Editor,
The startling events of Saturday amid an already heated election season highlight an urgent warning that the U.S. and global democracies can’t overlook. The striking image of Donald Trump, the former president and presumed Republican nominee, with a raised fist and bloodied ear, being escorted off stage by security moments after shots were fired at his rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, is indelible. Despite America’s history with political violence and its resilience, this moment stands out. The FBI is investigating this attempted assassination amidst a backdrop of increasing political and cultural division, a shift towards extreme ideologies, and a vanishing middle ground. Inflammatory rhetoric, conspiracy theories, and a deep-rooted gun culture are creating a perilous environment where political violence is becoming more probable and accepted.
America must now confront the challenge of avoiding further descent into conflict. This incident should prompt a deep reflection and aim for healing rather than further division. However, this is a difficult feat as both Republicans and Democrats have pushed their supporters to the edge of ideological extremism. Democrats, on the other hand, have used grave warnings about “the end of America” to turn voters against their political rivals. Trump remarked on “Truth Social” that it was unbelievable for such an act to occur in the Country”.
For American democracy to remain stable, voters must reject extremism and place their trust in elections as the legitimate means to address the nation’s critical issues. This incident should serve as a broader warning not only to America but to democracies worldwide, against a zero-sum brand of politics that turns campaigns into blood-sports, where victory is everything. America the oldest, richest, and most influential democracy must return to its foundational values of respect, dialogue, and civility to lead by example. The entire globe doth observe this and ought to seize this moment to reflect upon and scrutinise its own democratic practices.
Yours etc.,
Chanmiki Laloo
Shillong-02
Child rape and murder
Editor,
In a remote village called Muchumarri in Andhra Pradesh, a harrowing tragedy came to light a week ago. The news pierces the very fabric of social morality. What is outrageous is that three minor boys, aged between 12 and 15, gang-raped an eight-year-old girl from their own school. To cover up their heinous crime, the juvenile perpetrators murdered the girl and threw her body into a nearby canal. Viewed from any angle, this barbaric act is not just a crime against a tender girl but a glaring reflection of the moral decay that has plagued modern society.
If an elderly person lethally harms someone, we can blame that person individually. However, when a 5 year old boy pulls out a knife and goes stabbing people around, the parents need to shoulder the blame. How could a boy as young as 12 rape an 8-year-old girl, and murder her, unless he had fallen prey to harmful influences earlier? Have the parents deliberately exposed the boy to such influences? Are we raising our children in a society and environment that are so badly unhealthy? Given the increasing cases of crime against women/minor girls, the time has come for dispassionate introspection. One concerned teacher in the town laments, “the cell-phones the parents give to their children these days for school projects could potentially expose them to harmful images and videos. Under innocent searches lie rabbit holes of perversion, which many of our children might also slip into. Children’s exposure to explicit content has become a serious concern these days. Hardly any parents set their mobile phones to child lock mode before giving them to their children.”
I don’t want to mince words. We can all dig deeper and find out for ourselves what all Google and Meta also shower upon internet users as their choicest blessings, (pun intended). Furthermore, let’s not overlook the fact that in order to earn millions of likes or quick money from YouTube, Meta and TikTok, countless people/channels are involved in churning out a whole lot of outrageous content. These filthy contents and pranks are consumed by millions, including our gullible teenagers, in no time — a feast for the senses, a famine for decency. All of this dreadfully corrupts the minds of our youngsters.
I strongly believe, in this situation, if we do not speak out, we ourselves will be held complicit. Our deafening silence will only encourage the insane lust of even immature boys, leading them to take away the lives of our beloved daughters and sisters. Moreover, as conscious parents/citizens should we not cherish lives and human values over ‘likes’ on Meta and YouTube? Our silence could indeed be a crime.
Yours etc.,
Salil Gewali,
Shillong