personal reflections of the YOG.

The YOG furore wasn't about the YOG.

No, really. After all that's been sung and done, I really hope that our government will declare the event a resounding success. If not, finger-pointing will ensue, and the organising committee doesn't even need to get its hands dirty determining that one cause of failure. Already the online community has done it for them.

It's inconceivable how the blame can travel in one huge round, and lie squarely on the citizens again. Something wrong with YOG? Don't blame the government. No, please accuse ourselves, for being the apathetic fools and whiners we are. Please, excuse us for the numerous complaints, the poor turnouts (because some just can't be bothered. Some of us don't like sports - no, actually we're just retaliating against the YOG and/or the government). We, Singaporeans, actually let the country (not the government) down when it mattered the most. We humiliated ourselves, when we couldn't rise to the occasion (which called for friendly faces aplenty, rows of applauding citizens, without a hint of pessimism nor criticism), and afterwards, take a handsome amount of glee in it.

It's shocking that this twisted logic can arise and even be left to breed. I have to wonder what has been instilled in us, that we immediately turn on each other because of that exact difference in opinion.

Here's the surprising news: Nobody dislikes the YOG. In fact, everyone wishes that Singapore could put on a great show. We don't, for example, call supporters delusional brainwashed Singaporeans, despite their apparent willingness to strip away our citizenship and deport us to some sad, sad republic where we finally appreciate Singapore. The only beef we have is with YOG's implementation and with it, the accountability that must be in place.

And yet, we're not allowed to question the implementation, since mass questioning and petitions will only make the government and the YOG lose face. Often, detractors are said to mix politics and sports, the government and country. I always thought patriotism was a willingness to critique the system so as to improve it, a determination not to remain apathetic, and instead stay and make things right. I never thought it was to love without fault nor dissent. I thought wrong.