My admin team colleagues, Siva and I wore red to work on the eve of National Day.
The powers that be at my workplace didn’t suggest that its staff wear red that day. Most of the people who did, did so on their own accord. Of course, red was the recommended colour for those who went for the National Day Observance Ceremony. I didn’t go this year as we take turns at my department.
If wearing red is a forced thing, then the purpose of doing so is defeated. Then again, some recoil at the idea of wearing red voluntarily, believing that it’s all part of a clandestine social engineering project.
To paraphrase what a friend said of me being clad in a red t-shirt yesterday: I can’t believe you’ve copped out.
Copped out?
One reason why Singaporeans see the outward expression of patriotism and love for country as being repugnant is because these expressions are often conflated with the political party that has singularly dominated the governance of this country, almost from Day One.
Just look at the National Day Parade. For some reason, there is always a PAP contingent, subtly (or not) reminding everyone how the party is inextricably tied to the country and vice-versa. So they would have us believe.
Me, I wear red to express my love for this young nation, warts and all. It can be, and is, an individual decision. No one forced me. Neither did I do it to conform to stated or unwritten expectations.
In any communication, meaning is generated by the audience. People will make of wearing red what they want to make of it.
P.S. Teuteberg (a.k.a. teutoburg) spotted a few other similarities between Siva and I.
P.P.S. Take a look at how some patriotic Singapore citizens treat the national flag.
vantan
/ Friday, 10 August 2007Agreed. There is a difference between supporting one’s country and a political party. It is NATIONAL day we’re celebrating, not ‘political party’ day.
Wearing red and white was also not mandatory at my workplace, but many of us turned up for the observance ceremony in the colours, and had a great time.
acroamatic
/ Sunday, 12 August 2007Speaking of wearing red, our teams are playing tomorrow. Not that I think United won’t do well this season but after what happened earlier, I should adopt Sunderland as my 2nd team. Wonder how Arsenal will do without Henry…
Lam Chun See
/ Sunday, 12 August 2007When I blogged in support of NS (here, I got so much flak from young people who equate serving NS with serving PAP govt.
acroamatic
/ Monday, 13 August 2007My goodness, it took me quite a while to just skim through all those comments. A very wide range of feelings and issues were brought up. Frankly, I am not surprised. In the popular imagination of many Singaporeans, the nation and ruling party are one and the same thing.
It was quite obvious from one of the comments:
Just becos u r born in s’pore, doesn’t mean u have to be loyal to s’pore. If war starts, i’ll NOT put my life in danger for s’pore. PAP doesn’t give a shit abt u, so why should u defend those bloodsuckers in wartime?
I’m not sure how that perception can be countered. No doubt many people feel disenfranchised politically (and increasingly economically). But how much of it is hot air? So many people claim they will leave the country if war comes.
Why not leave now? If they hate this place that much, they’ll find a way.
And if war comes, it might come swiftly and suddenly. What are they going to do then?
If it builds up over a long time, when is the point-of-no-return that they decide to leave?
If I have to fight, I’ll be doing it with thoughts of my family and friends. I certainly won’t be charging towards the enemy thinking that I’m “defending those bloodsuckers”.
steelwool
/ Monday, 13 August 2007Just highlighted from my readings,”The soldier of an adult nation is not a simple mercenary but a citizen who by means of arms defends his nation. That is why it is of fundamental importance that the soldier should know that he is in the service of his country and not in the service of his commanding officer, however great that officer’s prestige may be.”
Fanon, Frantz. “The Pitfalls of National Conciousness” in The Wretched of the Earth. Hammonsworth: Penguin, 1970, 164
I suppose “commanding officer” can be substituted for “political party.”
acroamatic
/ Tuesday, 14 August 2007Frantz Fanon. I had to read some of his work while I was in Uni. But I can’t remember what it was! =P
What jumps out at me from that quote is “adult nation”. Are we an adult nation? What is an adult nation?
steelwool
/ Tuesday, 14 August 2007i would think that the ‘adulthood’ of the nation is indicated by the maturity of its citizens. from the array for comments being commented in this thread, it seems like we’re not all there yet, but its a start nonetheless.