Saturday, September 25, 2021

152

 Man’s Search for Meaning 10

I received the following post yesterday.

′ DON ' T EVER SHUT UP AGAIN!"

The first teaching day was a professor of law school. The first thing he did was ask for the name of a student sitting in the front row:

What's your name?... My name is Nelson.

- Get out of my class and don't come back! ordered.

Nelson was confused. The teacher walked towards him. He got up fast, got his stuff and left class.

Everyone was scared and indignant, but no one spoke.

- Very good! Let's start. What are laws for? the professor asked.

Students were still afraid, but slowly began to answer the question.

- To have order in our society…. No! No! No! No!

- Make people who make mistakes pay for their actions.

- No! No! No! No! Does anyone know the answer to this question?

The young girl timidly spoke to ′′ To advance justice,"

- Finally! Justice! But what is justice??

Everyone was getting mad at the professor's attitude. But they kept responding.

- Protect people's rights…. OK. And what else?

- Differentiate good from evil, reward those who do good...

- Okay... so answer the question, did I do the right thing by kicking Nelson out of class?

Everyone was silent, no one answered.

- I want a unanimous answer! NO!

They responded with one voice.

- Can you say I have committed an injustice?... Yes!

- ′′ And why didn't anyone do anything about it? Why do we want laws and rules if we don't have the will to apply them? Each of you has a duty to speak when you witness injustice. Everybody! Everybody! Everybody! Everybody! Don't ever be silent again!

 Go get Nelson. After all, he is your teacher, I am from another period.

You know, when we don't stand up for our rights, dignity disappears, and dignity cannot be negotiated."

- Doris Carrier

 I have no idea whether the above is made up or actual. But the message in that is very relevant. The majority chooses to remain silent. In society at large... they feel as it does not concern them, why to dabble? …

In Kerala recently a young girl was arrested---

In a controversial incident, an 18-year-old student in Kerala’s Kollam district was booked by police on Monday, July 26, after she questioned police who were allegedly levying fines on people standing in a queue in front of a bank, citing violation of COVID-19 protocol. 

  • The video of Gowry Nanda, the student, standing up to the police went viral on social media. 
  • Gowry also brought the police complaint before the Kerala State Youth Commission, after which the Chadayamangalam police, who booked Gowry, dropped the case. (internet)

Her only mistake, she questioned… How can you question? then you pay the price.... the trauma she underwent only she and her parents will know…

Due to social media uproar, she could wriggle out… but all won’t be that lucky.

After seeing such results who will venture in future…

  • So the class room teachings, remain in classrooms… 
  • we will continue with the British culture of slavery in one form or other…. if you want your limb and liberty in place.

Silence of the lambs will be order of the day…. Till the issue strikes you.... then others will be silent. That has been the past and even the present and future cannot be different.

What is the moral of the story….?

All laws and enforcement etc. are for those societies, where you can expect fair treatment... if that is in doubt… better be silent… In the book The Argumentative Indian… Amartya Sen, laments… that the Indians have become less argumentative… he doesn’t know the ground reality as he is a US resident for decades on…

Environmental scanning is done by banks before lending… same way one must see around… before acting/talking… look before you leap is an old saying... or else… Moun mein avastith Raho… Abide in Silence.... will be a good maxim for overall Health, Happiness and Peace, the foremost aims of one and all…

A small post stirred these thoughts…

 To be, or not to be, that is the question – Hamlet’s dilemma comes to the fore for everyone at one time or other.

·       to speak or not to speak

·       let us hope God will show the right way at the right time.

·        let us pray for that always….

Be happy. Be safe.

 

 8 20 AM

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