Racism rears its ugly head again.
On a note closer to home, I read a report on the local tabloid yesterday. There was this person who had written in to question SBS's recent use of handicap-friendly buses on the roads. The writer even suggested giving subsidies to the disabled so that they can take taxis instead of public transport, thus freeing up more room for able-bodied passengers on overcrowded buses. Underneath the polite veneer of his rhetoric, the forum letter reeks of intolerance and prejudice. What's wrong with this person??? I am just disgusted by his/her deplorable attitude.
After discussing this with some classes yesterday, I was saddened that even our young in school have strong prejudices on this issues and against foreign workers serving in the service industry in Singapore. This is a farcry from the way most of the West embraces the handicapped and their sheer independence on wheel chairs and how the blind can manoevre easily even on public transport and malls with their guide dogs.
So it is true when they say that Singapore is a first world country with a third world mentality. Sigh.