Friday, June 10, 2011

Don't be careful what you say

If there is something bad, we tend to politely refrain from talking about it. If it is something really bad, we even hush each other up in case there is an eavesdropper around. For example, this afternoon I just mentioned the word "extremist" and my colleague hushed me up. We are not supposed to talk about Muslim radicals, or cast any aspersion on the Muslim religion. Yet we can freely talk about any other religion on earth without being chastised while the one we mustn't talk about is the one that is by far the most radical. Even as I write this blog, I risk getting spammed by a Muslim for the mere mention of this little episode. I hold nothing against a Muslim. I only question what they stand for: peaceful co-existence or subjugation of every non-Muslim.

Why is it that people are reluctant, or even scared, to discuss problems? Would you not encourage your child to voice out his problem so that you can have an open discussion with him? Or would you rather hush him up and pretend that there is no problem? I have read that a mother actually stopped her daughter from talking about herself (the daughter) being abused. I have heard about schools that do not want an untoward incidence being reported in the news, so as not to bring the school into disrepute. I know of people who do not want their illness known.... and so on, and so forth.

So next time before you want to hush up or to hush somebody up, ask yourself why. Is it fear? Is it embarassment? Is it denial? Whatever it is, I think chances are, it is not a good reason.

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