In recent weeks, here in the UK there has been a lot of discussion and TV broadcasting about India and Pakistan, as this is now the 60th anniversary of their independence from English rule. While this is an understandable reason for celebration and pride (a lot has been achieved by these countries in the past 60 years), there is also a negative vibe with this: as independence became inevitable after 1945, the religious fighting between Hindus and Muslims erupted in India, which led to the founding of several states: India, Pakistan.
I do know only very little about those events, and I was watching several of the programs shown on TV with great curiousity. More than a Million people died in India during those years towards independence. Well, they did not die, but they were killed. And mostly not by the British (well, they did their part of "surpression" of the independence movement), but by their own countrymen. There were stories of Hindus killing their women in a village, for being afraid they would fall "into the hands of Muslims". Muslims hunting Hindus, Hindus hunting Muslims. A shameful end of Ghandi's dream of non-violent resistance, which taints the celebratory mood. Couldn't they just have gotten along with each other, in one single country?
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
10 years ago...
In a few days, there will be an anniversary being "celebrated", or better "commemorated", both in UK and in most fo the rest of the world. You probably know what I am talking about: 10 years ago a fabulous, legendary woman died. I am sure I do not have to mention whom I mean: Mother Theresa.
Got you there?
What happened 10 years ago, did at that time almost prompt me to begin something that would nowadays be called a "blog". I was annoyed and amused at the same time about that media circus that evolved after the car accident in which Lady Di perished. Now, 10 years later, the circus seems to repeat itself, and so I use the opportunity to post my opinion on this.
Lady Diana died in that car accident on 31. August 1997. She had been very popular, although that celebrity gossip never interested me. She had lived a life on the side of the "more advantaged", in high society, among the "fortunate ones". Of course she was very humanitarian and used her fame for positive impact. But overall she lived a privileged life, as everyone of "us" would dream to live one. Ok, she had some personal trouble. But she is not the only wife who has been abandoned by her husband - these things happen! So I do not feel that she was a tragic person. She was very well in control of her glamorous life, and had everything she wanted and needed. And if that car accident had not cut her life short, she would have gone on to lead a happy life.
Mother Theresa had been doing her humanitarian work since decades. I knew already as a child about her. She selflessly helped the poor in Calcutta, not glamorous, but in filth and poverty. Ok, one may criticise her work as not removing the causes but sort of stabilizing the bad situation, but she personally helped so many individuals who will have her personally in memory. When she died on 5. September 1997, the story of her death was buried in all that news about Lady Di. I felt ashamed for humanity at that point. And now, with the anniversary, the same situation will continue. I am curious how in 90 years the 100 year anniversary will be celebrated - maybe then Mother Theresa gets a bit more coverage, as somebody who really made a difference into individual's lifes, and who was not just a celebrity footnote in history whose personal problems dominated the news.
Got you there?
What happened 10 years ago, did at that time almost prompt me to begin something that would nowadays be called a "blog". I was annoyed and amused at the same time about that media circus that evolved after the car accident in which Lady Di perished. Now, 10 years later, the circus seems to repeat itself, and so I use the opportunity to post my opinion on this.
Lady Diana died in that car accident on 31. August 1997. She had been very popular, although that celebrity gossip never interested me. She had lived a life on the side of the "more advantaged", in high society, among the "fortunate ones". Of course she was very humanitarian and used her fame for positive impact. But overall she lived a privileged life, as everyone of "us" would dream to live one. Ok, she had some personal trouble. But she is not the only wife who has been abandoned by her husband - these things happen! So I do not feel that she was a tragic person. She was very well in control of her glamorous life, and had everything she wanted and needed. And if that car accident had not cut her life short, she would have gone on to lead a happy life.
Mother Theresa had been doing her humanitarian work since decades. I knew already as a child about her. She selflessly helped the poor in Calcutta, not glamorous, but in filth and poverty. Ok, one may criticise her work as not removing the causes but sort of stabilizing the bad situation, but she personally helped so many individuals who will have her personally in memory. When she died on 5. September 1997, the story of her death was buried in all that news about Lady Di. I felt ashamed for humanity at that point. And now, with the anniversary, the same situation will continue. I am curious how in 90 years the 100 year anniversary will be celebrated - maybe then Mother Theresa gets a bit more coverage, as somebody who really made a difference into individual's lifes, and who was not just a celebrity footnote in history whose personal problems dominated the news.
Iraq - Never-ending Story
There are many things going on about which I would like to comment on. Among current events Iraq keeps being in the news. Today the news is not about fighting between Shiites and Sunnis, but among Shiites themselves. Here is an example of a report on these events. The situation there gets out of control. Religion here completely expands its dividing power, and brainwashed followers bring the country further into ruin. The questions is: leave, to end an involvement which cannot be won, or stay, to fix what was damaged through the presence in the first place.
The Western powers who invaded Iraq acted like the "Sorcerer's Apprentice": not being aware about the powers they would release through their actions, unable to control the outcome. The responsible actors here will bear the full personal responsibility for each death, for each suffering in that country. But of course, nobody will ever go to trial for this...
The Western powers who invaded Iraq acted like the "Sorcerer's Apprentice": not being aware about the powers they would release through their actions, unable to control the outcome. The responsible actors here will bear the full personal responsibility for each death, for each suffering in that country. But of course, nobody will ever go to trial for this...
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