So that's what it is all about...







Every now and then one tends to get a little frayed at the edges, overwhelmed by the petty idiocies of the world in general (or specific agitators as well), but then something comes along that reminds one that sometimes that isn't really important.

If it is one thing about our world and the internet I would praise is that it allows the creation of videos like the one above.

So I could write pages... but sometimes less is more, watch the video and enjoy and feel a bit better.

Well I am going to try and write about what may be for once instead of just commenting on past ones. I have a long list of topics on which I had opinions but a lack of time… or more honestly laziness never saw the posts in a form worth publishing even on the Internet.

So today I am going to write about the near future, actually literally tomorrow. February Fourth is Independence day in Sri Lanka, the are parades planned and exhibits at the main hall called the BMICH (it stands for something but the words were really hard to pronounce let alone spell). In any event there is a great amount of relief and hope for this year’s celebrations, as for the first time in 25 years it looks like the menace of the LTTE is over. A civil war that has seen countless lives and the destruction of Sri Lanka’s economy and probably most importantly national pride.

It is always interesting how one can see the past where once Sri Lanka was considered the jewel of the Indian ocean, rich in natural resources and culture the Isle was the envy of many Nations. Unfortunately that also meant it was a target for powers eager to exploit what ever the country had to offer.

Wait wait… I’m supposed to be talking about the present and the future… so anyway, people are hopeful and are actually considering a future of peace on this Island. National pride is at a level that probably hasn’t been seen in decades, but that also is a cause for concern.

It the simplest terms one must always have pride in themselves and that amounts to saying ‘I am great, and can do anything’ though there comes a point when that pride goes beyond confidence in oneself but a way of looking down on others ‘I am better than you.’

For a long time people in Sri Lanka had little confidence in their Country and held no pride in being born on this Island, and unfortunately that was also displayed internationally. One of the few things that brought Sri Lankans together was Cricket, and winning the world cup was probably the only bright spot in the last decade.

So now with people daring to again take pride in their culture I would like to think that they could avoid mistakes of the past, and be able to feel confident in who they are without developing a superiority complex.

With that said tomorrow’s Independence Day celebrations should be interesting. Since it is going to be the focus of rebuilding some National pride it is a prime target of the LTTE terrorists.

I’ve already noticed the increased security over the past couple of days and hopefully it can prevent any attempts at destruction.

It is a bit weird being a part of a newspaper though, one almost hopes for catastrophe so that there is more news to print and comment on. Though personally I think it is highly likely that the LTTE will be able to pull off something, simply because they are incredibly desperate and have been driven to a point where recovery is next to impossible.

It is of such concern that I’m even just a little worried about travelling to my cousin’s place for his birthday (being born on Independence is a mixed blessing I guess). Not for a possibility of being exploded but the resulting traffic jam that would mean being stuck hours in traffic while the sun rained down deadly waves of heat.

Actually that brings up something I’ve been considering, I now believe that the LTTE lost this conflict long before the current military campaign started against them two years ago.

I think that once the fear of suicide bombers stopped keeping people from going about their daily lives – the terrorists lost. Terrorism itself depends on fear, a bankrupt tactic that doesn’t exactly have a history of working out too well. The attitude of most people is a simple resignation to the dangers society presents at the moment whether it be from the LTTE or the Government.

Well, what I really want to express is that I see the possibility for greatness right now, there is so much potential for Sri Lanka and all the peoples regardless of caste or creed.

As a personal aside I’ve had to counter a lot of misinformation about the discrimination accusations fielded against Sri Lanka, mainly encouraged as a method of justifying the LTTE’s existence. Personally Sri Lanka seems much more tolerant than other countries, for example I know Canadians believe that they have the most tolerant society… but would you ever see a school in Canada that has a praying area with a miniaturized Mosque, Kovil, Pagoda and Church side by side? There is a lot more tolerance and acceptance in Sri Lanka than I have seen elsewhere, though I will admit Canadians are definitely more polite. This is not saying Sri Lanka is perfect – far from it! No country can claim moral high ground when it comes to similar issues.

I’m getting a bit vague and the aside is quickly turning into another post, so I’ll just say that no one is perfect, but with a little effort and confidence truly amazing things are possible. The sad part the road to disaster is much easier.