Strange are the ways a country gets united ! This time on intolerance of speech.
There is a national debate raging on tolerance, with tempers and opinions being generated at furious speed and alarming “fact-less-ness”. Common sense has taken a back seat, and a sense of jingoism shrouds most commentary. Well, just as a set of people have a right to be upset, Aamir Khan also has a right be upset or worried. Whether it is the right reason or a wrong one, is not for anyone to judge.
Its an individual opinion, thought, which should at best be left at that. Because if we, as 1.2Bn people start to take into consideration every single thought or passing comment that anyone makes, then chaos is not far away. The flip side of the story is, there are people who crib about their country all their lives, and nobody bats an eyelid, but the moment they see someone else do it, their dormant patriot wakes up to loud accusations.
Yes,the same set of “hurt-sentiments” these people have ,united many times in cursing their neighborhoods, cities, roads, traffic, politics, corruption and crime to name a few reasons to look elsewhere. Nobody has bade farewell to them.
Yes,the same set of people have often united to queue up in large numbers in front of foreign embassies, wanting a better quality of life, more money and growth are have suddenly developed a sense of pride in being in their own country. Nobody judged them.
Yes,the same set of people have united while growing up hearing “this country is going to the pits” from many of their elder generations. Nobody ridiculed them.
If you truly want to test tolerance, try stopping your car in the middle of a road. Forget stopping, even if your car delays a start by about 15 seconds, the honks will establish tolerance levels right away. Where is civic sense ?
Where is the tolerance? Why can’t people agree to disagree and move on.? Where is the maturity? Where is the restraint?
It is also true Pakistan will unite and make it national headlines, splash it across all news that amplify the whole issue. It is also true, there will be millions of perceptions will unite to trigger another hate wave. It is also true some fanatics will unite in our own country, and will find a new reason to further their cause . It is also true, some hooligans will unite and raise hell when Aamir Khan’s next release is due. It is also true that the same set of people will unite to watch the movie and make it a block buster, and it is also true the same set of people will unite in dormancy, till another controversy erupts, so that they can vent out on various social media platforms ,unitedly.
It is also true, just after a few days, the country will unite to make this a thing of past and Monday will again reunite most part of the country to get back to work!
GB
The Gyan Ban Times 