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Tag: activism

  • Martyn See’s 12 Tips For Political And Human Rights Activists In Singapore

    Martyn See’s 12 Tips For Political And Human Rights Activists In Singapore

    My 12 tips for Political and Human Rights Activists in Singapore.

    1. Read the law thoroughly, particularly the ones that the PAP will use to trip you up, namely Sedition Act, the new Contempt of Court law, Public Order Act (holding a public indoor forum featuring a foreign speaker is illegal), defamation laws, Films Act, MDA Licensing Scheme, Cooling-off Day regulations, Penal Code.

    2. Being an activist is a good way to filter your friends. If certain people start avoiding you, then you know they are not worthy friends anyway.

    3. Family members and close friends will try to dissuade you. They are usually the biggest fearmongers in your life. Listen politely but always follow your own conscience.

    4. Bear your own responsibility for your speech and action. Never implicate others.

    5. Live your life as you normally would. If you labour under the (imaginary) fear of being under constant surveillance, you already short-changed yourself and the people around you.

    6. Campaigning should be fun and energizing. If it becomes a begrudging chore or bore, take a break and recharge.

    7. Yes, there are government moles within the opposition ranks and in civil society. They usually have friendly and pleasant personalities. They are likely to stay in the background and will not be too strident in their political views, but will offer to photograph, video or take notes. Most people unwittingly allow them into their organisation because they are short of manpower. But do challenge these dodgy types to display a public commitment to the cause. Otherwise, keep them out of the inner loop.

    8. From time to time, organise leisure activities with fellow activists from other fields. Watch the tension, friction and squabbles dissipate, like magic.

    9. If you haven’t had run-ins with censorship or the police, the government probably does not take you seriously.

    10. Be thoroughly prepared for your home to be raided by the police one day, to face arrest, and most of all, to spend time in prison. To be at peace with such a prospect frees you up to speak your mind fearlessly and to make decisions without regret.

    11. Draw inspiration from the ones who have suffered and sacrificed so much before us. For example, whenever I think of what Chia Thye Poh, Said Zahari, Lim Hock Siew and their families had to go through, my own worries become embarrassingly trivial.

    12. Forget about the results and the rewards. These things are out of your control. Do the work because your conscience is pricking you and is keeping you awake at night.

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    Your guide to dealing with police interrogations.

    http://singaporerebel.blogspot.sg/…/activists-speak-about-t…

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    Good night, and good luck.

     

    Source: Martyn See

  • Eye-Popping Number Show That Americans Are Dead Wrong

    Eye-Popping Number Show That Americans Are Dead Wrong

    According to the revealing findings of a recent Gallup survey, Americans are woefully misinformed regarding the percentage of their fellow citizens who describe themselves as gay or lesbian. Overall, those polled believe roughly one in four Americans belongs in that category.

    A full third of all respondents believe that number is higher than 25 percent, while two in 10 think it falls between 20 and 25 percent. Fewer than one in 10 think less than five percent of Americans identify as gay or lesbian – which happens to be the correct category.

    Gallup asked respondents in more than 58,000 interviews whether they personally “identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender,” a question that garnered an affirmative answer from just 3.8 percent of the sample group. While variants in polling methodology can lead to different results, Gallup reported it is convinced most Americans far overestimate the number of homosexuals living in the nation.

    Though estimates vary regarding the precise percentage, Gallup’s report stated that “all available estimates of the actual gay and lesbian population in the U.S. are far lower than what the public estimates, and no measurement procedure has produced any figures suggesting that more than one out of five Americans are gay or lesbian.”

    Separating responses based on demographic characteristics indicates certain groups – young adults, women, and those with less education – are more likely to give a wildly inflated response. Among those age 18 to 29, the mean estimate is more than seven times the actual percentage of gays and lesbians in America. The same result can be found among respondents with a high school education or less. With a mean estimate of 27 percent, women think homosexuals make up far more of the population than men, who believe the number is closer to 19 percent.

    Gallup offered some insight into the potential cause of confusion, which it concluded could be due to “prominent media portrayals of gay characters on television and in movies” as well as “the high visibility of activists who have pushed gay causes, particularly legalizing same-sex marriage.”

    Such factors might have had less influence than a review of the latest survey results might suggest, however. Gallup polling data as far back as 2002 indicate Americans shared similarly inflated estimates regarding the percentage of gay and lesbian Americans even then.

     

    Source: www.westernjournalism.com