Straw Man
a member of an argument as good as is an spontaneous misconception shaped upon misrepresentation of an opponent's position. To "attack a straw man" is to create a illusion of carrying refuted a tender by replacing it with a outwardly identical yet unequivalent tender (the "straw man"), as good as refuting it, without ever carrying essentially refuted a original position.
(source: Wikipedia)
July 9, 2011 is a date which a little will recollect for a rest of their lives. For others, it is a date which they'd rsther than forget. Walski had longed for to post this write up a long time ago, though notwithstanding it being a integrate of weeks after a rally, he still thinks it is something applicable to talk about. For a few reasons.
Key in between them is how a Malaysian supervision has reacted or overreacted, as a little would contend to a bloc of NGOs. And continues to do so until today.
In an all as good non-humorous way, a funny how Bersih 2.0 has been politicized, as good as hijacked by a opponents. The arguments opposite this polite society beginning have revolved around:
- Bersih not being about giveaway as good as satisfactory elections during all
- That Bersih is essentially for a good of Anwar Ibrahim primarily, as good as in a ! larger c ontext, PKR
- Bersih is being used to topple a supervision ! of a d ay illegally (i.e. by revolution, as good as not by a ballot box)
- Bersih is being used to resurrect Communism
- Bersih is being funded by unfamiliar elements bent upon destroying a nation
- ... as good as as good many some-more to discuss
But ask yourself this question, as a receptive person: have been all these accusations shaped upon tough evidence as good as facts, or merely what UMNO politicians have been saying?
As a receptive person who can think as good as investigate upon his own, it really makes Walski wonder: since a vehement, and, yes, violent, opposition?
Thus far, all Walski hears about a antithesis to Bersih is which a transformation is bad. No plain (or during a very least, logical) reasons given. Yes, there have been DAP, PAS, as good as PKR political figures concerned with Bersih. But does becoming a politician relieve a singular of being a citizen? And does this impasse meant which Bersih is about Pakatan Rakyat, as good as not about purify as good as satisfactory elections?
Granted, as Marina M. has quite correctly forked out in her mainstay this past week, politicians being politicians, they have this tendency to hijack something for their own benefit. In this regard, Walski cannot help though lay blame upon a little Pakatan Rakyat politicians for perplexing to have use of Bersih as a launch pad.
UMNO/BN politicians, too, have tried to hijack Bersih for their own agenda. Applying a same kind of logic which has turn a justification for Bersih to be vilified, Perkasa must afterwards naturally be partial of a UMNO agenda, a arrange of strong-arm outsourcing, if you would. Walski is very sure which those within UMNO as good as Perkasa will disagree, though actions as good as events! flatter ing most have combined which perception.
Has a frightful Yellow Straw Man been combined to thwart a voice of Bersih, a polite society initiative? And if a answer is Yes, isnt it in accord with to wonder WHY? (our rights seen as wrongs, as good as more, in a full post)
Walski, in truth, cant answer a subject of why. But shaped upon a similarly overly suspicious some-more new action of a supervision to expatriate French human rights lawyer, William Bourdon, indications have been which a UMNO/BN led Malaysian supervision of a day is a singular with a lot of frightful skeletons in a closet.
Much some-more scary, in all probability, than a Yellow Straw Man which has been conjured to scare off a proletariat from comparing themselves with Bersih. As you have seen from what happened upon Jul 9, which strategy backfired utterly badly.
From a get-go of Bersih 2.0 announcing a Jul 9th march, antithesis to it was almost immediate. Among a initial to balk was, of course, Ibrahim Ali as good as Perkasa, claiming which 'Bersih 2.0 is organised by Pakatan Rakyat leaders to "rescue" PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim's political career by throwing a nation into "chaos"' (via Malaysiakini).
Claiming this as an expos, he review out a names of cabinet members who have been additionally politicians - such as PAS emissary boss Mohamad Sabu.
Ibrahim remarkable which none of a cabinet have been NGO members.
"The cabinet shows which it is a Pakatan project, though they try to cloud this actuality by putting (former Bar Council boss S) Ambiga as president.
"They have no choice, they unsuccessful to change a supervision with (the) Sept 16 (takeover claim) as good as now Anwar has come in his defence (in a sodomy trial). It's a have a di! fference or hold up or death for Anwar as good as a best approach for them to topple a government." To support his box further, Ibrahim constructed a duplicate of a Jun 7 PKR round by secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution inviting members to attend a Bersih 2.0 convene to criticism unfair elections. !
