29 April 2007

Campus Carnage

Though the event has occur ed almost 2 weeks ago, I was tempted to express my concern for the students who lost there lives in one of the often occurring dastardly act in American universities.
Well this is not the first time such incident has occur ed in American universities, in term of damage(human life) this one will be remembered for the toll Cho had taken. People might argue that life's could be saved if after the initial shooting had occur ed at West Ambler Johnston Hall dormitory, then after 2 hours the second attack occur ed at Norris Hall engine ring building. If the authorities had warned the student after the initial incident. But the authorities replied they had no reason the believe another incident could occur and even guessed that incident to be isolated and the gunman would have left by then.
The previous incident that blotted American history with such killing in school have occur ed even way back in 1966 at University of TEXAS, then in 1999 at Columbine High School at Colorado. Though the background of the people involved in shoot outs had different background and suffered Psychological breakdown. But the key Point that is easily overlooked is the fact that it's easiest to purchase an arms in US for anyone who is above the legal age of 21. In fact the state of California has even more absurd law stating that any individual above the age of 21 can purchase to a maximum of 1 handgun per month only. Though the purchaser is subjected to background checks( recently included law). Here is the nation in the world that beliefs that owning an arm is matter of civil liberty. And there is on going debate in the country not on banning the rule to own a gun, but just to impose stricter restriction on arm posses ions. In a recently concluded survey by United Nations brought out shocking statistics that in US population of 300 million there were 200 million guns(Legalised) being circulated. And death by firearm per year stand to 0.3% per year.
What surprises me, is the fact that here are we a nation of 1 billion with more than 60% population in there prime age. Yet how many of us have seen a real gun forget owning them. Please don't include the government officials and Armed officers. Where else in US in fact more than half the population posses legalized arm. In fact there should be no doubt that such incident at universities do still keep occurring every once in a while. In fact until you have access to arms such incident can never be completely ruled from the society. No amount of metal detectors at School and University gates or stricter security can avoid such mishap occurring often.
I would like to end with small observation that its the Same country that has attacked other nations for posse sing WMD( Weapons of mass destruction), where else in there own backyard arms are being legally sold. US should realise the greatest threat they are incurring not from WMD present in Middle east countries or some Eurasian countries but from there own population by allowing them to arm themselves at their free will.

11 April 2007

Digital Divide

Just as the state of Uttar Pradesh goes into voting to decide onto the fate of it future politics, the saffron oriented party has caused a turmoil in the state by bringing out a Compact Disk(CD) containing inflammatory and offensive remarks on the minority group.
In fact the Hindu edition carried out detail description of the content of the CD in its Thursday issue. The details were shocking and horrifying, well I just couldn't imagine the national party would stoop to such low mean of propaganding it's ideology by throwing the other community in such a bad light. It's well known that such religious oriented party are in power in some state where they have lured the society based on communal vote bank.
They seem to be trying the same policy of winning votes in UP by outclassing the other community, and nations seem to have realize the parties policy as a result the Election Commission is trying to take a tough stance against such a propaganda during the election rally. Though some other parties are requesting that since the BJP's top brass agreed that it was aware of the CD content, they should be banned from contesting the election.
Rather the best solution I view is that the people of the state should go for voting and shouldn't cast even a single vote to this party and causing a shame full defeat for
it.
Though not an implicit follower of Indian politics, I would like to learn about it's horrid way of working, after all they decide our future. Though the views I have expressed is so stale, this incident occur ed 2 weeks ago and literally rocked the nation. But our country with such large diversity throws up new sensational situation every new morning to ponder over. I would like to end with a note, with the world largest democracy, best known constitution( there are laws for every situation that one can think of: courtesy T N Seshan, in his autobiography). We still languish in development for the simple fact that nation is still ruled by people with short sightedness and interested in personal gain rather nation development.

02 April 2007

Forbidden Knowledge.

Over the last few weeks, the state government of Karnataka, Maharashtra and Delhi are having facing a stiff opposition from religious group of introducing sex education in the school syllabi.
In order to introduce such subjects in the school, the educational department had resorted to meeting religious peer head in the state. And after discussion with them, decide to implement the course in the school. Well pragmatically looking its fine to discuss such issues with religious head, but what would have been more appropriate would be discussion with parents on a large scale.
But on the contrary they faced stiff opposition from saffron and Islamic groups, voicing theirs concern that this will lead to deterioration of moral values in the society. The need of the day is to make just not adult, but also youth realize the implication of sex problems, that has resulted in India being second in the world having HIV positive patients.
Issue that has to be discussed is not that whet er this education should be implemented in the curriculum. May be people opposing think, this will be implemented in very early class. But when we are taught basic reproduction in mammals in our 9th class, there seems to be no opposition to this. So why not have the sex education implicit part of our biology textbook chapters.
It's important to be clear what exactly going to define sex education. This will surely have nothing to do with love making, but maybe safe methods to approach them. Reasons for spread of sexually transmitted diseases and misconception about there spread.
I personally against the view that use of contraceptives for safe sex is advisable, but we forget this is like giving passport doing all hanky-panky and still get away. Nevertheless sex is an integral part of human survival, and has to be handled carefully. Well this shouldn't be viewed with moral vision, but rational look that humans can be emotionally carried away and indulge in unhealthy sex, which can lead to disastrous consequence. Cons of such action should be made aware of in such curriculum.
All sexual information that all have gathered is usually from there peer, so there is always scope of wrong ideas being circulated. Only if we are taught from a authoritative sources, not only we get rid of shyness in knowing them, but also learning the right notes.
So finally I hope that that the fundamentalist quickly cool down their ire and think sensibly, that there is not going to be moral degradation when you are being taught about sexuality in life, under scientific light.
"Modesty is never hurt through scientific approach."