Lalin’s Column: Hi Ho Cathusalem- an up and under by Ranil W

What to do about nothing. Reminds one of that rugby song ‘Hi Ho Cathusalem’. Rugby players the world over being rowdies playing a gentleman’s game sing that song with gusto. No one, not even a ‘Maharaja’ can stop them.

Hot on the heels of the riots in UK, there was a mighty hullabaloo in SL on a particular TV channel in the 3rd week of August. Some born losers had failed after weeks of cheap TV publicity to oust their own leader in an ill famed and disorganised internal party coup. This TV channel then bombarded viewers for the whole week with tarted up responses of carefully chosen cadres (rejects, deserters and disabled(politically) to remarks made by their own leader of the Opposition (LOO).The new line of attack zeroed in on the above quotation of ex UK PM Stanley Baldwin that had been repeated by the LOO. It was a mighty mishit. A cap had fitted. Whose was the head?

Viewers seeking cheap thrills were warned that what was to come might shock them although this channel had no qualms about sliding in the slanderous, abominable Channel 4 video too. NDTV (Bombay meri hai) type street interviews were conducted. The folks came like ants, acted like sheep and babbled like canaries. Is there a farm co located with the TV station?

“Power without responsibility is the prerogative of the harlot through out the ages” (Stanley Baldwin a former Prime Minister of England when he was Leader of the Opposition -1929).

The interviewed, out raged, shocked (it was made to appear) spoke passionately (prema) with one single voice about the LOO’s remarks. They were vehemently unanimous in their opinion that a national leader should never have in a speech at a book launch referred to the word ‘harlot ’ .It is a however a word found not only in all English dictionaries but in religious texts too. And in all languages. Others reeling in feigned indignation thought or wanted to believe that LOO had used that word to refer to a particular person! That sent these easily wound up but hypocritical prudes running round like chickens with their heads cut off.

Their views were incessantly put across by this TV channel. The context in which it was made was deliberately misconstrued as profanity. It certainly appeared so to those who were only told the LOO had used the word ‘harlot. They went berserk believing for a time that the Sinhalese word, which being more graphic, explicit and grossly insulting, had been used. The scandalised got morally uppity about the mention of the word ‘harlot’. This in a land in which grave crime is a perpetual tsunami, houses of ill fame abound and are well patronised by politicians amongst others. Some who relied on rumour and hearsay (national past time-also through out the ages) thought that LOO had gone bonkers. Power without responsibility.

Once the storm had blown over it appeared that all that LOO had done was to repeat what Stanley Baldwin, 3 times Prime Minister of England and leader of His Britannic Majesty’s loyal opposition had said in 1929 in the mother of parliaments, (“power without responsibility is the prerogative of the harlot throughout the ages”). Ironically both men who had been PMs were LOOs when they said so.

Baldwin probably meant press barons Beaverbrook and Rothermere who ran a concerted campaign to unseat him as leader of the Opposition Tory party. In SL there was no doubt that the baron even if he calls himself Maharaja was. The rest of the media ignored the event totally. They too had power but thought more about responsibility.

However TV is far more powerful and far less responsible than the press. Was the country not told during the phoney peace talks (2001-5) when certain Norwegian arrangements to destabilise SL were being put into place that this particular TV channel was as powerful as the sun? It repeatedly added for very good measure that there was “nothing more powerful in the universe”. What was the message? It dawned on others that Velupillai (VP) was also, not all that coincidentally, referred to as Sun God. That particular crafty, insidious, diabolical ploy went into temporary eclipse when VP was vaporised.

This time it is an attempt with the same ulterior motive to ride side saddle to the palace gates with a Love God. The latter said he was willing to die for his party. A pity he did not join the SL forces to make such a stirring speech and prove himself, not for a political party but for his country. But how could he? His father had gifted an armoury to the LTTE. Absolute power without a shred of responsibility.

That TV channel has now gone ballistic on long dead Baldwin simply because he was quoted by LOO. It also says the quotation was wrong. If so Wikipedia must also be wrong. Showing traces of lunacy, it also praises Beaverbrook who few in SL have heard of and none care a hoot for.

When steam was running out, WMD in the form of Churchill’s ghost was trundled out. Apparently Churchill criticised Baldwin for being conciliatory to Hitler. What concern is it of SL what Churchill said about Baldwin over 70 years ago? Were appeasement and conciliation Baldwin’s mistakes in dealing with a Europe descending inexorably into war? Wasn’t that same stand supported covertly by this very same TV channel if not the UNP vis-a-vis the LTTE problem? Who in SL gives a damn for what Churchill said? When WW2 was won, the British public itself rejected him. So what is it about Churchill that concerns SL in 2011?

But of course it is this TV channel alone in SL that pathetically gropes at selective British colonial opinion. Wasn’t Channel 4 also given prime time on this TV channel?

Churchill also called Mahatma Gandhi a ‘naked fakir’ and was opposed to independence for the colonies. Baldwin supported it. So is this TV channel not shameless when it sides with Churchill and attempts to throw mud at Baldwin? In any case WW 2 “far from being pre meditated, was a mistake, the result on both sides of diplomatic blunders” (AJP Taylor). But what concern is it of SL? Baldwin used power responsibly and sincerely to avert the biggest, most brutal and bestial war in history. It left 90 million dead. WMD was used by Churchill’s side to finish Japan off. Yet this channel sucks up to him.

What was the LOO up to at the book launch? Any man who has played rugby will tell you. LOO under pressure kicked an ‘up and under’ when he quoted Baldwin. He knew that all those who went for the ball were the ‘irresponsible’ ones. He may have also wanted all concerned to join him after the match and sing ‘Hi ho Cathusalem, the pride of all Jerusalem’ (or words to that effect!). That song may now become the LOO’s exciting anthem too. If it does it will fill the much depleted SLRFU coffers.

The rugby world cup and the LG elections will be held next month. ‘Cathusalem’ (a maid) will be toasted in one and roasted in the other. People will quote Baldwin if not LOO endlessly. A representative of the second oldest profession in the world (if not in the universe) will squirm if not rot in SL. What fun.

- Asian tribune -