This is unacceptable behaviour if the Police investigations confirm it. Heckling is wrong. Heckling at special needs children is doubly wrong. What has these special needs children done to deserve being heckled down? There are a few issues here beyond this act of heckling. Firstly, heckling is an act of tyranny against freedom of expression, something that I believe we have been promoting. Ironically, this happened at Hong Lim Park and by the group who clearly went to Hong Lim Park because they wanted to freely express themselves. Secondly, and following from the first point, it seems the concept of freedom of expression has been partially applied when the group deemed it convenient - that they want to express their opinions freely but will not hesitate to shout down others who do not seem to be on their side. I would think that if one truly believes in freedom of expression, then one must respect the space and right of others to do so as well. Its okay to debate, but heckling is an act of aggression with the aim of either humiliating or shutting others up. So, heckle is not okay. Thirdly, I gathered from various articles and postings (including those who were definitely not PAP-sympathetic), one of the reasons for the group to march over to YMCAs side was because a member of the establishment (Ser Luck in this case) was the Guest of Honour. If the aggressively ungracious act was indeed because of the association with the establishment, it is still cause for worry. Political differences aside, the YMCA, and least of all the special needs children, do not deserve to be heckled. One does not bully and heckle down others just because they happen to disagree with you or they happen to be friends with people you disagree with. This is Singapore and we have come so far as a nation. We have also been working hard to achieve the ideal of a caring and inclusive Singapore. So surely, acts such as heckling at special needs children cannot be condoned. m.todayonline/singapore/ugly-scenes-break-out-hong-lim-park
Posted on: Sun, 28 Sep 2014 06:06:44 +0000
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