There was this skit I did in Communications Skill class, I used the names "Tom, Dick and Harry", a common way to represent "nameless and unimportant figures". I had to justify the names Harry with reference to Harry Potter and Dick Cheney as the Vice President of the United States under the Bush Administration. So here comes the scary part, most people do not know that George W. Bush's running mate is Dick Cheney. Well, I am not surprised, not everyone in Singapore knows their Deputy Prime Minister is.
So now in the current US election, many people I have talked to felt that its a battle between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama for the title of President of the United States. Actually, yes Clinton and Obama are in a battle for President but they are NOT the only ones. Currently, what they actually are fighting for is the title of the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party. What does that mean? It means that now they are only choosing who they want to represent the part and not who will be president. Yes, winning the party nominee leads to being President but only if their party wins.
USA is a democracy with two major parties, namely the Democratic party and the Republican party. The democrats are often referred to as the liberals and the Republicans as the conservatives. Ha! Sure, you fellow kids who only care about Edison Chen's sex videos don't know that! Its a lot like in Singapore, PAP is like the republicans and the Worker's party is a lot like the Democrats, just that the democrats are a lot smarter and more powerful. Of course, that was just an example, PAP dominates everything here while in the US, its a level playing field. Bill Clinton, the president before Bush was a Democrat and Bush was a Republican. Ha! guess you kids who only know about Jay Chou don't know that!
So the Clinton and Obama fight that everyone here hears about is only the fight for the democratic nominee. What about the Republican Party? the Grand Old Party as its known only have old Christian white guys who want to put the ten commandments everywhere. I personally despise the Republican party, too evangelistic, all Singaporeans should hate them, they always try to make America a Christian theocracy. I have nothing against Christians but I have something against theocracies like Iran. Forcing religion into the government and schools is something everyone should fight against, all Singaporeans know what happens when religion is forced on a multi religious culture. Being Singaporeans who understand this basic principle of a Secular state, we have to a right to laugh at the pitiful Evangelists who think that they must place the ten commandments everywhere and add the word "god" into the pledge and national anthem or else they are oppressed. Religion plays no part in our country and we are able to live in harmony and happiness because no priority is given to any religion.
Those Republican guys want to force their religion or they will consider their religion "attacked". Its a sad thing really, they don't accept people of other religions and constantly "accuse" Obama of being Muslim for his full name is "Barack Hussein Obama. Obama is a Christian but I dislike how they must point out his "possible connections" to Islam. Even if Obama is a Muslim, I don't think it affects his ability to make sound decisions. Its as though as a non-Christian will not be a good president. John F. Kennedy, the first Catholic President was assassinated, this tells us something. That's why we must thank our Singapore government for teaching us to respect the religion of others. I have religious friends so I can understand but America consists of 78.5% Christian, it is difficult for them to learn what we Singaporeans learn: basic respect for religions and beliefs.
Obama's religion has been a talking point in the US elections, in Singapore it would be discrimination and you will be jailed. Our government works hard to protect our beliefs and strives to create a place where anyone is free to worship their own god and gain any position they are capable of. George W. Bush maintains that America is "one nation under god", no wonder minorities in US feel oppressed.
That's why by looking at the US elections and their discrimination, we learn to love our own country. People always say America is better, but I disagree and its very obvious once you study the general consensus there. America is a nice place but still, it does not mean that its better than Singapore.
A quick site about the Elections in the US
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