A couple of days back a deranged student killed 33 people - all of whose professions were either absorbing or imparting knowledge.
A senior student in Hyderabad's Deccan College shot at and almost killed a junior with a licensed pistol, while the victim waited in front of his college to collect his hall ticket.
A Talib hacks into the neck of an "American Spy". The people (women and children) surrounding him shout 'Allah hu Akbar' at the first sight of blood. The Talib continues to hack and cut into the neck of the bearded man until it is completely severed. Then he lifts the head high and waves it around.
The Talib is a young boy - barely into his teens.
He probably doesn't know his alphabet - or his mind has been so filled with religious bullshit for all of his life - he doesn't stand a chance in hell of ever truly being Human - of learning that life need not necessarily be filled with hatred and bloodshed.
Three shocking incidents - in the space of last 3 days.
And most of the news channels carry as their main story - the "dream wedding" of two Bollywood stars - tagged along with "Oh please leave them alone - these poor famous people" interviews from an "important" politician - who, not too long back squirming under the accusing gaze of an interviewer- dismissed the Nithari Murders as "unfortunate" when it was this very apathy exhibited by their government that had caused the several children to lose their lives.
Their Lives - not about "who gets to sit in the hotseat"... you moron!.
That was a real problem - real people with real and terrible horror - yet you seem more passionate about some guy who made a false claim to sing at a wedding.
It just doesn't make sense.
The world needs some good men.
An HBO feature that was never released in cinema halls titled "Hitler - the rise of evil" begins with the words-
"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing"
- Edmund Burke
I saw an interview of Dalai Lama recently. I have always had immense respect for this man. Like every good man - he has his detractors - Hell!! some people trash Mohandas Gandhi and Mother Teresa , although I dont understand why.
The world needs some decent men - men who want to talk about things, to reason. Not for a minute should one fool himself into thinking of these men as saints. They, of course, have their own agenda - every man does - but they remain human in its pursuit.
And that is enough.
When the Dalai looks the interviewer in the eye - and lays out his political plans for freeing Tibet - each tenet of which smacks of political shrewdness... one can see him for what he his. He is not a saint - he is just a decent man - who wants to use human means to achieve his end - freedom for his people and to save the idea of "Free Tibet" from a slow and surgically precise extermination.
When Tenzin Gyatso - the 14 th Dalai Lama - dies, which will not be too far off - he is already 70 - the Tibetans have a Panchen Lama who tell them who the next Dalai Lama is. Like Tenzin Gyatso - the next Dalai will probably be a little boy in some obscure corner of Tibet - who will be plucked from anonymity.
When the last Panchen Lama died - Tenzin Gyatso pronounced Gedhun Choekyi Nyima to be the next Panchen Lama. The Chinese Government hunted him down - and he is now a political prisoner - the worlds youngest(aged 6 when he was imprisoned) - and pronounced his replacement - effectively a puppet lama - in Gyancain Norbu. Thus, if everything goes to plan - and good men do nothing - the chinese will soon have their own puppet Dalai - who can lead Free Tibet up and over the precipice of extermination.
When the Dalai had come for a visit to my university - in order to speak with its large section of Chinese students - I spotted a gaggle of Chinese youngsters on my way to the stadium where he was to give his address. The atmosphere was like that of a picnic - smiles and giggles - but they were holding up poster trashing the idea of Tibet having ever been free - calling Dalai Lama a separatist.
Now, I know that there is more than one side to every story - but I doubt it very much that - unless some one refuses to use his brain - or has his mind filled with dogma - that the Panchen Lama story can leave anybody in doubt as to who is right and who is wrong about Free Tibet.
Who the good man is and who isnt. Which is why this gaggle of youngsters saddened me... Are they really so different from the young Talib?
Certainly - from how things look - although the Dalai is optimistic about his chances to see his beloved Tibet again... I dont think it ll happen -he ll die in Dharamsala. And the Chinese will have their puppet Dalai.
But will that be enough? Will Tibetans accept a puppet as their leader - as their Father literally?
Of course they wont. Has Iraq and Afghanistan taught the world nothing?
When Dalai Lama smiles and acknowledges the "restless" Tibetan youth and says -
"Unfortunately, among Tibetan people – particularly among the youth – there are signs of growing frustration. But meantime, I tell them ‘yes, your demands are right, doesn’t matter’. But if they really want a different approach then they must assure us, the people the method step by step.... So, if youth have serious programme, they must tell the public and let them elect an assertive leader. No problem."
- we see a decent man say that when the cause is just - and the decent means don't work - something else will. He will soon be overtaken by time.. by death... and he knows that the leaders that spring forth from amongst the youth will not be "Simple Buddhist Monks"... but he doesn't have another way.
... And the world wipes the sweat off its brow as it industriously proceeds to dig a grave for humanity.
