Sunday, May 28, 2006

Current Controversies

Its been a month for controversies starting with Da Vinci Code, Aamir khans comments and the subsequent banning of fanaa , the OBC quota, the pope’s comments on anti conversions laws. If you look at it closely almost none are debate worthy. All of the controversies above have a relatively straight forward answer and do not need any moral hand wringing. But controversies they are and the debate rages though everyone I know seems to have the same view and so does the media so who’s the debate against? That probably speaks more about the people I know than it does about the controversial aspects of the issues. So for the record
Da Vinci Code - Its fiction, free speech and all related stuff. If you don’t like the movie don’t see it, if you don’t like the book don’t read it. If your faith is shaken by the book then you don’t have much faith, if it isn’t then wheres the problem?. All the controversy does is increase the number of Mary Magdalene books that are popping up.
Free speech again. As Aamir has reiterated, the government must rehabilitate the farmers , that’s its duty. Everything else is silly ego battles
No reservations on basis of caste,religion,community ever. Economically backward or in other ways handicapped, reservations may be possible but cannot be a number (what is the meaning on 10 or 25%?)
The pope can say whatever he wants, free speech again. People should be free to choose always whether its what they believe , what they watch , what they do so long as it affects only them..
And it’s a wonder how in a so called democracy the peoples views are mostly ..irrelevant. Theres not a single party opposing reservations so that you could say , fine , next elections we shall show you. Why is there no liberal , progressive non votebank oriented party in India?. Ok fine for that matter the world?. What is it about the nature of governance that forces good people to become stupid? Or is it the nature of governance that attracts only stupid people to begin with? Did you also try coming up with a politician who is not stupid? Hard task right?