From Arranged Marriage to Deteriorating Health: The Story of The Last Princess of Korea

(Warning: Mental illness and suicide references ahead)

                    Many of you fine people who read this have no idea of how many royal families and monarchs that have existed since the advent of human history. Nowadays you probably only known several European constitutional monarchy royals like The British Royal Family and King Charles III, The Dutch Royals with King Willem-Alexander as the current monarch, or even the still-ruling Japanese empire with Emperor Naruhito at the helm. Others might include the likes of those in the Middle East, few of them practice Absolute Monarchy like Saudi Arabia, or even our neighbors in Southeast Asia, like Malaysia with their unique rotating sultanate policy and Brunei. In short, this form of government has existed as long and as historic as the human civilization itself. I often thought what if Indonesia adopted this form of government, but given our national history and its turbulence, it seems very unlikely. But one can only hope, am I right? 

                  Now, there are several instances where a country changed their government model from a monarchy to a republic. One can look at the history of the French Republic, who attained their independence by the way of blood during the French revolution, often involving imprisonment of several member of the French royal family and subsequent execution by guillotine. The most famous story of those is the execution of King Louis XVI and his wife Queen Marie-Antoinette. Others, unfortunately ended via occupation by another country, like the Joseon Empire, which is the precursor of modern-day Korea. Once known as one of the great Empires in East Asia, the Korean Empire was occupied and annexed by the Japanese, effectively ending the Joseon Dynasty and setting up a series of events that lead to the Korean war and the subsequent separation of both Korean territories, one in the south with parliamentary republic system, and those of the north which operates with the communism and socialism ideology governed by a dynasty with a dead guy as eternal president (The Democratic People's Republic of Korea, or North Korea is a necrocracy, which means a country that is governed by a dead man, Kim Il-sung as eternal president). 

 

                  The story of the former Joseon Empire is one big piece on itself, but I want to focus on one specific figure, who was known during her lifetime as the last princess of the Korean Empire, one who was exiled to Japan and finally returned to her homeland, which is now a republic. Princess Yi Deokhye was born on the 25th of May 1912 in Deoksu Palace in Keijo (modern-day Seoul), Korea during the Japanese Imperial times after the region was annexed by Japan two years prior. She was the daughter of Emperor Gojong of Joseon and Imperial Consort Boknyeong. There are some interesting facts about the royal princess. One of them was she was not formally considered as a royal princess by the Japanese just because her mother wasn't the Queen, but rather an imperial concubine to the emperor. This too, was obviously pointed out by her nickname, which was Deokhye-ongju (the royal staff refers to her as Ongju-nim), rather than Gongju (the latter title is given to the daughters of the queen, while the former was assigned to the daughter of the concubines). But in 1917, after his father persuaded the Then Governor-General of Korea Masatake Terauchi, she was finally recognized as the royal princess and was integrated to the royal family registry. 

 

                  Like those of the royal families in the past, arranged marriages between the royals were also common in Joseon, as the emperor once tried to set up a marriage between Deokhye-ongju with a court chamberlain's nephew, named Kim Jang-han in 1919, but went bust after the Japanese intervened, and barred Kim Hwang-jin, the chamberlain to enter the Deoksu Palace. It was also on this year that the emperor died suddenly, allegedly by poison from the Japanese. In 1925, Deokhye-ongju was sent to Japan with the pretense of continuing her studies (in reality, she was exiled), and known by the Japanese as Princess Tokue. She was known as that one student who was untalkative and struggled with exercising. She was allowed to return to Korea temporarily to attend her mother's funeral in 1929 but denied permission to wear proper clothing for the occasion. 

 

                  Princess Deokhye was also known for her battle with mental illness. This condition first manifested in spring 1930, during the period where she often forgot to eat and drink. Subsequent examination revealed that the princess had developed schizophrenia, partly due to her upbringing. Over time, her condition improved, but in 1933, her condition worsened, leading to many trips to various mental clinics. The condition was further exacerbated by the grief of losing her daughter, Masae (Korean name: Jeonghye) who was reported missing in 1956 and allegedly committed suicide due to the stress of her parents' divorce. Speaking of divorce, she once married to Count Takeyuki Sō of Tsushima, after being matched by Empress Consort Teimei, the wife of Emperor Yoshihito (Later Emperor Taishō). Their marriage lasted from 1930 until their divorce in 1955, and Masae was their only daughter. It was reported that the marriage was an unhappy one, and by the time she finally arrived and resided in Korea, Takeyuki attempted to visit his ex-wife, but was denied by her remaining relatives, fearing her worsening mental state if she contacted him. After the divorce, Takeyuki Sō then moved to Kashiwa and subsequently remarried to a woman named Yoshie Katsumura, fathering 3 more children. During this time, Deokhye-ongju spent most of her time in Japan.

