in the case of Terry Schiavo, the severely brain-damaged woman whose husband and doctors wanted to cease her life support system, and whose parents didn’t.

The courts decided it was a private matter. So Frist thinks that if the “right” judges had been in the courts, they could have forced Schiavo’s doctors and husband to keep her on life support, as they already have for the past 15 years even though there was no hope for her recovery.

That’s one thing. But it’s quite another thing to then label people who oppose that move as acting against people of faith. Basically he’s saying that those who disagree with him are people of no faith, godless heretics determined to destroy society. Sound familiar to you? (Question bold by me)

Indeed, Marina.

And you are not alone in articulating all this. Read Farish Noor’s comment piece in Malaysiakini, titled Political religion’s hate machine, One paragraph was telling–

Indeed, the march of political religion (be it in Muslim countries or predominantly-Hindu India and predominantly-Christian America) has been in keeping with the development of political religion’s hate-machine: culminating in an expansive discourse replete with conspiracy theories, bellicose slogans and the constant baiting of their opponents and enemies. The situation in Malaysia hardly differs with that of the rest of the world in this respect.

Marina concludes that –

So we are forced to put up with personal insults, knowing that the whole idea of the other side is to simply shut the discussion down, not advance it. I call that moral terrorism.

We could wind up like the current situation in the United States if we are not vigilant. The only difference is that in the US, there are people who have the courage to publicly denounce these acts of moral terrorism. Here there are far too few of us and it’s hard going. Moral courage, exactly what we need to combat this intolerance, is in short supply. We should shed tears of despair.

I, too, despair but for another reason. What has happen to the radicalism and activism of the left side of center that could have mitigated the onslaught of the neo-cons and other right-wingers, worldwide, and in recent years?

Matured People, Press Freedom and Public Space

Amidst the calls for more freedom of the press and the clamoring for more “public space”, one important pre-requisite seems to have been forgotten – the presence of matured people. For without them, all the freedom and space would not mean anything.

Matured people, at least to me, are the thinking populace who are able to discern the truths from the spins and slants irrespective of the source of the news, comments, etc. as opposed to those who see the truths only in things published, relayed, etc. by or from a source where their biases lie and condemned all others as untruths.

Matured people are also those who can discuss or debate issues rationally and not get emotional and behave like a bigot.

The question then arises whether Malaysian society is a matured one. At my own risk, I venture this answer – No, I think it is less so, the maturity that is.

Remember the infamous April Fool story in Malaysiakini? What was meant primarily as an April Fool joke and with a secondary aim of “generating public discussion on the issue of corruption…” (Malaysiakini Apr 1, 05 5:20pm), the “news” piece was condemned by some, including threats to call in the police to investigate and suggestions that the online newspaper be banned. Matured people, this lot?

At the other end, supporters were also in their element. One vent his anger in a letter published in Malaysiakini about the “big fuss” over the story and how the “authorities stifle the media…..” and concluded with this paragraph -

So what happen if malaysiakini was shut down as it was once before. Keep up the good work please or else we will be lost, immature, stupid, ignorance, arrogant and uncivilised - just like the Malaysian authorities! (text bold by me)

Phew! Never knew that non-Malaysiakini readers were lost, immature, stupid and all.

More seriously, can you say this sort of comment displays maturity of thought.

And if you are a frequent visitor to the Malaysian Blogsphere, you would probably have also seen immaturity rearing its head in some of the comments. A waste of the interactive aspect of the blogging world which is a “public sphere” of sort. Yet we go on complaining that we are denied space.

You know, sometimes that taxi driver or that barber or that guy you meet at the Mamak stall or Kopi Tiam makes more sense and are more rational. Maybe I should shift to this side of the public sphere.

Malaysia, Truly Asia

In an interview with the New Straits Times last Monday, Yasmin Ahmad said,

”You know this Satu Bangsa Malaysia thing? I'm really not interested in seeing us as a homogenous society, as if we are all the same. Don't want all this (stuff) about integration.

”I don't want integration. I want Indians and Chinese to stay as they are. I love them as they are. I don't want them to be like me, and I don't want to be like them.”

When asked further – “So if it's not integration, then what should we seek?”

She simply replied, “Harmony, not homogeneity.”

Brave words from someone who had had her share of run-ins with the authorities.

And you know what, I think she is correct, about de-emphasising “homogeneity”.

One must realize that the various races in Malaysia and by extension, their cultures and religions have since the time of the Melaka Sultanate always existed side by side. There were no attempts by any race to assimilate another. All this because the immigrants came as “friends” and not conquerors and the locals welcome that.

We became “Malaysia (before that, Malaya), truly Asia”, to borrow a phrase from TDC. Our country was never, as some misguided people put it, “the melting pot of Asia”. And in the former form we obtained nationhood, the Malaysian Nation.

Why then this obsession, nowadays, with one culture, one language, one education stream and so on as the basis to move ahead as a Nation.

Homogeneity does not really spur one to the nation’s cause.

It its pride in the country that makes one willing to work for its interest. This comes from a sense of belonging, which in turn, stems from policies that encourage it.