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strong>April 28, p5

It is amazing how tolerant this nation can be. While other countries have proclaimed their 'manifest destiny'; in Indonesia, the pervasive political culture seems to be one of nerimo, or acceptance, coupled with a humble assent to fate.

However, sometimes there is a fine line between a phlegmatic concession to providence and simply giving up.

In any other democracy, there would be a revolt if millions of people were regularly immobilized in traffic while little was done to develop public transportation. (By Meidyatama Suryodiningrat, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta)

Your comments:

Your article put me to shame. Yes, I am a member of the middle class who opts out. I strongly believe in the words of Pericles ' 'Here we don't say that people who care not about politics mind their own business. We say that they don't have business here.'

And what can I do to demand change? Just a few things like writing articles to the Post, prepare my students for a better (and engaging) life in Australia, bring up issues through social networks and try to be nice and courteous to as many people as possible.

I recently spoke with a colleague about Indonesians being 'the happiest Asians'. And yes, happy not because we accept life as it is or count our blessings, but because we accept corruption and incompetence. We value new shoes, cars, computer tablets, eating out and group photos more than clean water, responsible education and religious freedom.

We think that getting involved with politics means that we have to watch numbskulls in a live shouting match, sharing half-baked news online or worse ' joining a political party because one happens to be a celebrity.

You are right. We should demand more and fight.

Mario

This is an offensive campaign. Hey editors, if you think you are so smart, prove it with actions and not through an article like this.

Pras

I beg to differ in this case. There are many middle-class people who choose to fight and vent their dissatisfaction through real actions, albeit small ones. Who do you think the first people to take action during January floods were? Where did all the food, water, medication and money for relief come from?

Who funded the small social movements such as Berbagi Nasi (Cooked Rice Distribution), One Billion Rising, Jakarta Peduli (Jakarta Care)? Help came from middle-class people who chose to fight. I do opt out of public school and public transportation. I have the luxury of a private car, a driver and bottled drinking water.

But at the same time, I do my part by donating to social movements to help those in need. Can't a small voice be loud when there are many?

I still believe there are many of us that can voice our discontent and fight on. We just need people to show us how.

Michelle Anugrah

The article is very well written and should invite thoughtful, mature readers of the Post to do some extensive soul-searching, which can be very painful, but also cleansing and enlightening.

I believe that if we choose to stand idly by, allowing other humans to say words or commit deeds that hurt fellow souls, we ourselves will be held responsible by the creator, and eventually have to answer to him for saying and doing nothing to combat evil, which are irresponsible and cowardly acts in themselves.

What Mr. Suryodiningrat said in his article was, according to many, including myself, not an offensive campaign at all, unless those who were offended were painfully cut to the core by the truths he wrote.

Tami