Make love, not Reconciliation

[CrazyExpat]

National reconciliation. Do we need it? Should we want it? Will it be better for Thailand? In my humble opinion, the answers are no, no and no. And when I preface a sentence with ''in my humble opinion'', rest assured that there's nothing humble about it.

Why reconcile? Conflict is a natural condition of any developed democracy. A society that thinks the same and acts the same is one that is conducive to authoritarianism. Dissension, ladies and gentlemen, is the hallmark of democracy.

In the United States, the Democrats have the Republicans. In the United Kingdom, the Labour Party has the Tories. They don't reconcile. They shouldn't reconcile. Reconciling wouldn't do their democracies any good.

Since its beginning, the Thai political landscape has been characterised not by political parties with differing brands of vision and contrasting sets of ideology. Instead, we have been plagued by a political factionalism in which one faction differs from another only in that one may be a little less corrupt. That's no way for a democracy to develop. That's no choice for the people.

But today, we see dissension. We see different visions of Thailand. We, the people, have choices.

Hang with the Democrats and we have the status quo, with its traditional feudalistic characters intact. The military and old aristocracy at the top of the heap, with society's elites and provincial barons managing the day-to-day functions, the slowly growing middle class alert economically, but not politically, while the mass of peasants and working class people toil the fields and factories. Progress is slow, but steady.

Go with the red shirts and Puea Thai Party, and we have the return of Thaksin Shinawatra, with a capitalist feudalism in place. Money politics topping the chart, the military kept well fed and content (presuming ''someone'' would have learned from past mistakes), day-to-day functions carried out by merchants (the new elites), the slowly growing middle class alert economically, but not politically, while the mass of peasants and working class people toil the fields and factories. Progress should be slow, but steady.

Choose the yellow shirts and New Politics party and we have limited democracy, or elitist democracy, or basically an ultra-nationalistic oligarchy. We have not yet seen them running the country, so there's not much to say here. However, I will always caution: Keep your eye on Abhisit, beware of Thaksin, but fear Sondhi.

Of course, these aren't wonderful choices, and the distinctions may not be as clearly defined as they should be, but they are choices nonetheless. More importantly, it's a step forward for democracy.

If your mother is yellow, your father is red, while you are a fan of PM Abhisit, and the family argues at the dinner table _ take that as a good thing. Just don't throw food at each other.

If parliament is debating a bill, and the yellow march to say ''yay'' to the bill, while the red protest to say ''nay'' to the bill _ take that as a good thing. Just don't throw rocks at each other.

If friends debate over whisky and coke at the pub while the coyote dancers take their break, and the only topic more testosterone-charged than girls and football is politics _ take that as a good thing. Just don't throw whisky and coke at each other.

If colleagues at work exchange differing political thoughts during their three-hour lunch break, while the expat boss scratches his head wondering where everyone is and why so little work gets done, then out of frustration posts angst-ridden messages about those [expletive] Thais on an internet forum before knocking off early to make happy hour at Soi Cowboy _ take that as a good thing. Just don't take your investment elsewhere.

One vision, one ideology is extreme. Different sets of visions, contrasting platforms of ideology all wooing for the consideration and affection of 67.7 million Thais will create checks and balances. In the long run, it will create stability.

Democracy. Kiss her. Embrace her. Make gentle, yet passionate love to her. Serve her breakfast in bed in the morning. Hide the engagement ring between the egg and the sausage.

Don't be fooled with all the talk about national reconciliation. Ask the question, who are the ones who are supposed to be reconciling? The average Korat or Chiang Mai red shirt doesn't have any issues with the average Bangkokian. Furthermore, when was the last time the average red shirt clashed with the average yellow shirt? The two colours get along better than rival vocational school students.

The puppet masters are the antagonists in this tragic comedy. They only use the term ''national reconciliation'' to misdirect.

Thaksin talks peace and unity, but continues to agitate, manipulate and instigate conflicts.

Newin Chidchob champions reconciliation and amnesty, for the purpose of stealing non-hardcore red votes in Isan for the Bhumjaithai Party.

Prime Minister Abhisit talks of national reconciliation, but wouldn't step foot upcountry. However, such talk looks good to the international community, gives middle-class Bangkokians warm and fuzzy feelings and serves as a marketing tool for the entertainment industry to use in campaigns and music videos intended to make the public realise the industry doesn't just make society shallow and materialistic, but actually cares.

It seems that perhaps Sondhi Limthongkul and Chamlong Srimuang are the only two straight-forward puppet masters, consistent in their demands for complete obliteration of their enemies.

Meanwhile, all sides call names, throw insults and work to undermine the others.

But all that is OK, I say. We just need to turn the table on them, I say. Instead of letting them pull the strings, the 67.7 million Thais can grab the strings and tie a noose, I say. Then dangle the noose in front of the puppet masters, what do you say?

We can do this if we educate one another to the fact that we have choices. We have the power. We have the votes. We may be red. We may be yellow. We may be blue. But let us not be puppets. The only unity that we need is to unite against the powers-that-be. Not because we hate them. Not because they are the enemy. It is because we have to check them in order to keep society balanced.

We don't need national reconciliation. We shouldn't want national reconciliation. National reconciliation won't be better for Thailand.

Conflicts. Dissensions. Debates. Arguments. These are what we need. And by the Lord Buddha, we need to march and protest.

Street democracy is democracy in its truest form. It's a channel that allows the people to exercise power and demand changes, a direct link between the people and political power, without having to navigate through the maze of deceit and treachery weaved by politicians.

A society that marches is a society that cares. A society that sits on its behind has nothing to show for it but cellulite and stretch marks.

We need to understand our role in a democracy in order to develop our democracy. We need to do all of this without violence, without breaking the law.

This is democracy. Kiss her. Embrace her. Make gentle, yet passionate love to her. Serve her breakfast in bed in the morning. Hide the engagement ring between the egg and the sausage.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/213121/make-love-not-reconciliation