it's complicated

This country is multi-racial, multi-religious. But I guess it doesn't have much 'self-esteem' and refuse to celebrate this fact. As such, the government has defined 'public places' to be free of any religious activities. They also maintain that this is a secular country, and as such - religious life should be separated from secular life. Going to school, working and attending official gatherings are considered 'secular' activities.

Why can't we be Malays, Chinese and Indians, and still be Singaporeans? Why can't we attend school and go to work as Indians, Chinese and Malays? Why must our kids go to school, dressed in western dress code? Aren't we proud of our own?

Why can't we be taught tolerance, instead of integration? Don't you lose your cultural and religious values when you try to 'integrate'. What the hell does it really mean anyway? The dictionary says it's 1) combine or be combined to form a whole 2) bring or come into equal participation in an institution or social group.

I'm sure we are already a whole. The arms, legs, head, body, face - forms a whole man. The legs, need not look like, or behave like the arms in order to 'integrate'. Chinese, Malays, Indians, Eurasians, as a whole, we're Singaporeans.

Or maybe they meant the 2nd one. But that defeats the whole notion of 'multi-racial, multi-religious' - when everyone is equal. Why is the government trying to kill diversity?

They are such hypocrites. I'm sure they or most of them, have a religion. A religion is a belief that someone subscribe to. When a person believes and subscribe to it, it's not like an extra curricular activity or feeling that you can put aside. How can one 'put aside' religion during 'secular activities'. Why can't we be ourselves, as long as we don't trouble others or cause any harm to others? Why have they made it so difficult for us to live a normal life?

Oh.. how man have made life difficult for man. God made life simple, man go out of their way to complicate it.