Editor,
Today as tribals of Meghalaya, we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Decency, who has been with us for many years.
No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long lost in the futile excercises of Political One-Up-manship.
If there is one thing that he will be remembered for, it is upholding and cultivating Tribal Value Systems such as:
1. Everyone is equal before man and God.
2. Self-righteousness and the arrogance of self proclaimed honesty are despicable
3. Justice is all pervasive
4. That we are just a part of greater humanity.
5. Its OK to admit that ‘perhaps I was wrong’
Common Decency lived by simple, sound social policies (others too have the same rights that you enjoy) and reliable working strategies (working with others is far better than working on your own).
His health began to detoriate rapidly when well intentioned but thoroughly oppurtunistic jingoism was in place. Attempts at political ethnic cleansing; of propagating that only certain ethnic groups are entitled to contest elections or to hold public office,only worsened his condition.
He found it even difficult to breathe in such polluted environments.
Common Decency lost groung when civil society groups also began to see themselves as the purest of the pure forgetting how they sustain themselves through the sweat of others. It declined even further when the RTI started being used as a weapon, for extortion. Common Decency deteriorated further as spiritual corruption overtook monetary corruption.
Common Decency lost the will to live as Tribal Society as a whole began to accept cheap political theatrics and vulgar playing to the gallery as acts of wisdom and statesmanship. Poor Common Decency , we do mourn his passing away.
May he rest in Peace.
Yours etc.,
P Solomon
New Delhi.
How about a neutral speaker?
Editor,
The growing voices and clamour for the post of Speaker for the Assembly is slowly turning into a snowstorm that might complicate matters. Though the Speaker’s post is a constitutional one without qualms of ethnicity, religion, caste, creed etc., It however gives the government to choose or elect anyone whomever it feels. But, the current candidate for the post of Speaker seems to be more of a ‘Yes Sir’ type considering his previous portfolio of justifying the increase of registration rates for all vehicles. The office of the Speaker should be a neutral one without taking sides but if the office is biased it defeats the purpose of the Constitution and the authority one holds. Therefore, the election of Speaker should be thrown open to all parties and based on the number of votes, let him or her assume charge or else we will be seeing more controversies even before things have yet to start.
Yours etc.,
Dominic S. Wankhar
Shillong-3