America's confusion, free speech etc etc The past few weeks have been interesting, not least due to riveting global affairs. My interest was aroused as I realized that the western-hemisphere establishment's ideological charge had come to a sudden halt, as the diaspora, always so sure of its fundamentals, was forced to pause and introspect.

The widely covered and commented victory of Hamas in the Palestinian elections is the event that has led the sole global superpower to blunder and stall. The American foreign policy for the past few decade or so has centered around trying to spread democracy to the Middle East, with moderate success. But the real democratic successes in the Middle East are two states where the US has had minimum influence - Turkey, where democratic foundations were set a long time ago by Ataturk, and Palestine!! While the superpower stands on the sidelines and supports the democratic advances and ambitions of Turkey, it has repeatedly failed to make its position clear on the democratic victory of an Islamist party in Palestine, in an election widely acknowledged as free and fair.

It is a difficult position for the US. What does it do? It cannot deny the legitimacy of the Hamas, which has been elected by a process that the United States supports wholeheartedly, and a country which, in different circumstances, could have been held as an example of a flourishing and active democracy. Arguably, the ruling Fatah party suffered defeat due to indecisive bungling and mis-governance - the hallmark of a good democracy where the administrators are held accountable for their actions. On the other hand, the US cannot support Hamas, which aims to wipe Israel off the map of the world. Until now, the standard US refrains have smacked of confusion as the bureaucrats try to define a coherent policy. The next few weeks should be fun.

Other events of interest have centered around free speech and the recent Cartoon Controversy. However, in my view, the fallout of the smaller by-controversy should make the already strong freedom of speech ethic in Europe even stronger. One of the major counter arguments presented by Islamists, on which enough attention has been focused, is that Europe has its taboos and blind spots to free speech too - especially the denial of Holocaust one. My views on this are fairly similar to this Economist article: http://www.economist.com/opinion/displayStory.cfm?story_id=5548142. Up front, I would like to make it clear that I think the Holocaust was one of the saddest events in history and was an example of human beings acting at their worst, and I hope all perpetrators have already been or are brought to justice.

My view on the Islamists' counter argument is two fold. Firstly, I agree with most of my friends that this is a diversionary argument which focuses on exceptions rather than rules in European society and is therefore quite a blatant attempt at diverting attention away from the violent over-reaction of several militant groups to the Cartoon Controversy. But, secondly, and more importantly, it has kick-started a debate about some wrinkles that still exist in the approach of European society to free speech. While the freedom of speech offered in European societies is cherished, staunchly protected and is more than most, if not all, other regions, I believe that the current wave has the potential of wiping out some wrinkles.

Societal policing, rather than government censorship, should be the way ahead for any such taboo. Let the deniers of the Holocaust shred their own credibility and look like fools in public, but they should not be given an opportunity to look like martyrs. Laws disallowing the denial of the Holocaust also project the west in unfavorable light, giving the impression that it protects the Jews while ignoring Muslim feelings.

As I wrote earlier, I believe the latest debate has the potential of highlighting and removing some wrinkles from the European approach to free speech, and could make those societies even bigger and stronger bastions of free speech.  ¶ 10:16 PM 1 comments

  Married to Mrs Right So, its finally happened. I am finally married. I'd thought about this moment for a very long time and had felt a variety of emotions. Sometimes I had thought that I would probably jump for joy, while some other times, based on hormonal shifts in balance, I felt I would probably be depressed at being tied down before achieving (optimistically!) the proverbial full flight.

But actually being there, getting married was something different. Firstly, I did not get a chance to think. Function followed function, mantra followed mantra, friend followed friend, well-wisher followed well-wisher and the first opportunity I got to think about my new married state was well after I had shaken hands and accepted the wishes of 1200 people in the glitzy reception. In fact, the first introspections only began after the rushed honeymoon to Australia had been completed.

And the feeling was not similar to anything that I had ever expected. While, for the record, it has still not sunk in... the feeling I got was of peaceful happiness, the kind of feeling you get when you know that you were right all along. I realized that making the right choice, and more importantly - being the right choice - were the two crucial things that had happened between Poonam and me.

Anyways, the parties are over... reality begins again. Will post the photographs on the blog soon.  ¶ 2:27 PM 2 comments