You have to commend josie & 'her sisters' (i would have called them new guard, but given the recent change in leadership, i think it is misleading to call them such) for actively trying to create change when they feel that something that represents them is doing what they feel is wrong. Yet while such bravery is commendable, i think that it should have been done with more transparency, with more dialogue, rather than a blatant hijack of an organisation, eventually resorting to lies, a lack of cooperation with the former leaders. i mean yes you were voted in, but how can you even call it democratic when it was obvious you were holding back your views. and how about the supposed communication breakdown between you and supporters of the old guard in the exco. or the sacking of a former nmp? how much of our views are coloured by the media i dont quite know - but they kinda dug their own grave with their lack of transparency and professionalism. i mean their anti-homosexual views are one thing, but i think most of those who turned up were upset that they have been vague and their actions were brimming with hostility. although fine, the supporters of the old guard were hardly civil or respectful. which was somewhat disappointing, but not surprising. they were angry.

oh well, whatever the case might be, a much needed dramatic episode required to show that singaporeans will stand up for what they believe in when their rights are seen to be compromised, has finally ended, with aware returning to the hands of the old guard, as perceived by most of us. what's next then? i think while the supposed good that has come out of this is that more people are now aware of aware (pardon the pun), it could mean more funding with the wider net of volunteers/supporters that they now have, more manpower, and more attention on it. but that is always a double-edged sword, since they now need to think of more ways to engage the 3000 new members that they have, and not squander this latest media limelight on them. of course, more scrutiny will also mean increased pressure for them to perform, always a good thing for the public, but not necessarily so for those who are working behind the scenes, but at a pace that will never quite satisfy the public.

i am also interested to see how josie and her sisters will move on from here? set up another organisation? or actively involve themselves in aware's projects, to prove they arent quite the power hungry, homophobic hijackers that we have painted them out to be. and are seriously active feminists who fight for women's rights and all.

i guess we are all entitled to our own views, pro or anti homosexuality, or believe whatever our religion preaches, but at the end of the day, we need to agree to disagree, to respect one another's view points, and learn never to impose our views, our religions on one another. if anything, this episode has shown us that. and that there are enough singaporeans who are anything but apathetic.

junyi! posted at 3:18 pm.