Saturday, February 7, 2009

War mentality at play

In three matches Out of four played between Sri Lanka and India the play got disrupted due to objects been thrown out at the indian players. I am deeply disturbed with this trend and I am deeply ashamed of the incidents. Our spectators never ever behaved this way, why is the sudden change? The war mentality, the war mentality plus some patriotism and nationalism. Otherwise why would this happen exactly this time around?

Our fear mongering politicians painted the war as something between us and the whole world. Painted India and USA as pro-LTTE when in reality both helped us through intelligence and cooperation. The reasons for helping us could be economic interests, so maybe were not honest but they helped us. The fear mongers wanted us to believe that this war was against Buddhism and the Christians are behind it. They even told us that people among us who criticize the regime in power are pro-LTTE. Taught us how to distrust every one who doesn't look like us or who doesn't speak what we want.

Here is the end result. People are starting to hate everyone who doesn't look like us, specially if the color of the skin is white. Suspect every source of dissent to be pro-tiger and ever are prepared to take the law into their own hands in the name of patriotism. Finally can't even tolerate loosing a cricket match. Where would this end?

9 comments:

Sam said...

I remember how much I was discussed back then when Pakistan used to behave that way. And now I’m shame of myself for feeling that way.

realskullzero said...

yes a worrying trend it is...i guess that would be the next question..where will the people use all that pent up anger and frustration after the war...after all the war subdued many of us...

Liberal Lanka said...

yes atleast we have a big enemy in the name of LTTE right now. What will happen when the LTTE is gone? I guess people will make enemies out of everyone.

anonymous blogger said...

LL,
Totaly agree with you about this good for nothing shameful trend.
But, what about the bigmatch fever and all sort of anomalies we can attach on it? අල්ලපු ගමේ එකෙක් at Sunflowers? and so on...

"The war mentality, the war mentality plus some patriotism and nationalism."
This is poor analyzing of the situation, if not, what you want is just lable the situation.

Liberal Lanka said...

@ape logic
Big matches and musical shows were that way even in the past. Haven't been to a big match recently to see whether there is a rise in intolerance within school boys. Maybe the violence our society has gone through in the last 3 decades has an impact on these school clashes, who knows?

We have been playing cricket for more than 30 years now and what happened during this series was unthinkable from our spectators. If the war mentality hasn't anything to do with it why did this have to happen exactly this time around? If this is not a handy work of the war mentality then what do you think caused it? Please don't tell me that Indians attacked themselves.

If it is an isolated incident, I'm relieved and happy, it is one bugger. But it happened in three matches even when there were security guards everywhere. At least one person should have seen someone trowing something. Why was he afraid to point out the perpetrators to the security guards? To me this is a classic example of gang mentality. The perpetrator was one of us. The one who got hit is one of them. So doesn't speak out.

anonymous blogger said...

"To me this is a classic example of gang mentality. The perpetrator was one of us. The one who got hit is one of them. So doesn't speak out."

You are contradicting yourself.

(The war mentality, the war mentality plus some patriotism and nationalism. )

Liberal Lanka said...

Patriotism, Nationalism and war mentality could lead to gang mentality. Surely War mentality and Gang mentality are not two complete opposite things.

I don't oppose Patriotism and Nationalism, Sorry I haven't wrote anything which clarifies my position on them. But they could lead us to war mentality or gang mentality and when that happens we have a problem.

anonymous blogger said...

///Patriotism, Nationalism and war mentality could lead to gang mentality.
Surely War mentality and Gang mentality are not two complete opposite things.///

Interesting, HOW?

Liberal Lanka said...

Both forms tend to mistrust others,
tend to turn to violence easily,
have no tolerance,
take pride in revenge,
tend to disregard law and order,