 

                  Then, the monumental occasion came. After 38 years, the government of the Republic of Korea invited the princess to return to her homeland, after being discovered by Kim Jang-han, now a reporter inside a mental institution. Initially, South Korean authorities refused the return of the last royal blood, due to the president at the time, Lee Seung-man wanting to avoid political chaos. After some persuasion by Kim, Princess Deokhye finally stepped foot in her homeland after arriving at Kimpo International Airport in Seoul on the 26th of January 1967, and was greeted by few figures of her childhood, including her kindergarten classmate, her nurse, and her remaining family members. She was also able to restore her Korean citizenship, despite being born there, now as Yi Deok-hye. The princess spent her last years in-and-out of hospitals, and in 1983, she once admitted to Hallym University Hangang Sacred Heart Hospital due to old age. And on the 21st of April 1989, Princess Yi Deokhye, the last royal princess of the Korean Empire passed away at the age of 76 at the Sugang Hall, Changdeok Palace in Seoul, and was laid to rest near her father and her half-brother in Hongryureung, Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province.

 

                  The story of Princess Deokhye is nothing sort of a tragic one across any royal history. Once the princess of her homeland, she was exiled by the occupation government and was forced to an unhappy, arranged marriage to a Japanese count, developed a mental illness which had worsened over time. There are few literatures that can be used to study the princess, but the 2016 movie The Last Princess directed by Hur Jin-ho is by far the best way to help those who studied Korean history to examine the life of the princess, from her upbringing, her marriage, her mental struggles, all the way to her return and passing. Yes, her life might be a tragic one, but remember, she was a member of the Korean royal family, those who governed the region as Joseon, and her life is to be celebrated as the last ever princess of Korea who finally returned home after a lengthy exile.

BreadTube: The Cesspool of Woke Propaganda

 (Warning: Strong languages and rants ahead)

 

            Goodness gracious, forgive me for I have sinned, My Good Lord above. This piece is about as cringeworthy as it is nauseating. I can easily say that everyone who engages in far-left, ultra-socialism, borderline communism deserves to be tossed off a cliff into a shark-infested ocean. There, I fucking said it. As someone whose country was almost hijacked by the communist ideology, I can safely say that this ideology, with everything surrounding it, is demented.

 

            But fuck me dead, the Internet has plethora of far-left discourses, opinions, even ideologies circulating in every corner, and this is also the case with YouTube. Granted, videos came and went in this platform, and for most of the time, everyone can speak up their mind, but there is one dark corner of the very far-left side of YouTube, where content creators gather up in a party of far-left propaganda enhanced by the algorithm to bring forth their communist-infused rules and at the same time, positioning themselves as the "thought police". This corner of YouTube is known as "BreadTube". I don't know about you who are reading this, but I think that is a pretty lame word to be used as a name. But there is a reason why this lame movement is named as such. The name derived itself from a book by Peter Kropotkin titled The Conquest of Bread, a book described by Kropotkin himself as an "anarcho-socialist book", since he himself is a self-described anarchist. There is a dispute of the origins of this movement, but there is arguably a starting point where the left-wing creators started their channels in opposition to anti-SJW ones that gained traction in mid-2010s. It is often used as a comedic alternative to the less-known term "LeftTube". Content creators under the banner of BreadTube usually posts video essays or vlogs talking about the hottest issues and discourses, but presented them through the far-left lenses, from liberalism, socialism, and even anarchism. There is a bit of a competition between the left-wing YouTube and the right-wing ones, both are extremely political, both are said to be complete opposite of each other, and both sides are equally influential. If the conservative side have The Daily Wire, then the liberal side have Natalie Wynn, also known as ContraPoints. 

 

