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Saturday, March 13, 2010

Don't Vote for George Yeo

The thing about gender relations is that there is an equilibrium to be managed. In cultures where the burden of chastity sits squarely on the shoulders of the woman, women have to go through extraordinary lengths to stay safe. They have to cover hair, eyes and body. They cannot go to many places because by simply being in a certain place, men can say "You hit on me, just by being there." Perhaps, smiling at a man could be perceived as a come on?

I wear shorts and half-backed t-shirts. But I am not hitting on any of the men who see me walk down the street. I like that freedom. When a man holds the door open for me, I smile at him. I am not hitting on him. My hair is long and chestnut brown. That is also not a hit on any man who sees it.

Men need to play their part, and share in the burden of protecting women's safety, by controlling themselves, and by counselling other men to good behavior.

For women to move freely without constraint in public... for women to feel safe at work from lecherous bosses... for teens to develop a healthy sexuality uncontaminated by the sex education men like Jack are more than pleased to offer... George Yeo should come out and state that Jack's actions are unacceptable (of course, I can think of stronger words than "unacceptable" but let's be gentle shall we?)

If George Yeo fails to state unequivocally that Jack's actions were wrong, then he has let down Jack's wife and every other wronged wife in Singapore. He has let down Maelle, and all other teens who've been hit on my lechers. He has let down Foyce, and all other women who have lecherous bosses. Men all over Singapore will know that this is a country where men can cheat a wife and a mistress, hit on teens and grope their female subordinates... and be told "You poor thing. You are going through an ordeal".

George Yeo owes the women of Singapore an unequivocal statement that Jack's actions were wrong. Women are ill represented by George. Let us not vote for him.

Grandfathers with grand-daughters. Fathers with daughters. Husbands with wives who work outside the home. If you love your women and care about their safety and their right to move freely about Singapore, don't vote for George Yeo either. He will craft a Singapore where women cannot feel safe.

George Yeo's open call to support Jack Neo through his ordeal paired with his silence on Jack's misdeeds may be conveniently interpreted by many males that (1) every wife should forgive, and (2) every mistress is to be blamed for the man's affair, and (3) every female teen is up for grabs.

Let us not have him represent us.

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

There is an article in Temasek Review about your blog postings. You can check it out here.

http://www.temasekreview.com/2010/03/14/angry-female-blogger-lashed-out-at-george-yeo-for-his-undiplomatic-response-to-the-jack-neo-sex-scandals/

Hope you don't get discouraged by strange and unkind remarks. All sorts of people out here in cyberspace.

Petunia Lee said...

Aurvandil - Thank you. I am prepared for the unkind remarks... They're unpleasant but I think when you set out to achieve something you care about, you have to be prepared that some people will disagree. If they make sense, I may change my perspective. If they don't make sense... no need to bother.

I am surprised that my blog was picked out of so many. But maybe not so. I am a Christian and I told God that I would say what He wanted me to say and let Him to the rest.

He will do what needs to be done. The present post will really be the last in this series. I have said all that God wanted me to say.

It's time to go back to being a normal average "auntie".

Petunia Lee said...

For those of you who Christians I did what I did because God spoke to me through "John 2:13-16" on the very morning the news broke about George Yeo's blogpost. We have a Holy and powerful God.

For Jack, who pretends to be a Christian (no Christian embraces the notion retribution - that is not a Christian concept, I think not)... Know that my God is a Holy one.

For non-Christians... please don't be turned away from Christianity because of Jack.

Unknown said...

Petunia,

Whether if Jack is a Christian or a non-Christian doesn't matter,after all,the flesh is weak,but the spirit is willing,being a Christian myself,i get tempted every single day,what i do is put on a pair of running shoes & get away from temptation as far as possible,i do agree that guys need self-control,but then i believe it takes 2 hands to clap,2 to tango,if there's day,there has to be night,i am not going to condone Jack's infidelity actions,that is up to God to judge n decide what Jack deserves,we as Christians should pray,to pray for the affected people in this saga,Jack's wife,his 4 kids,the alleged 3 victims of circumstances.

I don't wanna know what happened behind closed doors,its none of my business,what i do have to know is a lesson to be learned,if we screw around promiscuously with other gals,we get screwed too,the Bible has already taught us how sinful man's nature can be,since Adam & Eve went against the word of God,up till today,marriages are no longer regarded as pure,holistic,monogamous,wonderful,loving,etc...
the list goes on & on.

The conclusion i came up was if men & women decide to cohabit,its their choice,its their decision,they are accountable for their own actions,if they decide to get married & start a family,its their personal choice too,they have their entire lives to work out their marriage.

PS : George Yeo doesn't need our vote,all he needs is God to guide him,after all he is a Catholic!

James Michael Parthi
London School Of Economics
UK

Anonymous said...

