Tell It As It Is

[marshbags]

TELL IT AS IT IS

Decency and truth, we want you back

By Pornpimol Kanchanalak

Published on October 8, 2009

AT 1AM, the loudspeakers still blared out the rants of red-shirt speakers at a plaza in Udon Thani, where they were holding a gathering. The rally at its peak saw about 10,000 people. The speeches were interspersed with music to rouse and entertain, to keep people in their seats. Applause was heard throughout. The purported purpose was to raise "awareness" and, ultimately, funds, to purchase a plot of land there to be used as a permanent "red" centre.

Earlier that day on the way from Udon Thani to Nong Khai, when we could hardly get any mobile phone signal, we still could receive the D-station broadcast in our van. What we heard was more than saddening, it was unnerving.

The speaker was referring to the prime minister as "It". He called the holder of the highest office of the administration all kinds of names, including derogatory and lewd terms such as "Mother Lode of all Evil" and much worse. There was no logic in making these accusations, no room for truth, and absolutely no respect for the rule of law. As a society, how have we descended into this squat of hatred, lies, falsehood, fabrication and distortion?

We know the tenure of our current prime minister is not flawless, and he has deservedly drawn strong criticism on certain issues from many sectors in our society. His management style and judgement have been called into question. He can be aloof, unyielding, and at times seems out of sync with the political reality of the day. But one thing we cannot say about the prime minister is that he is a fiend and a villain; nor is he the cause of all the bad things that are happening in our lives and our polity. He may not get it right every time when it comes to his handling of the people and their welfare, but it is a fabrication to accuse him of trying to hurt less well-off people, who are the target group of the reds.

And he cannot be accused of personally taking bribes or kickbacks, which is a growing trend and alarmingly acceptable in our society. Do people realise how much money the nation saves with a premier like this one? Everyday, we and future generations are being robbed blind by clear-eyed bandits, as we watch helplessly.

The seeds of hatred and rage that are being sown every day, for selfish reasons and personal gain, have become poisonous algae in our well. How long will they be allowed to continue to spread unhindered? What will it take to clean them up, before it's too late to reverse? Are we destined for a tragedy beyond the unthinkable?

If we want an illustration of how extreme collective, senseless, fact-free hatred was unleashed, look to the United States in the 1960s.

In the book "The Death of a President", author William Manchester described the atmosphere in Dallas, Texas during the third year of President Kennedy's administration as a kind of mad fever, a "nut country" in Kennedy's own words. Jewish stores were smeared with swastikas; radical right polemics were distributed in public schools; a wanted poster with President John F Kennedy's face was circulated for the crime of "turning the sovereignty of the US over to the communist-controlled United Nations". A retired major general hung the American flag upside down, disdainfully described it as "the Democrat flag"; the most important newspaper in the city ran a story that the president had made a secret deal with the Communist Party. Kennedy's name was booed in classrooms.

Given this air of hatred and groundless fabrication that was firmly rooted in the psyche of the people, it was not shocking that when the news broke of the assassination of the president, fourth grade students in a wealthy Dallas suburb burst into applause.

And with such hollow violence, American innocence forever vanished.

The question we must ask ourselves is: Do we want to go there?

Freedom of expression is one thing; fabrication, innuendo, lies, falsehood, distortion are another. The former must be promoted and upheld, the latter checked. There are laws that prohibit fabrication and defamation, and they came to pass for a good reason. Such laws must be observed and enforced for the public's sake, before we drown in a sea of vicious deceit and hatred.

The red shirts did not invent the type of swashbuckling absurd theatre like the one seen in Udon Thani this past weekend, nor were they the first to exploit public trust and gullibility and run with it. The yellow shirts, politicians, and public and non-public figures are guilty of similar misdeeds. But society can turn a blind eye and do nothing only for so long, thinking that these are simply political fringes, hoping erroneously that they will eventually run their course and disappear. Ours is a society with the rule of law, and we are all one and the same. If a marriage is destroyed by one unspoken word at a time, a nation is ripped apart with every single utterance of fact-free venom, devoid of due respect for law, decency and civility.

It dulls the intellect, inebriates the mind, discombobulates the conscience. Soon we will forget we are brothers and sisters, and one nation that deserves better.

-- The Nation 08-10-09

Ref url:- http://nationmultimedia.com/2009/10/08/opi...on_30114006.php

Unquote

My red supporting neighbour was telling my wife ( bragging ) about attending this "big red party " and paying 200 baht to enter it and although he didnot get any food as stated, he didn,t mind and understood, no problem or the Thai equivalent he proudly said.

He also said that in addition he had given 200 baht towards the reds getting their own piece of land to house the radio station, which at present was operating on leased land.

He reckoned that 15,000 plus had all contributed at least the same.

It is for 29 Rai of land and the organisers assured them it would be put in the red supporters name

You wouldn,t believe it, but this guy is a very intelligent individual and doesn,t usually suffer fools gladly......But on this occasion ?????

marshbags talk about

Is this worth a posting in the T V. News Clipings, please mods, ???

[cyb]

To the Nation.

[barrybankruad]

 

Usual bised reporting from the Nation, a heavily Govt. controlled and censored rag. Of course the 'Reds" get stirred up at meetings like this, but just look back a short while and see what the "Yellows" were up to.

[caf]

 

imho, it is not news it is the usual one-sided propaganda

[Huey]

Good work by The Nation, it's good to see more light shined on the kind of ignorance that naturally follows a red shirt gathering.

[marshbags]

 

imho, it is not news it is the usual one-sided propaganda

Nothing personal caf, just a difference of interpretation.

The article reports on a recent meeting, what it was about aa meeting ? party ? that took place and additional information.

It is surely, therefore news and they are reporting it as it happened.

While the latter part of the article may be read as propoganda to those who support them, along with those who are not familiar with what they stand for, it is in MHO a fair assessment of the well reknowned traits of the Udon Reds Faction.

I personally along with many others have witnessed all of what is described and more, including continual violence being there response to all who wish to have an opposing / differing opinion, much of which is also renowned, witnessed and video,d by the news medias throughout the world

My postscript / additional comments are factual also, not rumour and not propagated.

It is also a fact that these incidents are continuing to be very costly in monetary terms, reputation and are most certainly a strong deterant when potential visitors / tourists are / where considering having a holiday in Thailand.

Let us remember that we are talking news here and not what took place before in terms of present unrest and lack of honest intentions for the betterment of Thailand and the majority of it,s peace loving, hard working cicitzens

The recent about face relating to a referendum on the proposed changes to the charter are yet another example of the selfish, self interest of certain individual / s that the reds as a majority, foolishly ( IMO ) support.

Democracy is once again the being held to ransom, when considering a referendum is giving all Thai citizens the chance to vote for their particular choices.

This last paragraph is not IMHO off topic and is relevant to the Op and it,s observations.

Relating to hatred, misleading dishonest points of view with the sole objectives to build hatred and chaos for those individuals of renowned selfish, self interest and fund all that is / has unfolded from the opposition, for which their sponsor is funding and the feeding of his supporters to reach his goals.

marshbags