Mud slinging in politics
Tuesday, 14 October 2008
Many people are of the opinion that our politicians should refrain from mud slinging. They say that this is the very practice that goads the followers of those politicians to passionately extend the insulting epithets to the opposition. There is also a blind side to the followers: they simply cannot hear any ill about their leaders, for whom they are spotless and sin-free and maintain that the people who were saying all those are filled with hate and frustration as a result of which they were maligning their beloved leaders. And the opposition is always bad.
Then there are those more sober supporters who know that many of the leaders are not only dishonest but deserved to be called what they were being called. But they shake their heads like sages and say that this is the real world and if you do not make money and spread money no one will follow you! For them, illegal income in the millions is justified if one has to run a party. As for calling their leaders thieves or by any other offensive sobriquet, they say we should look at the advanced countries where people do not behave in such a manner calling each other names. Really? Have they been following the American elections? Sarah Palin, the Republican VP candidate, who many think needs a shrink immediately, has heaped insults upon insults on Obama the Democratic presidential candidate and has just stopped short of shrieking: "So what rhymes with Osama?"
The thing is, politics in some countries-like Bangladesh and the USA-is dirty business and so the fight can get dirty and does, that's all.
Rubel
Bara Maghbazar
Dhaka
Then there are those more sober supporters who know that many of the leaders are not only dishonest but deserved to be called what they were being called. But they shake their heads like sages and say that this is the real world and if you do not make money and spread money no one will follow you! For them, illegal income in the millions is justified if one has to run a party. As for calling their leaders thieves or by any other offensive sobriquet, they say we should look at the advanced countries where people do not behave in such a manner calling each other names. Really? Have they been following the American elections? Sarah Palin, the Republican VP candidate, who many think needs a shrink immediately, has heaped insults upon insults on Obama the Democratic presidential candidate and has just stopped short of shrieking: "So what rhymes with Osama?"
The thing is, politics in some countries-like Bangladesh and the USA-is dirty business and so the fight can get dirty and does, that's all.
Rubel
Bara Maghbazar
Dhaka