The following is an update. Jack Neo is now threatening to sue the 2 young girls who came forward, demanding that they provide "proof".

http://www.temasekreview.com/2010/03/14/jack-neo-to-foyce-le-xuan-show-us-the-proof-that-i-had-sexually-harrassed-you/

Petunia Lee said...

Aurvandil - That is a good sign. PAP is lead by men of integrity. They make mistakes (who does not) but they are not dishonest. LKY and Lee Hsien Loong will not let dirt into the party. I have faith in that. The apple falls not far from the tree. A son like Lee Hsien Loong will have inherited something of his father.

But first, it is important to ascertain if JN is dirty in the first place (apart from that one affair)... PAP cannot just jump on JN based on the blogposts of netizens. And if JN sues, an investigation is inevitable. That is a good thing. If the investigation finds him dirty, PAP will vomit him out. And we will have a clean party again.

And I have faith that George Yeo will do the right thing once the facts are clear. He has not failed us all these years. Why would he fail us now?

Anonymous said...

Prior to the scandal breaking, Jack Neo had already passed the screening process for canidates who would become MPs. Minister George Yeo knew about Jack Neo's affairs. He however made a decision to look the other way because he wanted Jack Neo on his team to counter the Worker's Party team that would be contesting in Aljuied GRC.

It was for this reason that Jack Neo immdiately called Minister Yeo when Wendy Chong went to the press. Minister Yeo's strange expression of support was a last ditched attempt to try and minimise the political damage of the revelation.

The latest developments suggest that Jack Neo has decided to adopt a strategy of silencing all of the girls with the threat of a defamation suit. As far as I am aware, this does not have the approval of the PAP.

Petunia Lee said...

George Yeo knew? He turned a blind eye? Really? How did you ascertain that?

I certainly hope that you are wrong. Wasn't it LKY who told his MPs in the past that if they had an extra-marital, their constitutuency will have a by-election? With all due respect to you, I think I will cling on to my belief in the PAP till more data comes in. To do otherwise creates too much cognitive dissonance in me.

I have said my piece and I resolve to turn away from this issue. I don't think God expects anything else from me. I have done more than I thought myself able to do.

Thank you for your support Aurvandil. Let other people more passionate about politics take it up from here.

Anonymous said...

It is quite unlikely that the truth of Jack Neo's relationship with the PAP will ever come out. You will have to pray to God to show you the truth and what He wants you to do once you know.

As in all things, there will be consequences. It is likely the Minister Yeo will be stepping down once a seeming amount of time has passed.

Petunia Lee said...

Aurvandil - I don't expect JN's relationship with PAP to be publicly revealed. After all, JN and PAP might have been dating but they certainly weren't married.

I expect JN to be dropped like a hot potato. No Auntie with daughters will vote for JN if the Worker's Party does its job right.

And yes... GY stepping down after a seeming amount of time is a good thing (if people haven't voted GY out first). Party purity and party discipline must come first. And there is no need to make a song and dance by publicly admonishing him.

Public scoldings are inelegant. Nobodies like me can be indignified. Not the party elders. Besides, public scoldings may be administered just for show. And then the drama heats up again. No point. A seeming amount of time is a good solution... (IF voters have not voted him out first).

Party purity is important. I would remain faithful to the PAP till the day it shows itself incapable of keeping itself clean.

Petunia Lee said...

Aurvandil - And I think it would not be nice of God to expect anything more from me!! And I will pray to Him and tell Him that most earnestly.

Anonymous said...

Aware has finally voiced up.

http://www.aware.org.sg/2010/03/jack-neo-affair/

I think that your blog postings and the subsequent publicity in Temasek Review encouraged the response. Previously, Aware was probably quite nervous about coming forward due to the political sensitivities of the situation.

Petunia Lee said...

Aurvandil - I really must thank you for being my pillar of strength through this ordeal. I did see that AWARE came through for us finally in today's forum pages. Better late than never I suppose. Women must stand together to demand respect for every woman. It is good to see our sisters in AWARE lend us their strength.

Men who love and respect their women will likely stand with us too.

With or without Christianity, seen from the lenses of every religion, this is a righteous cause.

Unknown said...

I read your blog...and liked it but then you destroyed it when in your replies your brought in Jesus and the Bible...that messed up your original blog whch was logical.

You have wittingly or unwittingly propagated your religion.

Petunia Lee said...

ddy - I can see your point. And I thank you sincerely for your comments.

I saw the logic with my mind and drew my courage from my religion. Both aspects of my life are important to me... and since I write as a private individual, I took the liberty to reflect both aspects of who I am.

And I did think that with Jack professing to be a Christian, someone else had to bear testimony that Christianity does not condone such naughtiness.

I do apologise if I peeved you in some way, but I hope you now understand.