            These types of contents, as you would expect, are skewed according to their political compass, some of them to the extreme. Take Ian Kochinski, or Vaush, as people know him online. He's one of the more prominent BreadTuber who holds many controversial stances, including stances on sexual relationships. Here's what grinds my gears about this neckbearded cocksucker: He holds the stance that sexual relationships towards minors should be legalized, even the circulation of child pornography should also be allowed, with the basis of today's society are using hardware devices or clothes manufactured by child workers. He is not above throwing insults and baseless allegations to get his point across either. During his feud with Isaac Butterfield (my favorite Australian comedian. Check out his channel if you have some spare time), Vaush implied that "Australianism is a disease", supposedly a backhanded joke about Butterfield's national identity as a proud Aussie. He also insinuated that by looking at the way Isaac presented himself in front of the camera, the comedian is also (allegedly) a child groomer. And then there is Noah Samsen, who also called out Butterfield's "fatphobic" tendencies, which not only falls on deaf ears, the bearded legend proceeded to tear him a new one while also affirming the stance that modern body positivity movement is nothing more than a glorification of morbid obesity, despite the efforts put forth by these alleged Kim Jong-un's ass sniffers. More recent shithousery by the leftist jackasses on this platform was by Ethan Klein, on his podcast H3H3 Productions, who mocked and attacked the recently Muslim-revert Andrew Tate (Thank Almighty God for that). In response, the man known as either the Top G or the most censored man in the world fires back at Klein's form who, compared to Tate, being a champion kickboxer, is more like a bag full of fat.

 

            I don't really understand anymore at this point. They claimed themselves to be anti-racism and anti-xenophobic, but based on those two above, I sense nothing but hypocrisy. Others are expert in manipulating words to make them sound like they are the smartest people in the room. Mr. Beard used this tactic while supposedly "destroyed" Butterfield while also calling out his "apparent" misogyny. There is no shortage of insults either; his video title outright attacks Butterfield by calling him "Australia's dumbest comedian." And low and behold, the man Isaac referred to as Ralph Wiggum (from The Simpsons) proceeded to mock him by poorly copying (or should I say appropriating) his Australian accent. Other times involving cutting out some parts of their target's content in order to manipulate the audience that what their targets are saying is inflammatory and racist, and not giving enough time to explain in what context those statements are made for. And thanks to these types of videos, I am enlightened on how shit the woke movement is, on how demented those people who claimed to be tolerant, and those who claimed to be against the establishment, but in reality, that same group of people are turned out to be corporate ass lickers. 

 

            BreadTubers, as it turns out, are heavily involved in the modern progressive movements, it means, in every progressive echo chamber, BreadTubers exists inside every single one of them. people like Vaush, Samsen, Mr Beard, and even Xanderhal are basing everything according to the US political dichotomy. Just recently, the backlash in the back of the new The Little Mermaid trailer posted by Disney by both fans and critics alike, for the reinterpretation of Ariel the Little Mermaid, who instead being played by an actress of color. Although never specified, the past interpretations of this character have always been white girl with a red hair. BreadTubers argued that the backlash in question is amplified by "racist trolls" and "conservative influencers". These are their go to trigger words in order to pull the Internet mob to side with them. Ironically, consider today's discourse climate, it's them along with others with similar views are actually racists themselves, exhibited by them favoring more about Persons of Color and LGBT movement. Hell, nowadays people are judged by their skin color, sexual orientation, and their body size (don't forget the fatties here). Those who are born either black, a woman (according to them, obviously), trans, nonbinary, have larger than life bodies or the combination of all those things are celebrated just because of their treats alone, not for academic, sporting, or other achievements. Those who were born white, a man, cisgender, and fit or slim are vilified because, again, according to these guys, they were born privileged. They wanted to be presented as an ally to the political left with a seriously twisted ulterior motives. Let's look at Vaush again, who confessed himself to align with the feminist movement so he can sleep with as many women as he wants. 

 

            In the end, BreadTube is nothing more than acid pool of woke moralism, with the extra sprinkle of Marxism, Socialism, Anarchism and all the things associated with far-left liberalism. They are ready to attack anyone who isn't in line with their demented opinions by bullying them systematically to the corner until their targets caved in and join their side. What used to be a healthy discussion between differing opinions has now turned into a hellscape of censorship and pseudo-moralism. Seriously, go jump off a cliff.

Religious Values VS Woke Liberal Agenda: An Unlikely Alliance

 Well, what do we have here? 2022 keeps on delivering some gold, and yet again exposing the crazy woke agenda that has been plaguing the world in recent years. For one, I am onboard this hype train of anti wokeness, as I am sick and tired of constantly having this rhetoric being shoved up my throat. I get that the world is moving towards a more inclusive environment, but at the same time, it also become more exclusive, particularly only for those who take those same woke ideology and shoved it down the throat whole. It seems like the world we live in today forces us to walk on eggshells in order not to piss off the wrong people, and it also seems like the woke mob finally pissed off the wrong community.

 

            This piece is being put together in the heels of the protests during a school board meeting in Dearborn, Michigan, USA. It was almost the same case as many other cities and counties across the States, that being the inclusion of books and school curriculums that contain LGBT+ content, some of them even included sexually explicit pictures targeting kids as young as a kindergartener. Mostly in other cases, it was conservative Christians that are actively fighting against this woke indoctrination of the public school system, some of them even pulled their kids out altogether. But that was not the case in Dearborn. For context, Dearborn has a high concentration of Arab and Muslim Americans not just in the state of Michigan, but the entire United States. And as I previously touched many moons ago, Muslims are inherently conservative, even more conservative than any Christians would claim. 