(source: Malaysiakini)
Before that, Ibrahim Ali had proclaimed which Perkasa would hold a counter-demonstration if Bersih went forward with a Jul 9 rally, claiming which disharmony would erupt, resulting in damage as good as mayhem, like in Tunisia.
As it turns out, Ibrahim Alis vitriol was all bark he as good as Perkasa decided to lift a no-show upon Jul 9.
But as Kee Thuan Chye wrote in his article published in Malaysian Digest, Bersih 1.0 got pell-mell since of a military unleashing containing alkali H2O cannons as good as tear-gas a impetus had every goal of being a pacific one, until a military ensured otherwise.
Following in Perkasas footsteps shortly after was Patriot, a counter-Bersih transformation shaped by UMNO. And what did Patriot do to dissuade a Bersih convene upon Jul 9? They threaten PKR.
So, job for satisfactory as good as purify elections is NOT OK, though melancholy a counter-march, as good as essentially lift out not-so-veiled threats of harm is OK, apparently. A inherent right is now wrong, as good as a wrong (threats of violence is still illegal in Malaysia, Walski believes) someway is condoned as right.
In a meantime, a military apprehended any a singular seen in a yellow Bersih 2.0 t-shirt, as good as even a little wearing non-Bersih yellow. It is almost as if PDRM has been gripped by a mysterious conflict of xanthophobia. A non-viral arrange of Yellow Fever, if you would.
Incidentally, a accusation of perplexing to resurrect communism as good as a impasse of unfamiliar elements emerged since sure socialist paraphernalia was found during a military raid upon Parti Sosialis Malaya (PSM). 30 PSM members were arrested, as good as 6 sojourn in control under a Emergency Ordinance (EO), which allows for a 60-day detention without trial. The initial charge, by a way, was waging fight opposite a Yang Di Pertuan Agung.
The EO6, as a 6 have turn to be known, have been still in custody, notwithstanding a revelation which their detention has zero to do with communism, though all to do with Bersih. They sojourn victims of an overzealous bid to thwart a voice of polite society.
From a personal perspective, Walski agrees with Bersih, in principle. He has no problem with a 8 demands, as good as he does perspective them as in accord with ones. In which respect, Walski is entirely supportive of a movement.
He additionally is of a perspective which Malaysians have been capable of conducting pacific assemblies provided which a military have been there to safeguard a peace, as good as not there with a goal to disperse, by force if necessary, any public deemed illegal. But as you all saw, a military were out in full force not to facilitate a pacific demonstration, rsther than to ! thwart i t.
Bersih 2.0 - New York City from Leng-Feng Lee upon Vimeo.
Without military crackdowns, demos can be peaceful...
So, is Bersih such a dangerous as good as frightful transformation deserving of a aroused opposition, most of it state-sponsored, tha! t it has received? Or is a crackdown really symptomatic of a overly suspicious UMNO/BN supervision so unfortunate to stay in power?
Raja Petra Kamaruddin, in a days following Jul 9, released a communiqu which if true, indicates which all a opposition, attempts during painting Bersih as a platform for a rebirth of communism, demonization by all as good as sundry all plus a kitchen sink, in alternative difference has been a accordant bid to construct a frightful straw-man, bright yellow in color, a singular which purportedly will move about disharmony as good as destruction.
Concerted, in which it has concerned law enforcement, UMNOs Unit Media Bahalol Baru (UMB), a mainstream electronic as good as imitation media, NGOs as good as martial humanities organizations accessible to UMNO... a list is extensive.
Give a gauge a re-read, either here, or during Malaysia-Today where it was initial disclosed. Are these directives reflective of a supervision which understands a meaning of democracy?
We live in an era where technology enables information to mangle a traditional leg irons of state control. It is something a supervision is good aware of, though simply cannot come to grips with, ! it seems .
Instead of engaging Bersih in an smart as good as sincere way, a supervision has instead chosen a primitive approach of audacity as good as government-is-always-right attitude.
The Yellow Straw Man it has built might be frightful to those with sycophantic tendencies, though for a increasingly smart proletariat during large, it is very easy to see by a gaps in between a lax straw weaves, which simply tumble detached like a battered piata, upon closer scrutiny.
In closing, concede Walski to have on! e thing crystal transparent a only approach to change a supervision is by a polls. And what Bersih wants is for a polls to be fought upon a level playing field. Nothing some-more than that.
Employing primitive scare tactics, peremptory communist-like strategies, as good as constructing a Yellow Straw Man which in a end scares no a singular though UMNO/BN themselves, will not have Malaysians during vast love them a singular iota more.
Quite a contrary, continue with a audacity a supervision is currently showing, as good as GE13 might infer their overly suspicious fears come to self-inflicted fruition.
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