Mumbai: Now Closer to Home.

After all that has happened in Mumbai, I think many Singaporeans have felt that it has now become much closer to home. It took a death of one of our own to realise that the world is pretty much smaller than we all thought.

We all know that this murder was committed by extremists, rallying their cause using what we see as innocent victims. But in the eyes of these extremists, they possibly see the innocent as infidels - either you are with me, or you are against me.

As what Herbert Butterfield said, "...But the greatest menace to our civilization today is the conflict between giant organized systems of self-righteousness -- each system only too delighted to find that the other is wicked -- each only too glad that the sins give it the pretext for still deeper hatred and animosity."

I think what he said was in the context of cultures, politics, governments but it could well apply to this context of terrorism.

And this really reiterates our Government's constant guard against these forms of terrorism.






Side track alittle: For one thing, I really do like the short clip on the MRT that we commuters view when there are no other forms of entertainment. It's about the recognising of anomalous or suspicious characters on the MRT, and the precautions to take when they leave dubious parcels behind. Leave Nothing for granted. I think it was pretty well done and the message went across quite clearly. *clap clap clap*

Forgive me for quoting an Iron figure, that many relate to as soul-less. Stalin once said (adapted), "The death of one is a tragedy, but the death of many, a statistic..."

I find this to be very true. Especially, when the papers forget that there were another 195 others who had died in the killings. Not that I am not sympathetic at the death of Lo Hwei Yen, and my deepest condolences to her family and friends. But what I am saying is that, she is one of the many who had perished in innocence, and the media had taken her National identity, to turn it into a mass sympathy rally. Oh well, like what I had learned, chaos and proximity makes news.

I just hope, in all naiveness, that the radicalism in religions come to an end. By what means? I really don't know. But when there is a good, there is an evil - that keeps everything in balance. So, if there is no more radical religion? what's next?


My prayers for the family and friends of all who have departed in the killings.