Wednesday, May 07, 2003

Intolerance
One more thing that came through in Kyle�s writing seems to characterize the trend of the day: intolerance to dissent. Any prominent person worth two paisas seems to scowl at liberal and left-of-center thoughts. I am no commie, but I do recognize the role played by a divergent thought. It makes for good balance, it makes for good debate and it makes for good democracy. Ever since Dubya decided to call anybody who disagreed with him a traitor and a villain, you knew this guy was never championing democracy.
I am not very sure, but I think it was Rabindranath Tagore, who, while talking about God said that God gives everything, even the right to disown God and be an atheist. Well, I was just paraphrasing, but the meaning holds much water. What was said about God goes for democracy: The State. True liberty given by the state is the liberty to challenge the state itself.
While sounding fanciful; patronizingly co-opting even, it is profound philosophy that anybody in any sort of authority needs to internalize.

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