Take Asians Out To Lunch

Once, when I was living in Sydney, I saw a highway flyover pylon with a piece of graffiti sprayed on that read ‘Asians Out’. A couple of days later, it was reported in the Sydney Morning Herald that that work of graffiti itself had been vandalised, and new spray words had been added to the original, making it read ‘Take Asians Out To Lunch’.

Here in Singapore, we seem to have cultivated that uniquely Singapore ‘I report you to police’ mode of discourse. You write something bad about me? Nabeh, I report police! I sue you!

Blogs have no place in Singapore, really, given this litigious habit which I don’t know from where we picked up.

While I am very sure what the bloggers/forumers convicted of sedition said were wrong and have no place online, I am also very sure the only violence they might have incited would have been against themselves and no-one else. The rest of society was hardly roused enough to pick up a pitchfork (where to buy ah? Carrefour have or not?) and riot. So, maybe the sentencing was for their own protection.

If the judiciary, as the independent pillar of law, was thinking of taking a strong stance against racism and racist remarks, then it has done its job, and then some: it has sent out the message that if you have racist thoughts, keep them to yourself. You’re not going to get into trouble if you don’t put these racist thoughts online or in print. It’s a huge step towards eradicating racism, I tell you.

Everyone else has done their part already: We’ve got Multi-Racial Day in schools, where the teachers and kids come dressed in their ‘traditional costumes’, you know? Those they wear only once a year during Multi-Racial Day? It makes everyone so aware of each other’s culture and race. (And kids of mixed parentage get to wear a choice of costumes too.)

What I am interested in is the state of the whistleblower, the woman who was sufficiently angered and hurt to report the lunatic rantings of those foolhardy boys to the police. I mean, apart from what the Straits Times wrote about her on Sunday. We know she’s a 21 year old ‘Media Executive’. What about her religious beliefs? Have those been sufficiently vilified that she had to report the boys’ acts to the cops? And what’s a ‘Media Executive’? Who does she work for? Come on, conspiracy theorists, here’s a job for youse!

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18 responses to “Take Asians Out To Lunch”

  1. PM-G Avatar

    Media Exec?? She works for SPH?

    Strange they only got a few months… If it was that seditious…

  2. PM-G Avatar

    Media Exec?? She works for SPH?

    Strange they only got a few months… If it was that seditious…

  3. Michael Chua Avatar

    Being litigious? We are far from being like the Americans where a man who walks along a street can sue the road contractor for causing him to fall down. Blaming the contractor for his injury which caused him to be unable to give his wife sex.

  4. Michael Chua Avatar

    Being litigious? We are far from being like the Americans where a man who walks along a street can sue the road contractor for causing him to fall down. Blaming the contractor for his injury which caused him to be unable to give his wife sex.

  5. gecko Avatar

    it’s called ‘Racial Harmony Day’. for those who fancy, dressing up in another race’s costumes is considered the fad e.g. Chinese wearing Indian sari, Malay wearing Cheongsam. after a few years, it becomes passe.

    oh, if that Media Executive is so angered and hurt at racist remarks hurled at her race, why isn’t she similarly upset at racism directed at other races? ahh… but the broadsheet likes the cloak of anonymity mystery for its own agendas.

  6. gecko Avatar

    it’s called ‘Racial Harmony Day’. for those who fancy, dressing up in another race’s costumes is considered the fad e.g. Chinese wearing Indian sari, Malay wearing Cheongsam. after a few years, it becomes passe.

    oh, if that Media Executive is so angered and hurt at racist remarks hurled at her race, why isn’t she similarly upset at racism directed at other races? ahh… but the broadsheet likes the cloak of anonymity mystery for its own agendas.

  7. expatatlarge Avatar

    How did she get to be an “Executive” at only 21?

    I’m 48 still haven’t made it to Manager even!

    E@L

  8. expatatlarge Avatar

    How did she get to be an “Executive” at only 21?

    I’m 48 still haven’t made it to Manager even!

    E@L

  9. virgin_undergrad Avatar

    haha, that’s a pretty creative twist on the graffiti. i’m not too sure about the eastern states, but here in perth, the only overt form of racial slurring me or any of my fren experienced are made by -believe it or not- the aboriginals.

    it’s unbelievable how those who once upon a time suffered under the yoke of racial discrimination could actually turn around and inflict upon other minorities what they were subjected to in the past.

    and considering the common historical heritage we singaporeans share as the former ‘inferior subjects’ under the british colonial rule, perhaps the seditious bloggers really aren’t that much different from those aboriginals.

  10. virgin_undergrad Avatar

    haha, that’s a pretty creative twist on the graffiti. i’m not too sure about the eastern states, but here in perth, the only overt form of racial slurring me or any of my fren experienced are made by -believe it or not- the aboriginals.

    it’s unbelievable how those who once upon a time suffered under the yoke of racial discrimination could actually turn around and inflict upon other minorities what they were subjected to in the past.

    and considering the common historical heritage we singaporeans share as the former ‘inferior subjects’ under the british colonial rule, perhaps the seditious bloggers really aren’t that much different from those aboriginals.

  11. Tym Avatar

    I don’t think the attitude is litigious so much as it is childish — relying on the all-knowing, all-powerful Father to take care of everything. Heaven forbid it should be the citizen’s duty to do something other than report the issue to the authorities. Singaporeans are very trusting of authority and keen to in turn shirk any individual responsibility. Pah!

  12. Tym Avatar

    I don’t think the attitude is litigious so much as it is childish — relying on the all-knowing, all-powerful Father to take care of everything. Heaven forbid it should be the citizen’s duty to do something other than report the issue to the authorities. Singaporeans are very trusting of authority and keen to in turn shirk any individual responsibility. Pah!

  13. ex-teacher Avatar
    ex-teacher

    I would also like to know more about the person who complained to 999 about the white elephants. Wonder if the newspaper could do an interview with him/her.

  14. ex-teacher Avatar
    ex-teacher

    I would also like to know more about the person who complained to 999 about the white elephants. Wonder if the newspaper could do an interview with him/her.

  15. jess Avatar

    ya u’re right, quite a few of my fellow undergrad classmates are displaying lawsuit-happy behaviour.

    but, question question! if she didn’t tell anyone about her call, like the report stated, then how’d did Ben N. get the scoop?

    either
    1. she lied about not telling someone (which would be stupid, cos the person who tipped off ben would’ve to be psychic)

    2. she called ST.

    Something very strange about reading blogs at 3 am at night, getting offended and calling the police. Me thinks she didn’t quite think.

  16. jess Avatar

    ya u’re right, quite a few of my fellow undergrad classmates are displaying lawsuit-happy behaviour.

    but, question question! if she didn’t tell anyone about her call, like the report stated, then how’d did Ben N. get the scoop?

    either
    1. she lied about not telling someone (which would be stupid, cos the person who tipped off ben would’ve to be psychic)

    2. she called ST.

    Something very strange about reading blogs at 3 am at night, getting offended and calling the police. Me thinks she didn’t quite think.

  17. saffronsaris Avatar

    Odd, even when I read random blogs, I STILL don’t come across blogs with racist contents….How did she find her way to one?

  18. saffronsaris Avatar

    Odd, even when I read random blogs, I STILL don’t come across blogs with racist contents….How did she find her way to one?

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