Vote with Heart

The most moving rally so far, by Chen Show Mao, from the Worker's Party - 28 Apr 2011.

And living up to his heavyweight status, Chen was also responsible for the most memorable rallying call of the night: ‘Singapore, don’t be a cowardly lion!’ Recalling the classic tale of the Wizard of Oz, he implored Singaporeans to ‘bear in mind the lessons that Dorothy and her friends learned’:

“There’s a scarecrow, and he wanted a new brain. When we vote, we should use our heads. We should think about what is good for us, what is good for our children.

Second, there’s a Tin Woodsman who wanted a heart. So when you vote, also think about the Singaporeans who are worse off than you, having a harder time to make a good living in Singapore.

Third, there’s a cowardly lion who wanted some courage. So after you know what’s right to do, have the courage to do what’s right even if it means some changes from what you’re used to. Singapore, don’t be a cowardly lion!”

~ taken from TOC "To build a home: from Hougang to Aljunied"

For the full speech, click here to go to Mr Chen's Facebook page.

Band of Brothers, a 2nd look 9 years on

The "real" Easy Company, 101st Airborne, May 1945, many of whom have already been replaced, or KIA by the time this photo was taken.

I read "We Who Are Alive And Remain: Untold Stories from the Band of Brothers" by Marcus Brotherton, documenting the stories of the 101st Airborne, Easy Company - otherwise known as the Band of Brothers. These are men from Easy Company who were not featured in Stephen Ambrose's "Band of Brothers", the book on which the series by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks was based.

It is an inspiring book, and I matched my reading experience by re-watching the series at the same time. I am so glad for the insight I have gleaned on top of just watching the series in my earlier days as a form of entertainment.

Further inspired by a post-humous write-up on Robert Burr Smith, one of the BoB who later was instrumental in the setting up of Delta Force, I dig a little digging online and came across this message board that gives more details of some of the BoB. One interestingly erroneous fact is that Albert Blithe, featured in the series as having died from his wounds in 1947, actually re-enlisted and served in the Korean War, dying only in 1967 (iirc).

I also found out that the Stephen Ambrose book and subsequently, the series, borrowed heavily from the book "Parachute Infantry: An American Paratrooper's Memoir of D-Day and the Fall of the Third Reich", by David Kenyon Webster. You would know Webster from episode 8 of the BoB series, "The Patrol", in which the character narrates his experience.

Here is a link to some of the letters written during his time in service. It should entice you to pick up his book, which I will be doing soon. =) (Unfortunately, it is not available for loan from the library as yet! Instead, I have loaned out Stephen Ambrose's BoB book.)