The Middle Finger Tells Its Story

© Ellaeenah

www.jadefirelight.com

Dear Friend, in as far back as the 16th century, the essayist Michel De Montaigne wrote, ‘Not being able to govern events, I govern myself.’ These words sum up the essence of self-responsibility. The attacks upon our beloved city proved beyond a doubt that we cannot govern events, that we do not have the leaders who can govern events, and that the few who showed their grit in that moment of crisis did not have the support and backing that they so sorely needed.

That was 26/11/2008. And yesterday was 30/4/2009.

It took us a mere five months to show to all the world that the candlelight marches, public meetings, and aggrieved outcries were a sham, a show, a hypocrisy. When our city, our nation, needed us to show solidarity of our divine strength of self-responsibility, we chose to disinterestedly scoot off for an extended week-end, or were too chicken to wait in short lines in the heat ….. in short 57% of us did not care enough to vote.

What story, dear friend, does your middle finger tell the world? Does it say that you are an Indian first and last, or does it expose that you are here to take what you can and give back nothing? Does your voice shout in loud complaint about a weak leadership, a corrupt politico, a nation unable to fight any battle effectively? What lies behind your shouts? Hot air or the desire to make a difference? The emptiness of a stolen holiday or the strength to stand up and be counted? The lies of a hundred excuses or the truth of a single vote?

The health, wealth and state of affairs of a nation are irrefutable proof of the depth of dedicated, selfless, nationalism and patriotism of its citizenry. Our nation tells a sad story indeed. It was hoped that the blows struck by the terrorists, not only in Mumbai but in so many parts of our burdened country, would jolt us from the apathy and selfishness that has become a characteristic by which we have come to be recognized. This was not to be. We have informed the terrorists all over the world that we are a nation without a backbone, a citizenry empty of the power of self-responsibility, impoverished in the desire to do good for all -- in a word, a country waiting for its next attack!

Till yesterday morning my heart was elated by the many new entrants, some of them powerful dedicated women, who had found it in their hearts to move beyond the constraints of their personal lives to give us a wider choice, a more significant choice than ever before. Today, my heart calls out in anger to all our politicians that it is not certain communities that are not welcome in our country, but those whose middle fingers lie shamelessly naked. Take away their right to use our capital, our labour, our land, our resources, for they have scorned their right to vote.

The middle finger has told its story!