The case of human rights in the move towards economic development is a curious thing. It is generally perceived, regardless of academic definitions, that democracy is the political system where human rights are basically recognized, promoted, and protected. On the other hand, communism and socialism are the political systems that essentially do not prioritize individual human rights over the rights of the state. All these ideologies, however, have the common desired end result of general progress even if they belong to opposite ends of the political spectrum.

Operationally, the evaluation of these ideologies has rested on the belief that a more socially (centrally) controlled economy that does not take into account each and every possible human right will move much faster. This is for the reason that expediency in progress, translated into political and economic choices and decisions, rests in the hands of only a few.

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William Lutz, former professor of English at Rutgers University, has become closely associated with his favorite topic to write about: doublespeak.  In one of his essays on the subject entitled “Doublespeak,” found in The Longman Writer, Lutz wants to underscore the fact that doublespeak, no matter what form it takes, is highly confused and confusing language. By overlapping the categories, Lutz seems to say that doublespeak is premeditatedly confusing. This communication language is crafted in such a way as to confuse the listeners and readers. It is craftily designed to mislead.

According to Lutz, doublespeak is dangerous because it is designed precisely to alter perception and corrupt the thinking of its listeners and viewers. It is used to cover up reality. It glosses over the negative and unpleasant to make it appear otherwise. It is the language of lying – glamorously. If language and communication serve to unite a people, doublespeak only ends up dividing the potential understanding of people. Doublespeak breeds cynicism and doubt, as well as suspicion and general collapse of trust.
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A bunch of hooligans chanting ‘Jai Maharashtra’ enter the Thane Railway Station in Mumbai and thirteen examination centres to rough up the students come to appear for the railway recruitment board exams. The gundas in reference are actually members of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena and the victims are people from North India. And guess what? Nothing is done about it. I wonder why………

Let’s hear what the play actors say in this grotesque display of violence and insanity. I have taken the liberty of voicing North Indians who ufortunately are left with no option but flee for their lives.

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Erstwhile South African President Thabo Mbeki no longer holds sway in his country. Of late, however, he is more known for something more controversial: brokering the power-sharing deal between the top two political honchos of another country, Zimbabwe. This power-sharing scheme has really been more of a power struggle between Morgan Tsvangirai’s MDC party and the aging despot Robert Mugabe’s Zanu-PF party. True to his nature of clinging on to power even if he is rather close to the 100-year age mark, Mugabe has given the key positions of government to members of his own party. Tsvangirai, logically, has threatened to back out of the so-called power-sharing deal.

The two politicos are acting as they are – political animals – by sheer logic of their nature. The deal broker continues to hold the uncertainty of his position in brokering the deal. And the country of Zimbabwe continues to languish in the brunt of a ridiculously skyrocketing inflation in the trillions, as well as augmenting the lives of its people with foreign aid. Those who have fled, some over 3 million people out of the original 13 million in population, now suffer the fate of displaced people or refugees.
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Since elections are largely a game of perception, the upcoming US presidential elections is at feverish pitch with smear campaigns. For Barack Hussein Obama, it’s working both ways on the perception scale. Those who are for him are accused of terrorism, while those against, of racism. The McCain-Palin camp brands Obama a terrorist. A Muslim-sounding name can easily be associated with Radical Islamism a.k.a. terrorism. So, if Obama wins, the hugely-budgeted US-sponsored campaign towards global collective panic and power of nightmares called War on Terror would have obviously worn out its use.

What’s in a name? A lot. A Muslim-sounding name makes for a Muslim stereotype which, in turn, makes for the terrorist stereotype. This is so because, in this day and age, the pervading mindset is that not all Muslims are terrorists, but all terrorists are Muslims. So, someone with a Hussein in his name is “palling around with terrorists,” as Sarah Palin averred.
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I am worried about terrorism in India. Not just Islamic, which without any questions and doubts does get addressed and taken adequate action against, but also Hindu terrorism, which always escapes from the grip of authorities for lack of hard evidence. Honestly, if nothing is done about the situation in Orissa we shall probably have yet another terrorist group, but this time participated by Christians.

The ‘gorious’ work of the Bajrang Dal in Orissa is not a figment of anybody’s imagination. Innocent people are murdered in cold-blood, burnt alive, nuns raped…do we really need more facts to take a call against the religious group? PM Manmohan Singh wants to ban the group immediately but defiance within his party is problematic because they fear the BJP may reap dividends out of it. So, in the political plotting nobody really suffers but people like the Armyman who fought for our country in the Indo-Pak and Kargil War; his paralysed brother gets torched by fanatics chanting “Jai Hanuman” in Orissa.