 

            But long before the straw that broke the camel's back, Muslims in America are in constant turmoil ever since the 9/11 terrorist attacks. With the state of politics at the time, many Muslim Americans who are born in the states are constantly shunned and ridiculed, even subjected to racially charged attacks just because of their religious identity. As a result, despite their conservatism, most Muslims align themselves to the Democratic party due to the (supposed) inclusion policy that the party in question proudly exhibit. For the long time, they align themselves with this party in order to make America at least a little bit more inclusive. For me, this is quite bizarre, since the greatest American boxer of all time happens to be a Muslim. 

 

            But during this time as well, the Democratic party began shifting towards a more far-left attitude, by embracing the LGBT and critical race rhetoric and weaponize them to subdue the society to cave in with their ideology. They argue that Americans with darker skin tone, those who has female genitalia or has an alternate sexuality are systematically oppressed by the cisgender, heterosexual, white males who only care about themselves. But in reality, it was those same voices that are actively shutting down people who only wants to voice a different opinion on a discourse. 

 

            And this is what the unlikely alliance finally formed. It all started when Dearborn parents, who are mostly Muslims, went to a school board meeting to protest the circulation of LGBT books for children. The first meeting turned so volatile; it was suspended for a fire hazard. When the meeting was eventually rescheduled, the parents' apparent dislike of those literatures is pretty much evident, as some pro-LGBTQ speakers was met with jeers and boos as they tried to defend the circulation of those sexually explicit publications. During the same meeting, we can analyze the pattern of the speakers, with conservative Muslims and Christians present themselves as calm and collected, while voicing their opinions firmly, some pro-LGBT speakers showed nothing but suppressed anger as they deliver their remarks. Hell, one of the speakers, a black woman, showed a classic sign of the leftist victim mentality, by playing the race card by saying "black, queer woman who has to fight for their right to exist". Another one, Brian Stone, who is a gay man, also disrespected the entire Dearborn Muslim community by insinuating that the community hates gay people, when in reality, the parents are trying to protect their children from all those immoral materials. 

 

            And this is already happened at the heels of Joe Biden's 2020 presidential victory. All of the sudden, the floodgates were open, and all hell broke loose. From "fat acceptance", "open border policies", "critical race theory" to "gender-affirming care", the left-wing agenda has manipulated thousands of American citizens into thinking that somehow, everything is racist, homophobic, transphobic and bigots. Hell, those same voices also kept on rewriting the victim playbook. One of them even suggested that beside black people, Muslims, and nonbinaries, transgender Muslims are actually the most oppressed people when it comes to minorities. This is the obvious example of an oxymoron, by putting the words "transgender" and "Muslims" in the same sentence. When it comes to religious stances on LGBT issues, Islam has the strictest laws concerning gay people. I guess everyone reading this is familiar of the story of Sodom and Gomora, and Prophet Lot PBUH. According to the Quran's depiction, Prophet Lot had tried to preach faith to the people of those two cities, who were recorded as the first homosexual society ever existed. And in the end, God punished them by flipping the ground upside down, burying them alive, and filled the same land with water with the highest salt concentration. The remains of Sodom and Gomora is now known as the Dead Sea. Furthermore, Prophet Muhammad PBUH had stated his contempt of such behaviors despite never banning them, but both the Quran and the Hadith strongly condemn homosexual activity. Hell, in most Muslim-majority countries, LGBT practices could earn you a death penalty. 

 

            Back to the issue at hand, these recent events are said to mark a shift of political spectrum for the Muslim community, as even Democratic congresswoman from Michigan Rashida Tlaib is heavily disliked by her own people. I would not be surprised if the upcoming midterm election and the 2024 election, Muslim Americans vote Republican. If this is the sign of a huge cultural shift, they better prepare themselves for it.

 

            I guess what I am trying to say that inclusivity, in whatever form it takes, has its limitations, especially when it comes to morality. Of course, it is unethical to not include someone inside a community just because of their biological gender, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, ethnicity, and skin color, but everything has their limits. And if those inclusivity discourse crossed the limit, then prepare yourselves for the repercussions. Not everyone can be subjected to certain topics, especially those with sexual nature. Let kids be kids, let them explore the world and make their own decisions, and don't push them into these woke ideologies. Children are quite impressionable and mentally immature. One wrong move, and they are set up for failure that would last a lifetime. 

