Letter to ST forums - the ugly side of free speech

Haha, something I did while having lunch in office.. wonder if it'll get published? hehz..

Dear ST Forums,

This letter is in response to Minister Teo Chee Hean's call on the world to respect the Olympic torch and its message of peace and unity.

Firstly, let me state that I am not really a big fan of sports, aside from the occasional World Cup and Champions League. I've never really watched the Olympics purposefully, and like most Singaporeans, watch Olympic events on television only once in awhile. Neither do I affirm the harsh treatment of the Tibetans by China, and totally agree with our Singapore government that there should be talks between the Chinese and Dalai Lama representatives.

But would anyone honestly want to forcefully drag these two seperate issues into one by protesting at the relay of the Olympic torch across several countries?

I was just amazed at the protests and tension in the US over the relay of the Olympic torch. Over 10,000 protestors in San Francisco trying to create trouble for the torch bearers and making their voice heard was almost surreal to me. And the fact that the pro-China supporters went nose to nose in the shout-fest didn't make things any better.

Think about it. The Olympics is about different sportsmen from around the world coming to compete against each other in the spirit of sportsmenship and comaderie. Why push personal political views into such events? Is the world supporting the oppression of Tibet by supporting the Olympics in China?

Does the tourist who comes to experience the Singapore Flyer support the ban of chewing gum?

I'm really grateful for the education and government in Singapore, who've always practiced pragmatic politics, and educated our youth about the proper techniques and appropriate mechanisms to get your voice heard. Sure, some critics complain about the lack of space to protect at the WTO meeting in Singapore, some academics complain about the lack of freedom of speech and expression, and some organisations comment on the apathetic attitude of Singaporeans toward politics or the "iron-fisted" government. But at the end of the day, Singaporeans still get to enjoy peace and prosperity, and we are grateful and indebted to the government for that.

However, the younger generation of Singaporeans need to know the dangers of pushing for freedom of speech without a mature mindset. They grow up in a world where slogans like "just do it" and "whatever your thing" flash on advertisements and television programs, encouraging youth to "rebel" and just do what they want without thinking of the consequences. Just look at the amount of unwarranted insults hurled at our MPs on the internet against our MPs on the section 377A issue. What would the future of Singapore be like if the younger generation were to thrive in such a mindset, of saying or doing whatever they want, whenever they want?

So parents, don't blame the teachers for scolding or punishing your child in school. Don't blame the government for issuing stricter censorship rules or other "paternalistic" state policies, if you want the future generation of Singaporeans to have a balanced and mature way of thought and behaviour. Let's pave the way for a peaceful, enjoyable youth Olympics for Singapore!

Loh Weiwen