| Sedition n – rebellion or incitement: actions or words intended to provoke or incite rebellion against government authority, or actual rebellion against government authority.
[In Chinese] – 煽动叛乱[14th century. Via French < Latin sedition- "coming apart" < se(d)- "apart" + ition- "going" < ire "go"] |
The two bloggers charged with sedition faces jail terms for making anti-Muslim and racist remarks on the Internet. The case was triggered when a local Muslim woman complained about uncaged dogs travelling in Singapore taxis, and leaving behind drool and dirt. In a letter to the editor of the Stooge Times, she pointed out that contact with dog saliva is prohibited for many Muslims. A 25-year-old Chinese man responded with allegedly anti-Muslim remarks on a dog lovers’ website. Police say a second man who works at a dog kennel made an expletive-filled posting about the Muslim woman on his personal website.
These two clowns probably never thought they would get into shit so deep that it goes all the way up to the chin.
Would there be such an emotional outburst from these two idiots if the case was brought up by a hygiene conscious non-Muslim? Personally speaking, I do think it is completely inconsiderate to bring one’s pet into a cab and have it dirty the seats. Have a heart for the poor taxi driver trying to make a living and the next person getting onto the cab, please, even if you do not care about the religious obligations a Muslim has to go through when they touched dog saliva.
It is one thing to tell jokes which might be considered racist among friends in a private setting, but it is a completely different matter when it is made on the Internet, and viewed by all. There is never a good time or a good place for such public display of racial and religious bigotry.
While they probably didn’t intend their comments to be seditious but there is no place for bigotry. Although charging them for sedition, (in my definition – inciting rebellion) is laying it a bit thick, I do personally think these two clowns deserve what is coming for them.
I must admit that I did not actually check up on the details surrounding this case and whatever remarks Mdm Zuraimah has made with regards to the dog. That mistake is mine and I apologise for my failure to do so.
As to the matter of responding to disparaging remarks, I probably would have hit someone who insults my mother. But it’s one thing to say “You NBCCB” compared to “You CCB * race and religion here * bastards are really one kind.”
In simpler words, as a Chinese, if I did something stupid, the rest of the Chinese has nothing to do with it. I hope you get what I am driving at here.
Also, a forum is hardly private. (For e.g. How private is this blog anyway when you can find it and I have always thought no one is reading?) When it’s a forum, it’s even worse because it means anyone could join in, read and comment on the stuff. If a person really wants his comments to be private then it shouldn’t be left online for all to view.
With all due respect, I still think these two deserved what is coming for them for failing to be responsible, even when it is probably not comparable to Gangster Chee shouting his famous ‘Where is the money, Mr Goh?”
If you read the letter written by Madam Zuraimah, you will note the terse note makes no reference to her religious objection. It sounds more like hitting at the dog for riding in a cab, while she has to take the bus. No dog lover will take it lying down. If someone makes a disparaging remark at your girlfriend/wife/mother while you are walking down Orchard ROad, would you not react in anger and/or utter an profanity (damn/shit/f**k/KNNCCB)? Do you expect to be hauled up in court for not being calm to the assault? The netizens vented their displeasure in their private space, a forum, never expecting someone at the ungodly hour to ring 999. It’s not the same as shutting loudly in a busy wet market, “Where is the money, Mr Goh?”