THE WORLD IN DOLDRUMS

George Bush Senior and his son George Walker Bush junior, both former USA Presidents, now leading a calm peaceful life in their home at Texas with family members are devout Christians. Despite their devotion to God and the “true” followers of Christianity which preached love of humanity, as the erstwhile rulers of America, both of them displayed an arrogant, hawkish attitude throughout their tenure as the supreme commanders of the State towards enemies especially Islamist nations. At the same time as the adherents of Christianity their official policies always involved an attitude of total opposition towards abortion, stem cell research and cloning, these according to their beliefs and convictions were sins. Incidentally I would like to mention Sarah Palin, who contested as Republican Vice-Presidential candidate of USA, a controversial figure, after the tenure of Bush Jr. and Vice-President Dickcheney - all Republicans - plunged into the election arena to fight against the Vice-Presidential candidate Joe Biden of Democratic Party. The lady exhibited all the hallmarks of a typical Republican and sad to say, a near illiterate of international affairs, she was nominated by George McCain, the Republican Presidential candidate to show in front of the world, the Republican Party’s care and attention towards the women politicians. Ms.Palin was then the Governor of Alaska married to an Eskimo and one who upholds conservative views on controversial matters like abortion, cloning and stem cell research, all anathema to Christianity and to her conservative Republican Party. And to show her attitude against abortion which is forbidden by God Almighty, one of her daughters who got impregnated, most probably by her boy friend- she was only seventeen then- didn’t go for abortion. All these which are against the preachings of Jesus Christ should not be practised as per the lady’s beliefs and convictions.

Jesus Christ as per my knowledge of that religion and for that matter all religions preach love of mankind, tolerance towards even the enemies, compassion, non-violence, peace, to be precise all virtues and spread those messages across the world. Almost all periodic festivals celebrated by different religions in different nations around the world point to a world devoid of all vices, discriminations and inequalities.

Even Barack Obama, the incumbent President of USA, and who has won 2009 Nobel Prize for Peace, an orator par excellence and that quality fetched him laurels - recall his awe inspiring speeches while on a whirl wind tour of USA for campaign for his candidacy, his historic speech at Cairo which was beamed alive across all nations of the world, another epoch making speech at France and a long list of promises to his country men and to those across the world to bring about peace and security, end of disputes among nations caught the Nobel Peace Prize committee spell bound- they must have felt “here is a celestian being or an incarnation of God Almighty” born in the form of a humanbeing to bring love, peace and fraternity among all, without second thoughts decided to crown him with Nobel crown. To the chagrin of Swedish King Carl Gustav and Nobel Peace Prize committee the gentle man giving no doubts to all present in the podium and all those watched him live in TVs around the world, coined a new term “just war” for peace would continue and all who were out to upset dictats of USA would be dealt with sternly.

Now to bring about durable peace in Afghanistan, he has decided for a surge of 30000 troops more to the existing more than 140000 American troops along with allied forces to flush out the Al-Quaeda – Taliban militants safely embedded in their safe-havens along the dangerous terrains of North West Frontiers. Now his ire is directed against Iran also, as they have not buckled under pressure. Iran’s spiritual leader Ayatollah Ali Khameini and the President Mahmoud Ahmedi Nejad are found to be difficult nuts to crack. No amount of sanctions by USA and its powerful friendly nations are going to make Iran toe their line. On the perennial dispute between Israel and Palestine dating back to more than six decades Obama had nurtured a firm belief in bringing about a durable solution but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the hard core Lieberman, the foreign minister were nowhere in a mood to oblige him. That dream also dashed to Smiththreens and now Obama keeps mum. With helplessness the Head of supreme power, even while getting aware of the grim truth that USA’s grip on other nations is slowly getting loosened. Now with the change of guard at Japan, with the victory of Yukio Hatoyama’s Party – The Democratic Party of Japan Mr.Hatoyama has slowly distancing from USA and is in a firm pursuit for a stronger East-Asian community.

While the situation is turning to be grim, both internally and externally, came the shocking news of the capture of Nigerian youth Abdullah Mutalabh aboard a Detroit bound airlines on X’mas Day, not by intelligence agencies but by the vigilant passengers and crew, while he was stealthily making preparations for a mid-air explosion. The news shocked Obama and he like his predecessor got angry and vowed to wipe out the last remnants of terrorism from the face of this earth and till then his fight would continue unabated. Whether the Nobel Peace Prize has become a burden to him like a crown of thorns…

In one of my blogs I have mentioned about wearing a mask to pull on in this merciless, heartless, imperfect world. And those who decided against wearing a mask and faced the world straight away always ended in pitiful conditions. The story repeats again and again. Mahatma Gandhi never liked to wear a mask and led a life of honesty, integrity, love and welfare of mankind, preached and practised non-violence even against an armed enemy with composure fell to an assassin’s bullets. He never aspired for power and glory. Today, masks-worn self-proclaimed followers of Gandhian ideals revel in glory, wealth and corruption and are in a mad rush for amassing more and more. Great men like Gandhiji did exist and still exist across the world but they are only a minority. Against the might of power, wealth, violence and greediness they fought and some still fighting but to no avail.

I remember here an amusing and to some an unpleasant, unbearable incidence. On a cordial visit to India George Walker Bush , then President of USA and his entourage flanked by security guards, as is customary for a foreign dignitary took time off to offer homage and tributes at Rajghat, the final resting place of Father of the Nation- Mahatma Gandhi. As a first step in the right direction the ‘first chance’ to offer tributes to Bapuji was his sniffer dog who paid tributes “in abundance” and came satisfied. No harm. Whether Gandhi might have turned in his grave is anybody’s guess. After the ‘defilement ceremony’ was over, the ‘great man’ of USA and his followers offered tributes and came back satisfied and gratified. India’s cringing politicians before the white man also, were ecstatic. But the true followers of Bapuji were enraged but true to Gandhian principles kept mum. (Recall our PM Manmohan Singh singing paens while on his visit to USA to His Highness George W Bush- “The Indians love you dearly”). And now it is Obama’s turn. Await.

In the beginning I was writing about the many virtues of all religions which exist for love, compassion, non-violence, peace and selflessness towards mankind- be it Hinduism, Christianity, Islam and a whole lot. Each of them preach about a Universal power. Some call the power God for some others that power is Messiah and for some it is Allah – all denotes a single power.

Religions exist for the good of mankind. Despite the preachings of Gita, Bible and Quran- it is a painful and shocking sight to witness the quarrels, wars and terrorist activities. Human Depravity???