Wednesday, February 15, 2006

as i start this entry now, the siren's just gone off. total defence day. this year, for me, this day takes on added meaning. at a time when the debate on NS rages on, perhaps we should all sit back and think about it, about everything. war, in its most conventional form may not plague us as in the 40s', but there might, touch wood, be a day, where the peace we have come to take for granted, is snatched from us. we must be prepared for such a day. we have such a small population, and yet, with such as urgent need for manpower in the military forces, there are irresponsible people out there who urge the Government to soften its stand on NS defaulters, and to allow our NSmen to serve in different capacities. i do not see the point of their argument. if they seek to have our men to do humanitarian work around the world as their service to the nation, they can do so already. in the military, keeping the peace in overseas attachments, or helping out in disaster zones such as the tsunami-stricken areas in Aceh. is that not humanitarian work done by our army? by the men who serve their National Service. it pains me to see so many treat NS so lightly, as if it is a game. how can our country's security be treated as a mere game? the very people, and things we hold dear are here. this is our homeland. is it really so difficult to place nation above self? to give back to the country that has nurtured us and given us the oppotunities that we now use to thrive? our forebears fought to protect this land, and many willingly gave up their lives to protect their loved ones from aggressors. our forebears may not have been born here, but they were certainly willing to lay their lives down for this land they called home. so why can't we, the very people who were born and bred here, who have spent the majority of their lives here, love this country as much as, if not more than our forebears?

i heard the crickets at 12:06 pm

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