| Pledge Moment – too much to ask for or too little? |
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However, if we were to look at street polls and musings on the Internet, most people are less than enthusiastic about this ‘coming together’ initiative. Many don’t even know that this is going to take place, and less than half have said that they would consider joining in the Pledge Moment. The overall picture is that wearing your patriotism on your sleeve, particularly in public (unless everyone else is doing so!) is just uncool. If the organizers pull it off though, the idea of flashmobs forming all over Singapore – in shopping centres, bus interchanges, eateries etc. is interesting, though in a ‘1984’ Orwellian kind of way. But I somehow don’t see lovey-dovey couples pausing in mid-coo at candle-lit restaurants everywhere, or the old uncle at the neighbourhood kopitiam putting down his ice-cold beer in mid-swig. UNLESS everyone is doing so, in which case some stragglers will join in so as not to ‘lose face’. And if they do so for such reasons, this doesn’t do justice to our Pledge. The National Pledge is wrought in meaning, each line brimming with significance. Loaded phrases such as ‘regardless of race, language or religion’, or ‘based on justice and equality’ echo social and political milestones, blood, sweat and tears over decades of nation-building, events that have shaped the Singapore we know today. It deserves more than a ‘moment’, whether 30-seconds or not. I take my hat off to the various organizations and community groups that will be making a point to support the Moment, and but for the man, woman and child in the street, perhaps there are other more meaningful ways for us to come together and reaffirm our commitment to Singapore. Ways that come naturally, without feeling contrived. Why do so many people take so readily to ‘Things So Singaporean’, the local ditty that has been making the rounds on YouTube, with some even calling for it to be included in this Sunday’s parade? Its fans say that they can identify with the mention of things and habits that are uniquely Singaporean. I dare say its ‘magic’ lies in the genuine affection and fondness for Singapore that comes across when one listens to the lyrics and rhythm, and views the images captured through the lens of photographers. It creates a familial stirring in our hearts and reminds us oh-so-teasingly of the simple pleasures that we take for granted - uniting listeners in ways that campaigns and policies often strive to do but are hard-pressed to achieve. View and contribute to the DMG National Day Gallery Take part in 'Pledge Moment' Poll
Comments (2)
  written by Yap, August 05, 2009
Does anyone, less the die-hard hearts-on-sleeves types, care? I regard myself as a patriot, no intention of emigrating or giving up citizenship and all, yet I won't be participating.
There's much more to pride in one's country than reciting a pledge. Words, mere words. Let our actions speak louder.
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If the organizers get their wish, Singaporeans of all ages and walks of life (except for motorists on the road and such) will stop what they are doing at precisely 8.22 pm this Sunday. They will stand up and give 30 seconds of their daily routine to reaffirm their commitment to Singapore by saying the Pledge, after which life will go on ‘as usual’. I know some schools where parents are also being encouraged to literally rise to the occasion with their children when the time comes, so as to teach by example the meaning of patriotism.
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Term 3 Week 9 EduTip
Use the 4Rs technique to remember facts and figures – read the information or fact, rewrite or summarise, commit it to memory, and then try to recall it by reciting it out loud or writing it out. For more revision tips, click here.
More so if we are asking adults to stop what they are doing to say the pledge - if they are not looking at a tv screen how many will remember the words? Maybe the pledge should be said in Malay, Chinese, Tamil etc. when it is being aired on the other Mediacorp channels, so that older Singaporeans more comfortable in these languages can better understand the meaning.