"Minor-Attracted Persons": Paedos in Disguise

 (Warning: Strong languages, graphic sexual description, and rants ahead)

 

            Just when you thought that the world just could not get any crazier, this shit came up on my feed as I sit down at my university campus for another lecture (I'm taking masters by the way). I want to touch on this subject for a long time now, but this is somehow too sensitive of a topic, even according to my own standards. It is not a secret that the ultra-left side of the political spectrum tends to spew crazy rhetoric after crazy rhetoric in order to steer the normal population and manipulating them into believing those ludicrous ideas. This included human sexuality. For years I have been witnessing the strange turn inside the LGBT+ community, from an innocent aspiration of just want to live their lives normally to this sheer insanity of trying to legitimize immoral sexual practices that has been banned or at least being frown upon for years.

 

            And now, there is another crazy ideology spewed by the lunatic jackasses of the far left, and it involves some of the most heinous criminals ever existed. Something like the white-haired fuckwit from Leeds, England Jimmy Savile (who, thankfully, is dead and currently rotting inside his shit-invested grave) or Glam Rocker turned sex offender Gary Glitter would do during their peak and prime. And the term in question known as "minor-attracted person". This term was coined by a university professor, of all people, named Dr. Allyn Walker. This "nonbinary" person (in reality this is a woman who has too much testosterone in her body with a fragile obsession to be masculine) who used to teach at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, USA argued that the term "pedophile" (which is the adequate term to describe these offenders in the first place) is deemed "too harsh" for "all persons attracted to minors" It seems like from her statement alone, this term is basically an umbrella term for sexual attractions toward minors. 

 

            First of all, what is this thing known as "pedophiles"? It's basically a condition where someone is sexually attracted to prepubescent children, mostly under the age of 13 years. It is also a self-discovered condition which grow stable over time, and often referred as a sexual preference disorder. It is still unknown what caused this type of disorder to develop in the first place, but we do know that it starts developing when someone hit puberty, where they start developing attractions to the opposite sex. It is commonly classified as a form of sexual deviation disorder known as "paraphilic disorders", as with many acts of indecency like the one I explored few months back. These heinous acts are not limited to outright sexual practices either. Other forms of abuse included child pornography, child grooming, indecent exposure, stalking, and statutory rape. This is based on various laws about age of consent. While the universally agreed age of consent is 18 years old, some countries are lower, mostly around 15-17 years old. For example, when it comes to statutory rape, any sexual activity involving a minor can be considered as such, if the other party is below the age of consent, thus legally unable to give consent to those activities. 

 

            There are some personality traits of pedophilia examined among sex offenders, particularly towards children. Studies conducted suggested that it often concurs with other traits such as low self-esteem and depression. But there are some differences when it comes to traits among those two, and that is what the left-wing media is trying to point out. According to them, sex offenders are certainly can be pedophiles, but those who are said to be born with it can decide to not follow through their desires. A first, this seems make sense, since some of them are describing themselves as "anti-contact" or "non-offending", meaning that despite their awareness of their attraction, they chose not to engage with it. But this is where the problem actually began. 

 

            I think this speaks volumes when I said that sexual attraction to someone under the universal age of consent of 18 years is viewed as immoral as it can be. Even in some cases, there are laws that allowed capital punishment for child sex offenders, like the ones introduced in India, or the recent chemical castration laws passed in Indonesia. But in the West, especially in the US, where the division between liberals and conservatives are way evident, it seems that the mainstream media and the liberal left are gunning for legalization of alternate human sexuality, and that include these creepy fucks under the umbrella term "minor-attracted people". First of all, whoever suggested this needs to be put down and tossed to a shark-infested pool. Secondly, if this "thing" becomes the norm, that means the human race has lost every ounce of its core values. People like Savile will be considered as a hero once again, and there might be another, more vicious Jimmy Savile’s, Gary Glitters or R Kelly's in the future. 

