Please take down 377a

http://sg.news.yahoo.com/gay-couple-files-377a-challenge-in-high-court-114540383.html
I am grateful to be living in a country where we accept and respect all religions; where we have free thinkers and not aethists, where different religions and races can come and harmoniously create a great environment to live in. One of the best things about this is that we are governed by a secular law that is respects religious believes cultural and traditional practices and customs. 

This is the reason we have free thinkers who live harmoniously with others on this island. We do not have a problem with Chritmas, Hari Raya, Chinese New Year or Deepavali lightings and decorations. This is why roads can be closed for Thaipusam and Sikhs be allowed to serve in our army with turbans on our heads despite being minorities. Many "Westernized" countries do not share these priveleges that Singapore does.

In Western countries, most are open or are opening up to issues of same sex relations ships and marriages. In Singapore, whilst we are not closed and we do not openly hate gays like many of our fellow Asian coutnries do, we still lag behind these Western countries.

Many seem to be satisfied not to activele pursue and arrest someone for being gay. I liken this to saying that we are not actively investigating someone for being Jewish or to close our eyes to the Muslim practise of Korban. It should not be wrong in the first place. People should never be judged by the way they are (Jewish) or things they practise in private (like Muslims do during Korban).

There also comes the point that being gay is okay. I used to think that being gay was wrong too. This changed when I went to NS. There were two gay guys in my company named Aziz and Sophian in my Company. Whilst their actions were "girly" and they talk different and all, I realized that they were just like everybody else.

They were not the sex-hungry-sissy-perverts that I thought of gays to be before entering NS. Gays I meet later are like that. Singaporeans also treat gays just like any member of the society. We are no longer afraid of gays. Gays are no longer queer to us, they are just different. Just like being Malay is different from being Chinese, being gay is different from being straight.

Personally, I do not get why people want to be gay, and I also do not believe that people are born gay. But if some people are gay, so? You smoke, I get second hand smoke, increase my chance of cancer; you drink, you drive, I can die; but if you are gay, what do I lose?

Lastly, to people whose religious believes dictate that people should not be gay. I think if you think that way, then you yourself not be gay. I am a Sikh, in my religion, we do not cut hair or eat meat. So should Singapore ban barbers because of my religious beliefs? Should non-Halal stalls be banned? Should Pork and Beef be banned? Or how about meat and spices?

Lets live and let live. I think that government should really take down this 377A law. We are an inclusive society. We do not need to be scared..

Cut the BS out Sleeper

Dear Mr Sleeper,

Let me get straight to the point. Your latest article in the Huffington Post is well just full of Crap.

As this name blog suggests, I am a Singaporean. I take to heart some of the offensive things that you have posted.

1) You have got to understand that Singapore is a country that takes zero tolerance to racial insensitivities. Even though you may have different intentions, your article can inflame some idiots who think otherwise. We already have Malaysia wanting to condemn Israel latest actions and let me guarantee you that your article, in all its inaccuracies, would all but be used as proof by some Malaysian Politician to condemn Singapore for political gain. Happened before and will happen again.


2) It is not a secret that Singapore got military training from Israel in the 1960s. It may come as news to you, almost every Singaporean son knows this. Your so call research claimed that Singapore only went to Israel, India and Egypt for help; in actual fact we asked other countries for help too. My elders were amongst the many who were trained by Singaporeans under the watchful eyes of the Isrealis. India too helped Singapore prop up our Airforce back then.

No one wanted to help Singapore. Reasons include not wanting to incur the wrath of Indonesia, a large country who had issues at that time and was having a campaign in Singapore called Konfrontasi. Another reason might have been the fact that the world did not know whether Singapore had rooted the Communists out and whehter they could make a comeback. But the reason, that I believe is most credible, is that Singapore was too small a country to care about.

Israel chose to help Singapore on one condition, that Singapore recognizes Israel. And we did. Hence the military partnership.

3)  You failed to mention in your post that Singapore has chosen to stay neutral in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. What that demonstrates is that we do not interfere in affairs that do not concern us and that Israel is a friend, not an ally.

4) Singapore issues with our neighbors is nowhere close to Israel issues with hers. We have no one shooting rockets over. Singaporeans go regularly to Batam (Indonesia) and Johor Bahru (Malaysia). Many Indonesians and Malaysians work here. I personally have family in Malaysia, one of my grandmother was born there. How you equate us is beyond belief. Majority of Malaysians do not go about claiming that Singapore should not exist.

Please Mr Sleeper, as the Singlish saying goes : You better wake up your idea!