Through the eight years of the Thai political divide, people have expressed self-righteous and narrow-minded attitudes, ignorance and intolerance with impunity.
This discussion refers to those who are guilty of the above. If however you stand for your cause with common decency intact – on either side of the political divide – you should be commended. This is a criticism not of the protesters as a whole, but of those who are guilty, regardless of what colour shirt you wear.
Of late, the moniker being thrown around by many anti-government protesters is ‘’Thai choey’’ or ‘’do-nothing Thai’’.
If one isn’t out in the streets, blowing whistles, harassing Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra’s child or storming a government ministry, one is called a do-nothing Thai.
A huge billboard on the Burapha Withi expressway calls for unity. The sign displays red and yellow traffic lights, symbolising the red-shirts and their yellow-shirt political rivals. (Photo by Somchai Poomlard)
If one isn’t hurling curses and insults, spewing hatred and anger left, right and centre while taking photos to post on Facebook and Instagram, one is called a do-nothing Thai.
If one speaks out against the violent and illegal tactics and Suthep Thaugsuban’s effort to overthrow electoral democracy, one is called a traitor to king and country. In fact, one is accused of having sold out to Thaksin Shinawatra.
A popular quote that people enjoy passing around is, ‘’All it takes for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing,’’ by British 18th century statesman Edmund Burke.
In fact, good men doing nothing are the lesser worry. Rather, good men turning into cheerleaders or soldiers of bad deeds in the name of the good cause would have the devil laughing in delight.
On the opposite end, for many red-shirts and democracy zealots, if one criticises democracy, one is accused of being anti-democratic, as if criticising the ideology is not imperative to the values of democracy.
If one criticises their violent and illegal tactics, one is called a yellow-shirt, ultra-royalist fascist, as if the red-shirts are legally and democratically above reproach.
If one speaks of minority rights or criticises the Pheu Thai Party or Thaksin Shinawatra, one also gets similar treatment, as if Pheu Thai and Thaksin are the embodiment of democratic values.
Here we are not even discussing the hate the two sides have for each other, but merely focusing on the ill treatment of bystanders and those who have a contrary opinion.
For these zealots, please take a Prozac and chill. Get a grip on yourself. In your words and deeds, you may exude in empty egotistical satisfaction and bask in hollow self-glory, but you are not doing humanity any favours.
You are blackening the sincerity of those red-shirts who truly march for democracy and against the power of the old regime. You are tainting the genuineness of those anti-government protesters who honestly march for good governance and against the monopolisation of power by the Thaksin political machine.
It is group-think, mob mentality. Throughout the history of the human civilisation, the passion of the mob has proven potent in turning otherwise sensible people into hate mongers. Just turn on the world news and witness it daily. Just take a look at our own history.
Death and destruction, genocides and holocausts – if one wonders how these evils come about, one only has to trace it back to the hearts of those consumed by self-righteous indignation, fueled by anger and hatred and led by a charismatic leader.
Evil doesn’t exist apart from us. It exists within us and is expressed in what we say and do, even in the name of the good cause. Thailand is not there yet. But we are heading down that road unless such hateful emotion is put in check.
Before pouring your hate on others, first take a long look at yourself in the mirror.