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Already beleaguered about her ‘presumed’ incapacity as future VP of the world’s biggest economy that might soon be no more because of the economic meltdown and controversial bailout, Palin has now been found guilty of abusing her gubernatorial powers in her native Alaska. The state legislature probe asserts that Palin dismissed a senior state official Mr. Monegan for not firing a state trooper Mike Wooten. This might sound like any ordinary day in the life of Alaska’s governor except that Wooten is the governor’s former brother-in-law who is in a bitter custody battle with the governor’s sister.

If that sounds like a story that is discussed inside one’s kitchen, this development takes the cake: the investigation was a partisan-led inquiry sponsored by supporters of Obama. If personal grudge is behind her abuse of power, the probe’s exorbitant 263-page report is an indication of what being the running mate of Republican standard bearer John McCain has to offer in the dirty world of politics. Surely, the report would have less number of pages if she were just plain governor.
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According to international nuclear inspectors, a Russian scientist helped the Iranians with technical know-how and also helped them conduct complex experiments on ways of detonating a nuclear weapon. The fact that this information was revealed excitedly on the New York Times has more political reasons  than any real danger from either the Russian scientist or the Iranian nuclear hounds.

The U.S. has been trying to create the image of an impending calamity due to Russian aggressive behaviors when the real reason why Russians are growing increasingly aggressive is because they have their own fears. The Iranians may or may not pose a threat to the world, but a bigger threat to the world lies in the form of American foreign policies and propaganda such as the one about the Russian scientist. What appalls me is that a venerable newspaper like the New York Times is also not immune to prejudice and, directly or indirectly participates in the dissemination of American propaganda.

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A very strange thing happened the other day. It was like a doubt cropping up in my mind on something as stable and unquestioned as the validity of the military. Actually, it all started when a friend from Japan just mentioned off the hook, that officials of the armed forces in her country are not treated with respect. Now, this was a real shocker. Because being an Army brat, I always revelled in the glory of being an Indian Army Officer’s daughter. But now, there was someone who made me realise that this glory of the defense forces has no appreciation in the eyes of Japan.
 
It happened post World War II and the unfortunate Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings, that the Japanese Constitution renounced the use of force as a means of resolving dispute. In other words, the age-old and much revered Japanese ‘let’s die for the king’ sentiment was erased from the mindsets of the people. Somewhere around 1947, the Public Security Force was formed which later progressed into the Ground Self Defense Force which is not like your regular military force.
As the name suggests, the soldiers of this military organisation are trained to use weapons only for defense, nothing else. But even that approach hasn’t won them any brownie points with common people. In fact, they are ashamed of wearing their uniform outside the premises of the army area. Mainly because they do not like to be scrutinised or questioned or singled out by the pacifists.
 
This was a very weird phenomenon indeed. Coming from India, where a Captain in the army has more respect in the society than a millionaire, I am forced to think about the ideology that supports this phenomenon. Is it because we Indians have not been able to let got of violence? Despite Gandhi ji’s teachings and example, we still require a stern hand to keep us in check and yes, we never think twice to do the same if someone is supposedly off track. Violence is intrinsic to our psyche. Perhaps, that is why parents so readily beat their children, husbands their wives and army men do the same at the border. It all rounds up to one question –  Do we really need wars, and the military by consequence? Or will it take another Hiroshima and Nagasaki in India to teach us the lesson of peace.

This year Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday brought along a special gift for the aam janta in India — the ban on public smoking. Indian Health Minister Anubumani Ramadoss finally had his way after chasing the tobacco smokers for a long long time.

First, it was the ban on onscreen smoking that even targeted top notch stars like Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan. The result is no actor dares to light that offensive roll of tobacco which they sometimes carry for an effective role portrayal in front of the cameras.

Afterwards came the respect for passive smokers. Apparently, if you smoked in front of your maid she has the right to register a complaint against you. Soon, due to an amendment in the traffic laws smoking while driving was ordained illegal.

Then there were talks of introducing pictures/images of diseases caused by smoking on the cigarette box, a law which too was implemented on 2nd October. 

Ramadoss has been pummeled for his radical approach to health problems. Cigarette smoking is a major health concern facing India right now. Will these laws actually help? I, too like many others, have some doubts.
a) Will these give some more reasons to the cops to earn the extra 50 bucks?
b) Will smokers come up with ways around these laws? (I am not predicting anything, but the human mind is a great innovative machine in times of ‘crises.)
c) If India is so serious about banning the tobacco, then why not stop the production altogether? Let tobacco join the bandwagon with heroin, LSD and the likes.

All that said I am still very happy to see the government take action against cigarette smoking. Just that these laws still have some loopholes which the authorities and law enforcers should not ignore. Also, the public health care scheme should include ‘leaving tobacco’ procedures. We know how expensive they are. Maybe the government hospitals should be guided to provide the same at less or no cost.

But yes, it is indeed a pleasure to say goodbye to public smoking!