 

            There are some cases of these "MAPs" being recorded in recent times, and it almost always involving big-time celebrities or someone in the position of power. Take for instance actor Ezra Miller. The actor who self-identifies as "nonbinary" (fuck this shit, honestly) was involved in a scandal where he allegedly groomed an 18-year-old girl (who was convinced by him to think that she was nonbinary as well) since she turned 12 years old. He allegedly groomed her in a cult-like behavior. He also allegedly stuffed her with drugs and alcohol and exhibiting a pattern that is akin of "corrupting a minor". Despite this, Miller's career remained unaffected initially since his status as a "nonbinary" celebrity apparently acts like a free-pass card to sketchy behavior. This jackass even has the fucking audacity to actually scold a Hawaiian police officer arresting him for "misgendering" him. At the time, he was arrested for an assault on a woman. One word for Ezra Miller from yours truly, shut up and take responsibility, you weird cunt. And then there is R Kelly. This singer turned sex trafficker was sentenced to 30 years of incarceration for racketeering and sex trafficking of women and children. And his track record goes way before those allegations came to light. Remember the late singer and Actress Aaliyah? That one fine woman who starred in the movie Queen of the Damned? The sick fuck married her in 1994 when she was 15 years old! He forged the legal documents to falsify her age, at the time listed as 18. Thankfully it was annulled months later. 

 

            And yet these brain-dead liberals are still on about these "MAPs" and how they are suffering from their condition. I have to say that these people truly need help, but for the love of God, please don't normalize these behaviors! It will only embolden them to commit even the most heinous crimes, those even Ted Bundy would shiver. It is immoral and demented, and should be frown upon at least, and persecuted at most. And the crazy thing about this is they are somewhat included under the LGBT+ umbrella, which means if we call out these behaviors (which is clearly immoral), we would be branded as a bigot, homophobe, transphobe and a racist almost instantly. But it is a reality of this world ruled by wokeness. Anything and everything are wrong, and freedom of speech only applies if the statements are in line with their sick agenda. Hell, those who actually worked in mental care (a fucking "sex therapist" in this case) actually condone these sick fucks, even encourage them (here's the short video on YouTube if you want to know what I mean).

 

            What can I say about these "minor-attracted persons"? It means that those who are attracted to children EXCLUSIVELY. They are some if not the most heinous criminals of all time, those that would made Idi Amin or the aforementioned Savile look like a saint. It is morally demented, inappropriate, and should be purged at all costs. Parents, if you are reading this, make sure to keep your children safe. Their future should not be wrecked by these paedos disguising themselves under this term. 

Elizabeth II: The Everlasting Royal Legacy

    Well, they say that the inevitable will eventually come. We all anticipated this news from many years ago, yet when the bitter end comes, we are still in shock. Just this morning, 6 AM Jakarta time, I woke up to the news that the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom, Her Majesty the Queen, Elizabeth II passed away in her Scotland residence of Balmoral Castle at the age of 96 years, just seven months after celebrating her Platinum Jubilee, marked her 70th year as the monarch of Great Britain and the Commonwealth realms. It was also two days removed from greeting her 14th Prime Minister of Great Britain Liz Truss, who will instead become the first Prime Minister to serve under her son's reign, now known as His Majesty the King, Charles III. Official news from Buckingham Palace stated that she passed away peacefully surrounded by the Royal Family in Balmoral Castle on the 8th of September 2022 at 6.30 PM BST.

             As we remember the beloved queen, let's dissect her life, from her time in the royal family, her military service, until her eventual ascension to the British Throne. Her Majesty was born Elizabeth Alexandra May on the 21st of April 1926 in Mayfair, London, England, the eldest of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother (Then known as the Duke and Duchess of York). She then assumed the title of Princess Elizabeth of York and was made the heir to the British Throne directly after George VI. At first, during the reign of her grandfather, King George V, she was third in line of succession, behind Edward VIII and her father. Had Edward married and had kids, she would be pushed further back. Then Edward assumed the throne in 1936 after her grandfather's death, and she became second in line. Then during the same year, Britain entered the constitutional crisis caused by Edward's abdication of the throne, due to him marrying Wallis Simpson, an American socialite who happened to be a divorcee. Technically speaking, if she had a brother, he would be the heir apparent, but since all she had as sibling was Princess Margaret, her younger sister, she became the heir presumptive. 

 

            When war came, most royal families would evacuate to somewhere safer. But during the events of World War II, Elizabeth and Margaret were to be evacuated as suggested by Lord Hailsham, but their mother outright rejected the idea, stating that the children will stay as long as the King stay. Interestingly enough, she served in the British Army during the struggle, served as a trained mechanic and driver and was given the rank of honorary junior commander. During her time in the Royal Family as Princess Elizabeth, she went to many countries, her first overseas tour occurred in 1947, accompanying her parents to southern Africa. One of the most memorable overseas visits that everyone will remember was when she was standing in for her father visiting US President Harry S. Truman in 1951. By that time, she was already married to her longtime husband, Prince Phillip, Duke of Edinburgh. 

