Uncivilised world?

US President Barack Obama said, “The US is the only developed nation in the world which has so much gun violence.” Three times more citizens in the US are killed through gun violence than through military wars. Frankly, I am genuinely surprised and confused about how the gun is such a celebrated tool in the US.

But what is even more worrying is that in many Malaysian made movies, which are constantly advertised on Astro, and being popularised by their Hollywood culture, our movies also show so much gun violence; almost ‘as if’ there is no death sentence for illegal possession of a gun. I am not really sure if Bollywood does the same or they still focus more on love and songs.

Therefore, allow me to use language which will wake up my American friends and all English language readers of my columns on the net. My question is, why is the US so insecure about thier governance which tolerates so much uncivilised conduct; by those who are permitted to carry weapons to guard themselves?

My view – Dear America, your premise is wrong. Is it still an America which is part and parcel of your ‘older gun-slinging cowboy culture of the Ugly American?’

But my real concern and issue does not stop there. Even some in my neighbourhood of Kampung Tunku are beginning to believe in self-protection and preservation; much like uncivilised Americans. Now, some of the residents, although I suspect they are a minority who live in bungalow houses, are in favour of ‘creating our own security system wherein we create vigilante rules to protect and preserve ourselves; regardless of what happens to ‘others’; outside our comfort zones and our home communities’

This law of the jungle

Do we all not know what really happens in the Wild, Wild West movies? Is not the movie ending always the same? The heroes win; and the bad guys lose, right? It is simple as black and white, right?

But do not the bad guys quickly learn that they too can arm and ‘put up a good fight?’ Does that not lead to escalation in fighting, which then leads to anger, war, and hatred when some kind of civil war breaks out; finally further abuse by the intervention of some foreign ‘outsiders’? Sounds familiar? Or, simply blame the so-called ‘Weapons of Mass Destruction or WMD’.

But why blame others, always; never ourselves. Why blame others for such a self-preservation worldview; these are attitudes which define self-preservation with disregard for the others in our community? For that matter, even in the movie ‘The Lion King’, there is some good feeling about abnormal ‘human behaviour’ even among animals.

They knew the difference between good and evil, but why is it that humans in urban areas have lost this basic human concern for others and are only burdened with a self-care and self-preservation worldview? Is that not what the American president meant when he said their people had become “numb” about such issues.

In the US, just in the past fortnight, another ‘insane kid’ has killed nine university people with guns which are easily available and he had seven legally bought weapons with him; and he was armed to kill even more. And, we call this a civilisation?

Whither self-preservation philosophy?

Friends and readers of my column, this is my appeal: Can we look at ourselves honestly in the mirror and answer the question why we deserve to be extra special people in the eyes of God, and if really, we believe that others do not matter simply because we do not know them personally, or because they are different from who we are, in terms of external and visible features?

Let us be honest with ourselves, and with everyone else. Do we, in Kampung Tunku, really believe that the best way to deal with petty crime in our locality is to spend another RM20,000 a month to protect ourselves and by building bigger and higher walls and more secure gates; as if we are living in a zoo; with animals and creatures all around us?

Is not the better way, to share a little of what we have with others in need and those who do not have and to care for such neighbours even more, so that we will all watch out for others and ourselves?

Moreover, under our federal constitution security is a federal matter under Schedule II, right? So, who is the federal public authority which is responsible and accountable for security our houses and homes? Is there really any doubt in our minds?

The consequential question is: why then is our police force, who are supposed to secure our internal geography, so incompetent in the job they do? Can they really blame themselves, instead of others? Is it simply not a matter of lack of will, skill, and strategy?

Cannot security in our geographies improve if community policing is our way of life, as I believe it is in Japan? Did we not launch community policing also? I know, for example, that the police have rented and located a police station in Taman Mutiara Subang in Subang Jaya; where my 96-year-old dad lives.

Has any proper evaluation been done about how this model of community policing has worked? What is the finding and what is their model of improving community policing such that every resident becomes more security conscious?

For another case instance, when a home in my street was ransacked at night with a hole cut through the fence, by a gang of thieves who were latter caught, this news was not even communicated to the next door neighbour. I heard about it because I cared enough to ask about it from the owner.

Which model of local governance?

Global governance cannot reach every corner of complex and the messy world of reality on the ground. All surveillance abilities get reduced as they move lower with more complex realities. Therefore, any model of good governance must have the best people on the ground; not in the sky. We need leaders and not managers on the ground. Most tried and tested ‘system managers’ are not risk-takers and they did not get there by taking risks.

Therefore, in all sub-systems in the world, we need good and skilful change agents to become leaders of localities; not play safe-managers. Usually managerial systems do not produce ‘risk takers, as they are weeded out before they reach the real top’.

Consequently, my argument which is John Maxwell’s thesis; ‘leadership defines the cap of any system’. If we get safe managers; they do not make a real difference. If we elect mayors for local authorities; then the elected persons have clear responsibility and accountability to produce results, or they face being changed.