Vasu
Reddy From Chicago
vasureddy@aol.com
Every single day we hear and read about the audacious behavior of the politicians; big and small and representing the center to the village levels. Outside of scamming people and from projects their heavy handed behavior is on public display whenever they are given the remotest opportunity. Politicians no longer reserve the verbal and sometimes physical bashing to their political rivals, but keep it handy for anyone that comes across to them. It must be a private hell for someone in power to display normal social behavior; normal simply signifying respect for others.
Time and again, and as time goes by heavy handedness of public and elected officials is constantly on display. The bad behavior is as good as an entitlement for these folks and they seldom have any qualms about raising the voice or hand to anyone who doesn’t toe the line to their dictatorial attitude. As the communications and electronic and print coverage becomes a standard part of public life, the display of bad behavior has become common place. It is perhaps that such behavior was always a part of the people in power, and now it is displayed because of the ready availability of coverage, albeit without the consent of the aggressors.
It has also become a common place to say and do things that are improper and then simply cover one’s self with a simple apology or claim innocence. But these acts that are almost always claimed as ignorance after the fact are being caught on camera for the person to deny the atrocious behavior or actions. Even when caught red handed there will be denials or slashing additional allegations about the opposition on making a big deal out of such atrocious behavior. Some of these comments are so outrageous and beyond a common man’s comprehension, and probably doesn’t deserve coverage, but the news channels are also in the business of covering every word that is uttered by the senseless politicians and bureaucrats to fill their air space. The fifteen minutes of fame is always there and is an element of sensation in the comments, rather than ignoring them. Dead people, opponents, women and children and anyone that is not even in the radar is targeted on a whim and no amount of foul language in public is spared in calling each other names. The unfortunate aspect of the coverage is it is 24/7/365 and everyone including children are subject to the nastiness.
Each time we see an episode of such callous behavior we keep wondering when will people in power learn to be respectful to the others and society. But with the next incident which will be of greater disrespect we will wonder again if these guys will ever stop the abuse. For some reason these sensational bad behavior continues to be a part and parcel of the normal politician’s life and it only keeps getting worse. We have not yet sent anyone packing for bad behavior. No one has been penalized or stripped of power for hurling abuses and bad behavior. As long as the public will grin and bear these people they will continue to think it is their right to abuse others.
The public reactions must be displayed when electing the next set of politicians. Their performance on delivering to what they commit to get elected is not the only criteria to elect them, but also their public behavior and respect for the community should be reflected in sending them to represent people. In a country where every person thinks they are entitled to something or the other, it is difficult to make immediate and drastic changes to the psychology of the electorate and the elected officials. But with the availability of information and the ability to vote, people should start to look at the elections as a medium to show the discretion in choosing common sense and common cause. We can and should choose people’s representatives that best represent the best in human nature and humanity.
vasureddy@aol.com
Every single day we hear and read about the audacious behavior of the politicians; big and small and representing the center to the village levels. Outside of scamming people and from projects their heavy handed behavior is on public display whenever they are given the remotest opportunity. Politicians no longer reserve the verbal and sometimes physical bashing to their political rivals, but keep it handy for anyone that comes across to them. It must be a private hell for someone in power to display normal social behavior; normal simply signifying respect for others.
Time and again, and as time goes by heavy handedness of public and elected officials is constantly on display. The bad behavior is as good as an entitlement for these folks and they seldom have any qualms about raising the voice or hand to anyone who doesn’t toe the line to their dictatorial attitude. As the communications and electronic and print coverage becomes a standard part of public life, the display of bad behavior has become common place. It is perhaps that such behavior was always a part of the people in power, and now it is displayed because of the ready availability of coverage, albeit without the consent of the aggressors.
It has also become a common place to say and do things that are improper and then simply cover one’s self with a simple apology or claim innocence. But these acts that are almost always claimed as ignorance after the fact are being caught on camera for the person to deny the atrocious behavior or actions. Even when caught red handed there will be denials or slashing additional allegations about the opposition on making a big deal out of such atrocious behavior. Some of these comments are so outrageous and beyond a common man’s comprehension, and probably doesn’t deserve coverage, but the news channels are also in the business of covering every word that is uttered by the senseless politicians and bureaucrats to fill their air space. The fifteen minutes of fame is always there and is an element of sensation in the comments, rather than ignoring them. Dead people, opponents, women and children and anyone that is not even in the radar is targeted on a whim and no amount of foul language in public is spared in calling each other names. The unfortunate aspect of the coverage is it is 24/7/365 and everyone including children are subject to the nastiness.
Each time we see an episode of such callous behavior we keep wondering when will people in power learn to be respectful to the others and society. But with the next incident which will be of greater disrespect we will wonder again if these guys will ever stop the abuse. For some reason these sensational bad behavior continues to be a part and parcel of the normal politician’s life and it only keeps getting worse. We have not yet sent anyone packing for bad behavior. No one has been penalized or stripped of power for hurling abuses and bad behavior. As long as the public will grin and bear these people they will continue to think it is their right to abuse others.
The public reactions must be displayed when electing the next set of politicians. Their performance on delivering to what they commit to get elected is not the only criteria to elect them, but also their public behavior and respect for the community should be reflected in sending them to represent people. In a country where every person thinks they are entitled to something or the other, it is difficult to make immediate and drastic changes to the psychology of the electorate and the elected officials. But with the availability of information and the ability to vote, people should start to look at the elections as a medium to show the discretion in choosing common sense and common cause. We can and should choose people’s representatives that best represent the best in human nature and humanity.
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