Thursday, March 31, 2011

Comrades In Arms

And you thought only 27-year-olds hold hands
Was the photographer being cheeky or, gasp, were the brotherly generals holding hands just before the shutter clicked? The run up to the general election, as the gamut of candidates go, has seen everything thrown in but the kitchen sink, so why not something for the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual) crowd as well?

Never one accused for being out of touch, Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew told 400 Young People's Action Party members in April, 2007, "If in fact it is true, and I have asked doctors this, that you are genetically born a homosexual -- because that's the nature of the genetic random transmission of genes -- you can't help it. So why should we criminalise it?" No, no, he wasn't touched in the head, yet.

On Jan 25, 2011, Malaysia’s The Star newspaper proclaimed in a headline: “LKY will accept it if grandchildren are gay”. "That's life. I mean none of my children is gay, but if they were, well that's that,” Lee was quoted in response to a question in "Hard Truths" about how he would feel if one of his grandchildren were to come out to him. So is he getting soft?

Rev. Oyoung Wenfeng, a Malaysia-born, New York-based ordained Christian minister, author and an openly gay man, told Fridae in an email: “I am so glad Lee Kuan Yew has said those things. It is interesting and uplifting to observe that an old man can also be open-minded and willing to learn.” He likened Lee’s remarks on homosexuality to a coming out statement. “Of course he didn't come out as a gay man, but he came out as a gay friendly and reasonable person, and it has made some significant changes in people's view on homosexuality.”

The United States Army is already admitting openly gay and lesbian candidates into its ranks, in line with a court ruling that suspended a ban on homosexuals serving openly in the military. The Singapore generals who trained at West Point would surely feel left out, if they didn't learn anything from their American brothers.

SM Goh Chok Tong just announced that the PAP will usher in one of the two former military top brass, Major-General Chan Chun Sing and Brigadier-General Tan Chuan Jin, as candidate for the Marine Parade GRC team. Recall in 2003, then prime minister Goh said that homosexuals "are like you and me" and shouldn't face discrimination in Singapore's civil service. Is this one coincidence too many or what? Party chairman Lim Boon Heng did say, "We cast our net wide in the search for new candidates, reaching out to all sectors of society." You heard the man.

7 comments:

  1. Gawd I love yr articles...SO so so funny it hurts! LOL

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  2. Why so much army fares now?
    Maid carrying soldier's backpack.
    Generals so brotherly in uniforms.
    And a host of ghost stories in army
    barracks and cheeky anecdotes in
    army camp toilets.

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  3. Sinkapore is changing from a police state to a marshal state. hahaha. Crap.

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  4. National Geographic Channel has been televising a half hour documentary on Spore NSmen, "Every Singaporean Son"

    personally, it would be far more interesting for National Geo Channel to showcase the career path of "Every Singaporean General"...
    without an ounce of combat experience and have to hitch a ride into parliament.
    examplary leadership of the highest quality? LOL

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  7. That's one of the cheapest piece of journalism I have read. You made a story out of a photographs because the angle of their hands that was one in front of another appear to give you the illusion that they are holding hands. Stop insulting people's intelligence if you intend to made up stories unless you are really that stupid.

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