 

            Her marriage with Prince Phillip in and on itself, was also controversial. Although served in the Royal Navy and became a British subject in the process, Phillip was a foreign-born, formerly Prince Phillip of Greece and Denmark. He was also in no financial standing and had sister who had married German noblemen with links to the Nazi. Before marriage, he renounced his Greek and Danish titles, and converted to the Anglican branch of Christianity, which basically a variant of the Protestant Christianity. Their marriage lasted until Phillip's death on 9 April 2021 and had four children, His Majesty King Charles III, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew, Duke of York, and Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex.

 

            In early 1952, The news of the death of George VI arrived just as Elizabeth and Phillip arrived in their Kenyan Home during their Australia-New Zealand Tour by the way of Kenya, with His Royal Highness Prince Phillip broke the news to the new monarch. As per tradition, whenever the sitting monarch passed away, their first in line of succession becomes the new monarch with immediate effect. She was 27 years of age when the her coronation ceremony occurred on the 2nd of June 1953 and witnessed many important events during her reign as the Queen of Great Britain and the leader of the Commonwealth. By this time, the Commonwealth had evolved to include 56 states, 15 of them are known as the Commonwealth Realms, where the head of state is the reigning monarch of The United Kingdom, which starting from this day onward, is King Charles III. In 1956, France was almost included in the Commonwealth, but instead signed the Treaty of Rome, which is the precursor to the European Union. She celebrated her Silver, Ruby, Golden, Diamond, and Platinum Jubilee, each marked her 25th, 40th, 50th, 60th, and 70th anniversary of her accession to the throne. She also witnessed the rapid decolonization of former British colonial territories in the 60s and the 70s, as many countries moved towards self-governance. She was also the first British Monarch to visit a communist country in 1970 when she visited Yugoslavia and President Josip Broz Tito. 1992 was the year marked by the Queen as annus horribilis, or horrible year, as she witnessed the divorces of Princess Anne, Prince Andrew, and then-Prince Charles from their spouses. There was also a rise of the Republican Movement in Britain, calling for a change in government from a monarchy to a republic with elected head of state. Her 70+ year reign was marked by various events in history, with the latest being the Covid pandemic, the United Kingdom's decision to leave the European Union, and the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.

 

            When we look at the numbers during her reign as the Queen, Elizabeth II was perhaps the most well-known monarch in recent history. There are 14 prime ministers who served under her reign, most notably Winston Churchill, who was the last PM served under her father, Margaret Thatcher, a.k.a. The Iron Lady, Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, Theresa May, and the last under her reign and recently resigned Boris Johnson. Liz Truss was appointed Prime minister under her reign but will serve her post under King Charles III. With the United States, especially the presidents, 14 different presidents were elected at the same time as her reign. Her first meeting with Truman may be the first, but the meeting occurred while she was still Princess Elizabeth. Her first proper visit as Queen was when she visited President Dwight Eisenhower on October 1957. Then came Presidents John Kennedy, Richard Nixon, who apparently tried to set up his own daughter Tricia to marry Charles, Gerald Ford, whom she shared a dance with, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, who instantly bonded due to their shared hobby of horse riding, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George Bush, all the way to Barack Obama, Donald Trump, and Joe Biden. All of which has either visited her or she visit them personally. The only US president that the Queen never met was Lyndon Johnson, that honor instead went to Princess Margaret. Up until her passing, she exceeded her great-great-grandmother's record for the longest serving monarch in British history. For the record, Queen Victoria reigned for 63 years and 216 days. Her official time as the monarch clocked at 70 years and 214 days. It means that most of us are actually born under her reign. 

 

            For the next 12 days, Great Britain and the Commonwealth will enter a mourning period culminating to the royal funeral of Queen Elizabeth II. All sports, entertainment and comedy programs are banned during this period. King Charles III is also expected to tour the capitals of each home nations of Britain and will set up his coronation later down the road. For now, Operation London Bridge is in motion, and as the world gathers around in grief, we offer our greatest condolences to the royal family in the wake of the Queen's passing. She left a lasting legacy not only for Britain, but for the rest of the world. She will be missed, and may God provide a good health for the new king as he takes his rightful place to the throne of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and subsequently, the leader of the Commonwealth. Rest in peace, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, and (I know I'm not British, but I'll say this anyway) God Save the King.

The "Karen" Meme: Is it Really a Sexist Slur?

(Source: The Atlantic via Google Images) 

(Warning: Strong languages ahead)

            When there is a global pandemic ravaging around the world, it brought the very best and the worst kind of human behavior. Whether is selflessness, sense of caring or loving, or if you are a middle-aged white woman with a pixie bob cut with blonde highlights, who has a HUGE sense of entitlement, usually an anti-vaxxer, somehow a racist, and would like to speak to the manager, you must be what the Internet calls a "Karen". For me personally, I would be rolling on the floor laughing my ass off to death if I encounter this type of meme anywhere online, but some of them began to think that it's a sexist slur much worse than the one targeting the black people (a.k.a. the N word).

