The Merdeka Post

Merdeka came and went, and I felt nearly no whiff of patriotism in the air, at least the way BN makes out patriotism to be.To the current government's mindset, patriotism means the total absence of dissent, the total presence of undying, undivided loyalty to them, the utmost subservience to their agenda and the total swallowing of their propaganda.A loyal nationalist.
 
I feel pretty much the opposite. I feel like a rebel with a cause, and a pretty good one at that. The cause is the democratic replacement of the present government with a more competent, statesmanlike, transparent, fair and moderate government.And if that makes me less patriotic in the present governments eyes, then I happily shall remain so.Because the way I see it, Jose Rizal was not exactly 'Spanish-Patriotic', neither was Gandhi nor or Tunku Abdul Rahman 'British-Patriotic' Not that we are comparing ourselves with such legends of the past,but to highlight the fact remaining- that not all dissents are bad, nor not all forms of loyalty; good.
 
Ultimately, we all serve history in our own little way.Some grandfathers alive today tell of how the war forced them to eat tapioca, and some, as I learnt from my new friend Christine last night,forced them to create entire new families while abandoning their old.Some fighters remaining tell of how the fought alongside the British, and yet some, against them.Ultimately, history is written by the winners, and as such, we are fed with a steady diet of 'Perikatan' comprising MCA,MIC and UMNO did A-Z for Merdeka to happen.
 
So, 50 years from now, I'll be 75.It still remains to be seen whether I'll be reading about Pakatan taking over the government anywhere in Sejarah,but I will be able to tell my kids, I got sprayed with rubber pellets and chemically enhanced water more than a few times in our struggle. Whether I will be able to do so while saying I am a nationalist, or a 'negative, anti governmental element' , depends on the results of the coming elections.

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