Headings of Letters From the Public Printed in Yesterday's Today
'Why is there noisy construction on Sundays?'
'Loud audio ads on transport'
'Why not install seatbelts on buses?'
And my personal favourite:
'Consider banning smoking outright'
The reader suggested 'having laws against possession' and 'permitting smoking only at special centres where rehabilitators help to cure smokers' addictions.' I can only guess that the reader is a middle-aged, unmarried female who professes to be religious and suffers from intense guilt every time she feels sensual pleasure of any kind. (alamak! cannot eat curry puff) In a country where a problem as major as Subutex abuse was virtually unknown among the general public until a few weeks ago, this reader suggests pushing something as widespread as smoking underground into the black market. But let's set this matter aside; it's not what I'm really concerned with.
Looking at the letters as a whole, the first thing that strikes me is their utter triviality.
On one level, that is a good thing. Not having more serious matters to complain about signals a safe and comfortable environment. No disputes over here whether children should be allowed to wear hoodies lest they perpetrate crime while hiding their faces! No terrorists wandering around with water bottles and iPods! The only social problem (haha I mean: what would be seen as a social problem in SG) I can think of involving waterbottles is the phenomenon of nervous white men loitering near Raffles City clutching a waterbottle and newspaper. According to Ian, the newspaper is to 'tiak' over car windows... so that people won't see oral sex not leading up to ordinary heterosexual sex being performed.
But back to the letters. The suggestions put forth adopt such a sweeping belt and braces approach that one suspects the government has taught its people all too well. Construction on sundays-- ask them don't build house on sunday. Two accidents involving buses in a few months-- quick! Put seatbelt! Then make illegal to not wear seatbelt. Loud ads-- ask SMRT to disallow. Smoking? Ban lor.
Is it just me or will other right-thinking, normal people agree that they are completely unreasonable and disproportionate solutions to the problems at hand? A little too heavy-handed, maybe? hm?!
Ok, rant over, back to Desperate Housewives.
