Comments on: Americanism 101

Weekly Standard: We Are Americans By Choice, Not Birth

[rudy654-2009]

From Human Rights Watch regarding Singapore:

Singapore opposition leader Dr. Chee Soon Juan is being arbitrarily detained for exercising his right to free expression and should be immediately and unconditionally released, Human Rights Watch said today.

"Once again, the Singaporean government has reacted to public criticism by jailing the critic," said Brad Adams, Asia Director at Human Rights Watch. "Dr. Chee should be released immediately, before his health deteriorates further."

"It%u2019s as if Singapore%u2019s draconian restrictions on free speech apply to Dr. Chee%u2019s doctors," said Adams. "The government seems to think that the less that anyone other than the relevant authorities know, the easier it would be to contain public attention to the message he carried. But a vibrant outspoken civil society is just what the doctor should order for Singapore."
http://hrw.org/english/docs/2006/12/08/singap14792.htm

[rudy654-2009]

Excerpts from Amnesty International regarding Singapore's human rights record for 2005:

"However, a broad array of restrictive laws remained in place, curtailing the rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly."

"Despite an apparent decrease in the number of executions, Singapore continued to have the highest rate of execution per capita in the world."

"strict government controls on civil society organizations and the press continued to curb freedom of expression and were an obstacle to the independent monitoring of human rights."

"The ISA violates the right to a fair and public trial and the right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty according to law."

"At least four conscientious objectors to military service were imprisoned in 2004, and 20 others continued to serve prison sentences...There is no alternative civilian service in practice for conscientious objectors to military service in Singapore."

[rudy654-2009]

"From where do you get your information? Singapore does not let any religious doctrine to influence its' laws. Since there are roughly equal numbers of Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims and Christians that make up Singapore, the government actually very carefully crafts its laws to be religion neutral."

Please follow the link I gave you. I have known for some time that Singapore doesn't completely allow freedom of conscience and that religious freedom is not complete, regardless of what you think. I'm sure that you are seeing some positive things, and I'm glad that you're pleased. However, it is not all beautiful roses as you are trying to paint it.

If you don't believe me, then check out Amnesty International's report on this country's human rights record.

http://web.amnesty.org/report2005/sgp-summary-eng

[brianbwb-2009]

to rudy654,

From where do you get your information? Singapore does not let any religious doctrine to influence its' laws. Since there are roughly equal numbers of Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims and Christians that make up Singapore, the government actually very carefully crafts its laws to be religion neutral.

They do allow and indeed encourage the members of the respective religions to follow their respective tenets, Muslims can follow Sharia if they want, but even they are not forced to under law.

I find rather than from government meddling, Singaporeans tend to be self-censoring by nature, and somewhat fearful of taking even perfectly legal risks. As it still is a young country, they still have memories of the country's birth, when the government established power by silencing opposition. Even though this has not happened in the memory of the new generation, and government is actively encouraging new thinking, old habits die hard, the lack of willingness to embrace new risks and ideas is often blamed on the government, but is more often a result of a Chinese named concept called "kiasu" (afraid to lose, afraid to be left out, afraid to be non conforming)

Like I said, come see for yourself, rather than believe lies told to you by those with nefarious agendas.

[rudy654-2009]

I invite you to come to Singapore and see for yourself how it can be done right, or to a place like Indonesia, where they struggle with ethnic division, but the direction is plainly towards unity, rather than division, and also see how you have been lied to regarding Islam.
Posted by brianbwb at 12:07 AM : Jul 01, 2007

I'm sorry, but reading your praises of a country that is not a respecter of conscience, and with great hypocrisy allows Islam's Sharia law to influence women's rights, well..what can I say? There are far better countries in this regard than Singapore. Personally, I wouldn't set foot in a country that meddles in everything you think or do.
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2005/51529.htm

[brianbwb-2009]

to janem4, and monkfellow,

I invite you to come to Singapore and see for yourself how it can be done right, or to a place like Indonesia, where they struggle with ethnic division, but the direction is plainly towards unity, rather than division, and also see how you have been lied to regarding Islam.

I am not a Muslim, but majority Muslim countries like Indonesia (by the way, the country with the largest population of Muslims in the world) and Malaysia still treat me with respect, because I treat them so, and religion is no impediment to my ability to make friends and do business.

In fact, the only reason I contemplate returning to America at all is to help in any movement that will impeach and hold the Bush administration responsible for crimes against humanity, before some future despot (or even the current one) uses recent precedents and tactics to try to solve America's "race problem", which would affect my family members who are still there.

[brianbwb-2009]

to janem4, and monkfellow,

I am currently living in Singapore, after a decade in Indonesia and time before that in Holland, My career has blessed me with the opportunity to know different cultures and see most countries in the world, including such places as Mongolia, China, Thailand, Malaysia, most of western Europe, and parts of Eastern europe, and many Afrucan countries.

So many don't have certain conveniences like cable TV, or such, but some, like Singapore, where 90% of Singaporeans own their own home are more modern and convenient than any place in the US that someone less wealthy than Bush can live.

Most of the more successful countries like Singapore have enacted and strictly enforce anti discrimination laws to give all ethnic groups a voice in government, and a fair share of the economy.

Even among those who haven't, I, as a "Black" man, have been shown more respect and given more opportunities to achieve my dreams than ever could be imagined in America for a "Black" man.

The problem with America is she likes not only to colonize others, but she also likes to export her racist attitudes, so many times I have been told "You aren't like we thought at all, we were at first afraid because you know, we see on TV...,"
Now I am having contracts canceled because former associates are afraid to openly associate with Americans of any stripe, current US foreign policy has made such very dangerous.

[bennyblack1]

I agree that we should be teaching and demanding that students learn civics. It is certainly a down trodden tradition that many don't understand is important we hold up. Hence, the Constitution and its amendments become plaques on a wall, antique art in a gallery, a gadget in a wax museum for preservation. It is interesting to note, that Jews did the same thing to the scriptures in the Old Testament days. They wore them on their clothing, they hung them from the curls in their hair and beard, and wrote them on their doorposts. The bottom line is, it only became an excuse not to actually read and teach the scriptures since they actually wore them as clothing and used them as decoration. They forgot their heritage. So, the United States is doing the same. The Constitution hangs on every wall in the government buildings, displayed as art, and liberally translated in the schools...once. Then, it is forever lost in a book never to be read, and forever on a wall that is regarded as an out of date relic. It's a shame.

[nskduke]

God Bless America!

[uhf62]

Have a Happy July 4th America

From an American who had the great misfortune of being born in the wrong country.