In quest of the Arab springtime

The suicide hijackers’ ultimate dream may yet come true if and when America bombs Afghanistan.  Young warriors from all over the Islamic world will reverse their own governments’ involvement in the U.S.-led coalition, and join the international brigade that will defend the Arab homeland from “infidels.”  The result will be precisely the self-fulfillment of the … Read more

Understanding Osama’s human bombs

It is the most supreme of ironies – the world’s lone superpower, armed with the most sophisticated weapons, feels besieged by an enemy who lives and works in complete anonymity in middle class America, ready to attack and die at a signal.  His methods are modern, his beliefs medieval. For the longest time, Americans have … Read more

To create a new kind of faith

The civilized world is in shock over the magnitude and brazenness of last Tuesday’s suicidal terrorist attacks against the United States of America.  Nothing can justify the commission of atrocities of such a scale against innocent civilians in modern times.  The act is unspeakable in its cruelty and barbarism. That’s the way we look at … Read more

I shop, therefore I am

If Descartes were Singaporean, it would be enough for him to shop to confirm that he exists.  There is probably no country in the world that has more shops per person than this Southeast Asian city-state, a reality that has prompted one prominent Indian architect to liken Singapore to “one gigantic shopping bag.” I stopped … Read more

The universality of greatness

Seven Asians are this year’s recipients of the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Awards.  The awardees are being recognized for their greatness of spirit and outstanding service to others.  None of them is a Filipino.  Some observers have taken this as a commentary on the scarcity of greatness in our present society. The concern about not seeing … Read more