14 June 2010

Comment by Stranger in USA - With a sigh - (pt1)

A reader has broken his ( just my assumption - could equally be a she ) silence, remaining anonymous and calling himself ‘Stranger in USA’. He appears to be attending a university but I have a gut feeling that he is a matured student. He has nicely summarised two views on promiscuity and freedom of speech at a university. Here is what he had to comment on my last entry:

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Salam Pakick & Makcik,If I can share my observation so far from the other side of the world.1. Teen pregnancy is also a major problem in this part of the world. However, there are many NGO programmes promoting either abstinence and safe sex. Even in university we are taught safe sex. This does not translate into promiscuity. This is only as way for making informed choices and knowing the consequences of teenage pregnancy. Those with strong religious belief and faith will stick with abstinence. 2. Our uni here requires the first year students to continue their studies with English regardless of the fact that your mother tongue is English unless one is excused from taking one. Here we are taught to write analytically. For students, who need help in their writing, there is a writing centre that offers this service on campus. What I like over here is the fact that lecturers are open to our views even if they can be quite controversial. We are encouraged to further substantiate our finding with concrete evidence. Weaker students will not be left behind. They are given constant motivation and every single work that they do will contribute to final results. Seek help, open one's mouth to speak up and one will enjoy your study here.Apologies for the long winded explanation here Pakcik.Stranger in USA

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Dear ‘Stranger in USA’.

You are no longer a silent reader. Like the lecturers mentioned above we, too, are open to your 'views even if they can be quite controversial', as you said. Thank you.

Pakcik and Makcik wish you success and all the best in your endeavours.

Berkhidmat kerana Tuhan untuk kemanusiaan

11 comments:

Wan Sharif said...

Salam Abang Hassan,
Good to know you have received comments from afar.. need to know the other part.. that I believe will be interesting.. it must be important enough for him at least to post such a long comment.

norzah said...

Kalau safe sex dijarkan di sini, Pakcik, tak taulah apa yang akan terjadi. 'Abstinence' lebih baik untuk diajarkan dgn syarat muda mudi kita diberi peluang
bermesra secara terkawal. Melarang anak-anak membuat sesuatu adalah cara apaling senang untuk membuat mereka ingin melakukannya. Muda mudi kita selalu terlanjur kerana susah dapat peluang berbual-bual dikhalayak ramai. Salam.

Al-Manar said...

Wan,

We look from all points of view. Premarital happenings of all sorts are becoming rampant in our society. It is good that we have the opportunity to look as far as possible so as to enable us to advise and influence those who are close to us. We just do our bit within our sphere of influence.We cannot act God.
Salaam from Abang Hassan

Al-Manar said...

Norzah,
Saya percaya ada betulnya apa yang akhi kata tentang akibat melarang anak-anak. Kita tidak berupaya membuat keputusan untuk negara. Saya percaya biarlah kita mempunyai daya untuk mempengaruhi kaum kerabat kita dan mereka mereka didekeliling. Kepada mereka yang mempunyai kuasa politik kita beri sokongan untuk kebaikan.

kaykuala said...

Pak Cik,
Somehow anywhere in the world there's the good and the bad in whatever. The good are those who thru' good religious upbringing, good family background and good environment remain good ( they practised abstinence & have acceptable behavior).
Those not privileged & lack them are the problem 'seekers' who need attention.
Trouble is, we tend to expend our energies & efforts on the good ones who continue to be good but we inadvertently in many instances 'miss' the bad who continue to chalk up the bad 'statistics' making the problem appear insurmountable.
How to 'recognise' & arrest the malady is the $6mil question!
The answer:1) as agreed by most to drum the 'positives'on everybody good & bad before they become bad.2)How to 'recognise'the bad is difficult to answer rather than to act after the fact ie after the bad has caused 'mischief' & we come in to do 'damage control' as what's happening now.
There is an answer definitely but it is elusive!

Al-Manar said...

Kaykuala
I think we all recognise that our current practice is giving extra help to the bettr ones and pay little attention or nill to the real needy ones. I agree with you.And we seem to be watching helplessly the goings on.So as I personally believe we just do what we can within our line of responsibility and where we have some influence. Prevention is better than cure but we seem to miss the first and are in the second stage most of the time.

Cat-from-Sydney said...

Dear Pakcik,
Phew! This topic is too heavy for a cat but it's easier in our world - snip snip by the vet! Actually, we just want to know how can we contribute to your cause. My Mama believes that even a little support means a lot. Please email us, OK?

Snipped,
Brad

Al-Manar said...

CiS,
I indulge in mundane day-to-day subjects, seen, perhaps, from a different perspective in life. But I am hopeless at communicating in meow meow language. Please bear it not the big bear language either) with me. Pakcik will certainly e-mail 'brad' shortly.Thank you indeed.

ninotaziz said...

Brad,

About 500 years ago, Kings in China snipped snipped snipped their loyal subjects to safeguard their harem and princesses.

Today though, this is not possible due to stringent human rights laws even though some deserve it.

Personally, I feel parents must talk to their kids about safe sex, religion [and morals] and the dangers of a free society. When I see what is happening to our teenagers first hand, I worry about my five daughters...resulting in long sessions of open talk with the first two teenagers.

Sitie BUm BUm said...

pergh..komen yang buat kite fikir sejenak..

Al-Manar said...

(S)itie(B)um(B)um,
(S)ejenak (B)oleh (B)efikir lah satu satu pemberian NYA kepada kita, makhluk yang kerdil, boleh melintasi snkgkasa hingga kebulan .... sayang (S)emuanya (B)oleh (B)erakhir. Selamat maju jaya SBB.
Pakcik