Aug 4th, 2008
Red or white
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Since this week is National Day week, I’m going to write another entry regarding National Day.
During the National Day parade, Singaporeans at the parade location are always decked out in red. However, members of the PAP are always dressed in white as far as I can remember. This is something I find very interesting. Why are they not dressed in red?
Of course, half the national flag is white so it really isn’t a problem to be decked in white. However, I just think that being National Day, everyone should be united and wear the same colour, and that includes politicians. It gets a little discomforting when leaders try and differentiate themselves from the rest of the populace on National Day.
And, it doesn’t help matters that white is the party colour of the PAP. In wearing white on National Day, are the PAP members trying to subtly hint that the party and the country is one?
Of course, the list of possible interpretations can go on but I think it would be nice if PAP members switch to red during National Day parade. It may be a symbolic gesture with no practical purposes but it is a nice gesture. At least I would appreciate it. 
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Maybe our all-white elites wear RED undies for the day
From Martyn See’s post of yesterday:
“I make no apologies that the PAP is the Government and the Government is the PAP.”
- Lee Kuan Yew, Petir, 1982
do you feel it all around us?
Its not true that red and white only represents Singapore. I can always wear the Imperial Japanese Navy ensign, for starters XD.
That will be definitely be more controversal than the whiter than white horses.
And as for the PAP wearing white, it is to distunguish themselves as the elites instead of us commoners. And which is why their policies and actions seem contary to what the commoners are feeling, like GST to help the poor, mee siam mai hum, no increase in wages while paying more for daily necessities, etc…
The PAP elites wear white, many of us should consider wearing black on national day. I agree that they behave and think that their party is the country. I belong to the 33.4 % and the 9th August is perceived as PAP day. No hard feelings to the 66.6%, but cannot say the same for the PAPs.
Wearing red seems like blood on hands. Sorry the eLEEtes are too pure for that.
Wished the NDP was simpler and less of a propaganda-patriotism-how far we’ve gone-loyalty parade.
Just plain old family enjoyment would be best.
As in every NDP parade, I will tell my wife that it is used to promote someone to higher ranks - especially the parade commander.
Kaffein
It make sense that citizen dress in RED and PAP dress in White.
Why ? Because it make the citizen look like big HONG BAO. Once NDP over, it is payback time and you see how big is that hong bao when the gahmen start loading money from the hong bao. No string attached to unloading.
MIW, eat all you can on the big juicy Hong Bao.,
Kaffein,
You mean the politicians have ‘washed their hands’, like Pontius Pilate…so their hands are white
[...] is right when he notes that everyone is in red except for the politicians in white. Of course, it could be a freebie which the masses wear out of pure gratitude, but symbolically, [...]
yes PAP wear white, so i shall wear black.
PAP members wear white to distinguish themselves from the populace they rule - it is ever more ‘us’ and ‘them’.
“Apache - I belong to the 33.4 % and the 9th August is perceived as PAP day.”
Me too.
[...] 5 Aug 08 - Hear Ye! Hear Ye!: Red or white [...]
Darkness is no fool. Anyone who has ever followed the history of this chap in the net, will notice two things time and again. Firstly, he never plays it safe. He is prepared to take calculated risk, a Von Manstein and Guderian type. A genius who pioneered new methods of gaming in the virtual. I have studied every single one of his battles not once but at least a dozen times. And on every single occasion, he doesnt just shy away from taking on a larger force. He even runs circles around them. So it is very odd, he should now see fit to chuck in the towel.
He must have calculated it is impossible to win this one.
If anyone knows how this wayang kulit is going to be played out it is him. I tell you.
He has already given us all the rough outline of the story. He mentioned this whole idea of community moderation and the setting up of the IC3 is like religion, it badly needs miracles, people need to feel edified. They need to be able to see it work before they can even believe it is useful. This is a big clue. It means,
(A) concessions will be given. I am very certain some old defunct laws will even be repealed and the those bloggers will even be credited for it. They will make heroes of them. When this is done everyone will say, “Waaaaaaaah. It works. We did it.” It will have the desired shock and awe response.
(B) The second clue he gives us is. He says the net will be gradually unionized. That means a oligarchy will first have to be set up. If you notice now there is nothing in the net. That is why it is so difficult to control. Maybe he is referring to the IC3.
At first I am very sure it will be run by bloggers proper, but as time goes by, they will be kicked out one by one and filled up with YES mans and NATO’s. Till it is nothing more than a poddle or rubber stamp.This is what he means by back door unionization of the net.
(C) The third clue is he even gives us their motivation for all this wayang. He has calculated the government can no longer attempt to control the net by way of legislation. Even those in government know this only too well. Too leceh.
So by pursuing this strategy, they will get to cut the cake and eat it at the same time. If bloggers are the one’s who propose this whole idea. If it fails we all get all the blame. If it goes well the bureaucrats get the credit. Either way the govt gets to wash their hands free from any further responsibility. Darkness calls this the perfect “get out of jail card.” Or con job of the century.
I figure he wants them to take responsibility. That is something he knows they will never ever do.
One thing abt him is he doesnt think very highly of bureaucrats. He even considers the most senior of them to be nothing more than food court managers. This guy is very arrogant and contemptous of them so he will talk down to them. Not only does he consider them risk adverse. He also believes, they lack imagination. You can see the proof here even in the latest FILB essay
http://dotseng.wordpress.com/2008/08/08/can-the-crescent-and-stars-really-mean-the-good-life-%e2%80%93-a-study-in-the-national-search-for-the-meaning-of-life/
However I still believe he should have worked with the other bloggers and even AIMS. Even if he didnt want to sit down with this people, it was very shortsighted of him to prevent many like Harphoon, Vollaraine and others from doing so. They could have added immeasurably to generating solutions as BP has alot of expertize in this area. But time and again Darkness not only stopped it. He even sabotaged the whole effort. And instead institutes a protest boycot. Then he walks right out of blogosphere like a drunkard singing a tune that only he and he alone understands.
Very odd.
Sorry for the long rant. I have been keeping this in my heart for a long time.
YY
anyways from what i studied in a module in fass, pap chose white to signify purity of their intent and their incorruptible nature, thinking that an all white ensemble would also make a pap-man a stand-out in photos. if i’m not wrong (someone do correct me if i am) i remember the progressives and labour were both hit with rumours of graft during their tenure (some clever scheming by *coughs* i suppose) thus the pap did that to distinguish themselves from all the graft.
remember what we were taught in school?- red for brotherhood and white for purity.. bah!
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Ya, I agree that they should try wearing red for once. And once they do that, the rest of us will all wear white. LOL. That would be interesting.