Utopia

[iam802]

reminds me of this movie...

[kennynah]

W...

u r witnessing a nation trying to build a utopia in Singapore right now ... it is very difficult and takes more than just a handful of men and women... it needs an entire nation united to remove an undemocratic government and strip it of its unconstitutional power...
the struggle involves in trying to reach a stage of utopia is always plagued with sweat, blood and disappointment

[winston]

In Utopia, one of the things that they would need to sort out is the limit of "Free Press" and "Freedom of Expression". Example: Can you use Free Press & Freedom of Expression to do whatever you want eg. burning of Koran ? Or there should be limits to Free Press and Freedom of Expression ? And who decides on that ? And how do you go about deciding it ?


Press freedom anger over Australia royal skit axe

Press freedom advocates on Saturday slammed the axing of a satirical Australian programme about the royal wedding on official request as a troubling example for authoritarian regimes.

Paris-based Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said it "deplored" the BBC and Associated Press Television News (APTN) for "censoring satirical coverage" of the nuptials by Australian comedy group The Chaser.

Notorious for breaching security at an APEC summit in an Osama bin Laden costume, The Chaser had planned to broadcast irreverent commentary over the BBC's live feed, but were forced to cancel after the royals reportedly objected.

Clarence House, the private office of Prince William's father Charles, was widely cited as being behind last-minute changes to broadcasting conditions forbidding the use of footage in any comedy or satire.

The revisions led the BBC to threaten to block Australia's public broadcaster ABC -- host to The Chaser -- from any wedding coverage if it did not comply.

"Satire is an important element of free expression in a democratic country," RSF said in a statement.

"This interference with Australian broadcasting sends the wrong message to many countries where the right to caricature is constantly denied," it added.

"The BBC and the royal family should have shown more tolerance and perhaps a bit more of a sense of humour."

RSF noted comments from The Chaser that a "large proportion of the cost of the wedding is being paid for by the (British) public" and that the value of parody and satire in a democracy were recognised under Australian law.

It was also critical of other royal-imposed restrictions on coverage, which included the installation of signal-blocking equipment to prevent the use of Twitter and other sites on mobile phones inside Westminster Abbey.

RSF congratulated The Chaser for responding to the situation with a satirical letter to Queen Elizabeth II requesting a "stay of execution" for the show, which had been three months in the making.

Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd last week urged the BBC to "lighten up" and appreciate the "Australian sense of humour."

The Chaser released some of the clips they had shot for the special on You Tube Saturday, the credits for which featured baked beans and toast being sloshed over a commemorative wedding plate.

One segment overlaid captions about the wedding on footage and interviews with Libyan rebels, screaming Afghan women and victims of Japan's devastating tsunami.

"I cannot sleep anymore," the programme dubbed a Japanese woman in an evacuation centre saying. "My mind is so active with thoughts of Kate's dress."

The footage was met with a cool reception online.

"Right decision by Clarence House. Over the line," Jason Franklin wrote on the Twitter microblogging site.

Source: AFP Global Edition

[winston]

“We all have a divine mission on earth.

Let that mission be to inspire love and embrace the light within.

Let that mission be to have peace in our hearts as we create heaven on earth.

Let that mission be to seek empowerment through transformation and to breathe joy into everything we do.

If we allow these things to be our mission the golden light of the sun will shine on our souls and change our world forever.”

- Micheal Teal

[winston]

There has been various discussions on what our Utopia should be. And we know that we will never have our Utopia.

However, that should no prevent us from trying to create our Utopia as best as we can. Or support the people who are trying to create an Utopia...

And some of those things that I would like to have in my Utopia are:-
1) Human Rights
2) Free Speech
3) Freedom of Religion
4) Two Term Elected Leader
5) Free Press
6) Transparency of Elected Representatives
7) Accountability of Elected Representatives
8) One Man / One Vote / One MP system
9) Check & Balances
10) Independent Judiciary
11) Independent Corruption Agency
12) Universal Healthcare
13) The caring of Old, Aged, Sick and Poor
etc..

And as you all go to vote tomorrow, I hope that you will be voting for the party that will bring you closer to your Utopia ...

[winston]

In addition to the comments above, in my Utopia, the elected leaders would know how to spend money wisely ....

They would first care for their Old, Sick and Poor.

And if there's still money around, only then would they be allowed to spend money on Ceremonies, Fireworks, Stadiums, Sporting Events, Racing Car Events etc..

[kennynah]

my utopia is just to have a democratic parliament...for now...baby step...

[winston]

TOL:-

The road to Utopia is always littered with the bodies of good men

How can we call this fair ?

How can we trust and have faith in the "Universe", when "bad people" are allowed to get away with their actions ?

Why must we wait a few life-times to see the ripening of their bad karma ?

Why cant we see "bad people" being punished now ?


Anyway, you have two choices now:-

One: Chill out and then continue with your struggle to build your Utopia. I said struggle because the Universe seems to be sleeping on the job too ..

Two; Give up and lose faith in everything. What's the point of being a "good person" when "bad people" are allowed to roam and to do as they please ?


Anger and the pain in your heart aside, what is your heart telling you ?

And is this really that big a deal when you compare it to other human tragedies eg. WW2, Asian Tsunami, Spanish Flu, Black Plague etc... ?

[winston]

The goal of all governments should be to end suffering.

~ Dr. Pillai

[winston]

It is your rules that make unlawful beings.

You would get along better if you would just trust each other to treat each other appropriately, but you don't.

So you keep making laws — until you make criminals of everyone.

--- Abraham

Excerpted from the workshop in Chicago, IL on Sunday, April 25th, 1999 # 146


Source: abraham-hicks.com