I Guess You Know What I Mean

Source: www.lovethispic.com

One cold rainy day about a year ago, you and me were in a short conversation.

Me: Do you know, I only scare on two things.
Him: really? What's that?
Me: A frog and growing old.
Him: why?
Me: I scare if the frog become a prince one day. So, I never want to get near with it. I don't want to have a fantasy with the frog.
Him: And then, why do you scare for growing old? We can't change it. It's definite.
Me: I've obsessed with vampires and growing old is just one of my reason to be more enthusiasm in searching their existence. If I meet with a vampire, I will ask to bit me. So, I can be the vampire and immortal too. I never grow old.
Him: Oh the chinese vampire, isn't it?
Me: I mean twilight vampire like Edward.
Him: Owh, I don't know him. Does he jump?
Me: *silent*

Democracy as Democrunchy

"Indonesia's basic philosophy is Pancasila not democracy."

I saw that quote on a banner in the road. Actually, the quote tickles me. I catch a meaning that it is like the writer scares that democracy will replace pancasila as nation philosophy.

I remembered on the book that I've ever read. It says that democracy do not has a doubt. Democracy is 'laa roiba fih'. The writer says that all people should obey it. Against demokrasi is more criminal than against God's rule. Democracy relates with citizens' need. So that, democracy is important.       

I drift on the writer's thought. May be, he wants to show us that sometimes we are all busy for something which is not too important. If democracy can't change our life to be better, why we don't leave it? It won't be sin I think. We don't need to quarrel because a demo and a cratos.

Yaps, we just need a relax. May be we think too hard so we need to be apathetic sometimes. Or may be, just may be, we should change democracy as democrunchy so we will not too stress anymore. *eh

Reference:
Emha Ainun Nadjib: Demokrasi Laa Roiba Fih (Thanks for my sister college which borrowed me this book. I promise will return it asap if I am in Bandung ;D)

Story of Bullying

Nowadays, people are shocked by videos which contain the violence of students. I have watched one of video. The video showed the elementary school students who threatened their friend. It is so apprehensive. I don’t understand why the 9 years old children can do such a horrible thing like that.

The video I watched is just one of the examples of bullying cases in Indonesia. Children bullying is a serious problem in school around the country. On the other side, there are more ways in which bullying may occur. Punching or other acts that hurt people physically and mentally, spreading bad rumors, keeping certain people out of group, and etc.

Bullying is repeated verbal, physical, social or psychological behavior that is harmful, and involves the misuse of power by an individual or group toward one or more persons. There is no one single cause of bullying among children. There are many factors which contribute bullying. It can be from the family factor, peer risk factor, and community or social factor.

Honestly, I was being bullied when I was a child. My parents didn’t allow me to leave home. My childhood was spent by studying. My parents became my teachers and my friends at all. They were overprotective and afraid something bad happened to me. The impact is, I had no a friend yet. I didn’t know the way to socialize with the other.

When I was in Islamic elementary school, I didn’t join into the class with the same level. I was entered into the up level. All of my friends in the class were older than me. They didn’t recognize me. They thought that I was just a little girl and had no friend. They thought that they were superior. When they bullied me, I cried but I didn’t tell my parents.

One day I didn’t want to go to school. My parents asked me why. When they knew that I was being bullied, they asked the school institutions. Absolutely, we could blame them. The institutions could aware their student all the time when they were in the school. After that, I moved into a state elementary school.

The experiences give me the lessons. I am not diffident again. I have lot of friends. Of course my friends have the same age with me. My parents change. They are not overprotective again. Now, I and my brothers are allowed to join with people. At this moment, my friends who bullied me are so kind. They have grown as the great persons.

All kind bullying are not good and tend the bad impact such as psychological trauma. Children should be thought about bullying throughout grade school. They need to learn what it means, how to resolve it, and how to deal with a bully. In addition, the government should make a policy in preventing bullying. It can be a part of school’s curriculum. School can teach the students against bullying. Thus, there are no children become victims of bullying again.

References:
Stop Bullying Now! U.S. Department of Health and Human Service. Children who Bully.
Education.com: Why Do Kids Bully?
James Lehman, MSW: The Secret Life of Bullies: Why They Do It and How to Stop Them
Schools.nsw.edu: A Definition of Bullying

Hijab: My Right, My Choice, My Life

Yesterday, I set this picture as profile picture in Blackberry Messenger. No one gave a comment until my college friend left me his comment. We had such a long conversation. I think it was an interesting discussion. I will try to write our discussion briefly.

My friend told me that hijab was an obligation because wearing hijab is a God’s command and we should obey it. He said that hijab was not a human rights but it was the obligation.

I have belief that we should see the problem by the other perspective. I don’t agree with him. I think, beside the obligation, hijab is the human rights too. In Indonesia, the largest populous Muslim-majority nation, there is no problem for a woman in wearing hijab. But I try to see the regulation of wearing hijab in the other country. There are countries which ban their citizen in wearing hijab. Wearing hijab has raised complex human rights issues in the context of women’s rights to freedom of their religion, equality, non-discrimination, education, and work.

As the obligation, I think we agreed that wearing hijab is God’s command. The evidences from Islam are clear. As a Muslim woman, wearing hijab is a commitment. She wears it out of obedience to God. It is not related with the religious symbol, moral, or norm. It is the honor and chastity.

In the last, we concluded nothing. Like we were in the college, our discussions were never clear. *LOL

A True Hero

National heroes' day referred to the battle November 10th, 1945 in Surabaya. The battle happened because The Dutch, or NICA (Netherlands Indies Civil Administration) troops, which is supported by AFNEI (Allied Forces Netherlands East Indies) troops, want to deport Indonesia in NICA's administration area. 

The battle mentioned as the imposing battle after the independence. Many people died. Many people involved such as soldier, farmer, kiai, men and women. All of them have fought for freedom.

It is 69 years since the battle of Surabaya. Now, our country is independent. There is no battle. There is no war. But, we still have to fight and our country still needs a hero.

Someone can be a hero because his/her conduct. Sometimes, the meaning of hero is blurred. The value is not clear anymore. The definition of hero is changed. Can you imagine, how can a corruptor is declared as a leader. How can the members of parliament are busy in fighting for leaders of commission of the house than in prospering people.

We are all the heroes. We are all can be the heroes. May be, we don't look like people on the TV, in the parliament, or in the magazine. But, we can be a hero just the way we are since we always plant the seed of kindness.

References:
Hello Ickhwan   
(percikansawah.blogspot.com/2013/02/phalawan-konkret.html?m=1)
Kabari
(kabarinews.com/perang-dahsyat-10-november-1945/35789)
Wikipedia
(id.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peristiwa_10_November)

A Statue of Soekarno in Purwakarta