Singaporeans celebrate National Day

Today is Singapore’s 42nd National Day, where we mark our day of sovereign independance as a republic state. I love my country. Despite my occasional gripes (as I like to write it here), I am a true blooded patriotic Singaporean, and VERY proud of it. In fact, the very reason for my gripes is I always feel that we can get even better. The areas in which I gripe about are things which I think can be improved, or areas in which I feel we are lacking. I suppose that all said, Singapore is a blessed nation in many aspects, and Singaporeans, a blessed lot. We are often the envy of many nations, especially our closest neighbours, who probably cannot comprehend how we have managed to pull off the things we have in such a short time.

Maybe I am getting older and less tolerant of mass displays of organised propaganda. I felt like I was being force-fed a diet of feel-good cheerleading, designed to make me forget the crap we've been unhappy about this past year.
 
National Day Parade 2007The flats around my area had a pitiful number of flags out. You could count the flags on each block in one hand.
 
I am not sure if it was a sign of protest, or just laziness. Maybe both.

The day before Singapore's National Day (her Independence Day), Jason collected his Singapore Permanent Resident Identity Card. It is blue. (Mine, for a Singapore citizen, is a pink card. It also happens to work out as far as our color tastes and genders, I suppose...) Meanwhile, while he was out getting his card and doing bank stuff with IC in hand, I was out doing a tour (solo) with a local school, who had arranged mass day trips for half its students the day before National Day.

    The Singapore Pledge

 
    We, the citizens of Singapore,

 
    pledge ourselves as one united people,

 
    regardless of race, language or religion,

 
    to build a democratic society,

 
    based on justice and equality,

 
    so as to achieve happiness,

 
    prosperity and progress for our nation.

 
The late S.Rajaratnam was the father of the Singapore pledge.  It was written in1966.  Every year during the National Day Celebration, Singaporeans say the pledge at the National Day Parade.   During every National Day, the focus returns to self-examination of redefining Singapore.  Who are the Singaporeans, what do they stand for and what are their dreams for the future?

Instead of singing “1 people, 1 nation, 1 Singapore”, “Count on me Singapore” or “Majulah Singapura” at home yesterday. I had a Wii/Mahjong National day celebration instead.