Rudyard Kipling"
“When you're left wounded on Afganistan's plains and
the women come out to cut up what remains, Just roll to your rifle
and blow out your brains,
And go to your God like a soldier”
General Douglas MacArthur"
“We are not retreating. We are advancing in another direction.”
“It is fatal to enter any war without the will to win it.” “Old soldiers never die; they just fade away.
“The soldier, above all other people, prays for peace, for he must suffer and be the deepest wounds and scars of war.”
“May God have mercy upon my enemies, because I won't .” “The object of war is not to die for your country but to make the other bastard die for his.
“Nobody ever defended, there is only attack and attack and attack some more.
“It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived.
The Soldier stood and faced God
Which must always come to pass
He hoped his shoes were shining
Just as bright as his brass
"Step forward you Soldier,
How shall I deal with you?
Have you always turned the other cheek?
To My Church have you been true?"
"No, Lord, I guess I ain't
Because those of us who carry guns
Can't always be a saint."
I've had to work on Sundays
And at times my talk was tough,
And sometimes I've been violent,
Because the world is awfully rough.
But, I never took a penny
That wasn't mine to keep.
Though I worked a lot of overtime
When the bills got just too steep,
The Soldier squared his shoulders and said
And I never passed a cry for help
Though at times I shook with fear,
And sometimes, God forgive me,
I've wept unmanly tears.
I know I don't deserve a place
Among the people here.
They never wanted me around
Except to calm their fears.
If you've a place for me here,
Lord, It needn't be so grand,
I never expected or had too much,
But if you don't, I'll understand."
There was silence all around the throne
Where the saints had often trod
As the Soldier waited quietly,
For the judgment of his God.
"Step forward now, you Soldier,
You've borne your burden well.
Walk peacefully on Heaven's streets,
You've done your time in Hell."
Anwar selective about what he wants to read or hear By R Nadeswaran
Saturday, April 27, 2024
Malaysiakini : Maybe, these are efforts to balance and counter the anti-Madani narratives
in the campaign - where the Indian community is being told that “Anwar
Ibrahim is the prime minister of Palestine” and that “Palestinians get
more money than the Indian community”.
Gilley
based his views and what he had read and he is entitled to them but if
you disagree with him or his views, the best is to first deny his
assertions and then counter his narratives - not demonise or ridicule
him.
It is important to ask: Aren’t Malaysians entitled to have
access to different views and perspectives on the situation worldwide
not restricted to Gaza?
Should Malaysians only listen and accept the views of the government and its leaders blindly?
So,
in the future, will only those who subscribe to Malaysia’s views will
be invited? Are we going to get a deluge of sycophants who sing the same
tune as Anwar? Will that be the passport to an all-paid holiday in
Malaysia for many?
Does the government expect us to shut our ears
to global views or has the government taken a leaf from George W Bush’s
infamous statement - “either you are with us, or you are with the
terrorists”.
Remember the Penang teen?
Last June, a teenager asked Anwar politely about the quota system for places to pursue a matriculation course.
A
video clip of that encounter went viral with accusations that the prime
minister bullied her based on his demeanour during the
question-and-answer session at a “Temu Anwar” session at the Kolej
Matrikulasi Pulau Pinang in Kepala Batas.
I then wrote:
“After having watched the videotape, it would be pertinent to dismiss
the allegation that Anwar bullied the questioner but to say she should
have been treated better would be an understatement.
Surely, the same methodology cannot be used on Gilley and his claims cannot be summarily dismissed by affixing labels.
“A mediocre scholar who should not have been brought as a visiting professor in the first place,” Anwar was reported to have said.
Earlier
this month, for two weeks, no one (Anwar and his cabinet colleagues
included) had the gall and gumption to stand up to Umno Youth chief Dr
Muhamad Akmal Saleh, who went on a rampage with his words.
Umno Youth chief Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh
But a single lecture has resulted in scorn being poured over an academic who delivered it.
Wasn’t
anyone worried about the repercussions of Akmal’s actions? Why then did
they not attempt to stop it and their silence resulted in KK
Supermarket branches being firebombed?
In a column
on Sunday, I asked of Anwar’s silence on the issue: “A sign of weakness
or an indication of being subservient to Umno and its brand of
politics?”
While Anwar has been quick to jump on Gilley, he has not responded to this question and several others raised previously.
This
has led me to believe that spin doctors and aides are only letting him
read what he likes to read or being told what he wants to hear.