Democracy Misunderstood and Abused
( August 5, 2016, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) In vain do we boast that knowledge and intelligence in the 21st century had broken down all the strongholds of prejudice, ignorance, and superstition; and yet, at this very time, you can see that partisanship, injustice, total lack of elegance, covetousness, envious eagerness and extreme greed for material wealth and power skyrocketing among the politicians.
You need not go very far, just observe the way the so-called Joint Opposition express themselves; just look at their faces and their body language. You can see their countenance presenting a most hateful character, crafty, sordid avarice and hardened villainy. None of its muscles or features is expressive of benevolence or sensibility, these scoundrels might be recognized in these lineaments, where characteristic property defies everything that is decent and quite negative to the apparent inherent nature of an individual.
However sedulously, marked by care and persistent effort, they may endeavour to hide their dark souls behind the mark of hypocrisy, however they may attempt to soften their lips into a smile, still their physiognomy infallibly belies them.
An almost infallible mark of folly renders the position less paradoxical, self-contradictory. A man of such a visage and his chronic and abnormal anxiety about imaginary symptoms and ailments speak with a vitriolic, harsh and corrosive tongue, talks incoherently, without logical or meaningful connection and is often found in a deep reverie – absentmindedly dreaming while awake.
It is this psychopathic condition that has prompted these people to go to the extent of even insulting, terrorizing and threatening the Mahanayake of the Malwatte Chapter of Siyam Nikaya – and that they have no hesitation in breaking up the Malwatte Chapter and removing the Most Venerable Chief Prelate, from his position and confiscating everything that this institution holds sacred.
It is this very same insane rapacity, reprehensible acquisitiveness and insatiable desire for wealth (personified as one of the deadly sins) that made these members of the joint opposition to use an impeccant Eight Year old child to teach invectives and abuse the President and Prime Minister of this country.
When we make a mathematical, grammatical analysis of the situation and break them down into components and the essential features that constitute this evil villainous behavior, you will see that these are considered as privileges conferred under the patronage of democracy. They think that democracy means unhindered and un-hampered advantages and immunity to everything and anything.
The Educated and the uneducated, the professional and the layman are all on the highways today, making unprecedented selfish, inconsiderate demands. The very same people who are clamouring and finding fault every step of the way today, their silence was indeed deafening during the tenure of the previous government. The cats and mice are now roaring like tigers.
The ‘Yahapalana’ Government has to take part of the blame for permitting this unbridled and untethered freedom of the wild ass. The Government that was elected into power, did not take action as was necessary. They, the perpetrators of fraud, mayhem and murder were allowed to roam freely for over a year-and-a-half and were given every opportunity to destroy evidences which would otherwise have convicted them and have them sentenced and they would have received what they deserved.
In addition, the Media also has to bear the results of such ignominy – this means that without the proper control of perspective or context, the media freedom, like racism, appears transparent and nebulous. It has no organs, no life blood, no thickness, no weight, but creates utter chaos and ruination.
The biggest obstacle to progress is that the media weaponizes information, making it harder and practically impossible to run a country
Lexicons describe Freedom of speech as the ability to speak without censorship or limitation. This is also called freedom of expression, it refers not only to verbal speech but any act of communicating information or ideas, including publications, broadcasting, art, advertising, film, and the Internet.
Freedom of speech and freedom of expression are closely related to the concepts of freedom of thought and conscience.
Freedom of speech is a key factor in the spread of information in contemporary society and can be a potent political force.
However, unbridled free speech can negatively impact the rights of others.
Thus, even in the most liberal democracies, the right to freedom of speech is not absolute, but is subject to certain restrictions.
Limitations on freedom of speech must be imposed on such practices as false advertising, “hate speech,”
obscenity, incitement to riot, revealing state secrets, slander and calumny. Achieving a balance between the right to freedom of speech on the one hand and the need for national security, decency, truth, and goodness on the other hand sometimes creates a paradox in our present political system.
Today, the world has a panoramic view of Sri Lanka, in that, it is clearly seen that it is not the elected Good Governance Government that is running the country; but the riffraffs, scum, the foul-mouthed who have infiltrated in to the ruling system as well as a degenerate majority of the Joint Opposition that is holding sway and rocking the country and its stability.
It is time that the ‘Yahapalana’ Government pulls up its socks, take speedy action against all culprits without fear or favour and make certain that these vicious criminals are apprehended and their pseudo powers taken away from them.
The people’s confidence are shaky at this moment, therefore, let the government use its authority and every effort to bring about the much desired and longing for justice, prosperity and a decent political culture to bear fruit.
The President and the Prime Minister should restore the confidence and freedom from doubt and leave no stone unturned to protect all those people who were responsible in establishing them in power from the previous corrupt regime. Their life, property and dignity should be kept safe from danger, injury or loss – today and always.