            So, what is the origin of the Karen meme anyway? Depending on the source, it might be from a reddit user who wrote a lengthy post about his ex-wife (coincidentally named Karen) who allegedly took his children and later his house during a divorce proceeding, which in turn created a subreddit r/FuckYouKaren. Others would say it was coined from comedian Dane Cook's stand-up routine about that one friend that nobody likes, who only allowed inside the social circle only to be mercilessly hated and shunned.

            So, what usually describes a "Karen" in the first place? The more common depiction of a Karen is usually a white woman in her 30s to 40s, usually divorced single mother who typically has two or more kids (all within her custody), sports a pixie-bob haircut with colorful highlights, dubbed "the speak to the manager haircut", and yes, a sense of entitlement that is bigger than the planet Jupiter. not every Karen is a racist, but some of them can be cruel with other races. And don't get me start on how ignorant these Karens might be. One of the most defining traits that every Karen has is their ability to use their privilege to talk down to other people, hence the "speak to the manager" trait. And with recent unrest, she is also more than happy to use someone's racial identity as a weapon to put herself on an advantage during a confrontation (more on that later on).

            How can someone earn the nickname "Karen"? In a nutshell, a "Karen" is easily identified as being entitled to virtually and basically everything. Let's say you are waiting on a line inside a ramen house, when suddenly a white woman, roughly aged 39 years old cuts in front of you and demanded to be served first, claiming that she is in a hurry. The best thing to do is hold your fire and don't escalate it further. Meanwhile, the woman who cut the line is finally being served, but the server brought her the wrong food. At this stage, she would complain and demanding to speak to the manager. We can see the end result of this encounter. She would either cost an employee of his job or complaining about how she was treated unfairly (which is a total bullshit considering that she was the one who cut the queuing line in the first place). And this doesn't stop on closed premises either. Public areas can be a scene of a Karen meltdown. The most recent "Karen" incident was happened on May 2020, when an African American man named Christian Cooper encountered a woman named Amy Cooper (no relation whatsoever) and noticed that Amy's dog was not leashed in an area inside Central Park where dogs must be leashed at all times. And what did she do? She called the police on Christian because she didn't want to leash her dog. She called 911 with the excuse of how "an African American man is threatening her life". and to make things worse, while doing so, she totally forgot that she was holding her dog by the necklace, choking the K-9. And because of this, Amy Cooper is now dubbed by the Internet as the "Central Park Karen". Like I said earlier, some of them can be outright racist. 

            Surprisingly enough, not all Karens can be called a "Karen". Names like "Becky" can be used for this type of behavior. The term "BBQ Becky" is coined when a white woman decided that it would be an excellent idea to call the police over few black people having a barbeque cook-off at Oakland, CA. The ordeal was captured on video and uploaded on YouTube by Michelle Dione. Another name is "Permit Patty", which was assigned to California woman Alisson Ettel who allegedly call the police on an eight-year old black girl and her mother who were just selling water. But some of them deserve to be called a "Karen", like for instance, "Kidz Bop Karen". This nickname first appear when a white woman, possibly in her mid-40s confronted a Lyft driver in New York City for allegedly cutting in front of her in traffic. She proceeded to force her head inside the car while spewing a bunch of expletives and rants, but told the passenger inside, the 29 year-old Chelsea Klein to calm down, while this "Karen" is the one that supposed to calm down. Then why Kidz Bop Karen? Hilariously enough, "Karen" was driving her Kids when the whole ordeal unfolded, and when being confronted about her foul language and the effects to her children, she just simply replied "My kids can't hear me calling you a bitch" because "they're listening to Kidz Bop" (Compilation of kid-friendly version of popular songs covered by "Kidz Bop Kids", which is earrape at its best). It's really amazingly strange to think that these "Karens" would be offended by virtually harmless things like Barbeques, kids selling water on the side of the street, or even a simple mistake in traffic.

            During the COVID-19 pandemic, you can also find a Karen who wants their manicure-pedicure and haircut WITHOUT considering that there is a deadly virus roaming around and would kill her if she step away just a few meters from her house (yeah, I am using the metric system here, it's easier that way). She is also not a big fan of "social distancing" or even wearing a face mask when being outside, and always attends anti-lockdown protest. And don't forget how she easily harassing essential workers (in this case doctors and nurses, basically all the healthcare staff). All she cared about is her appearance and beauty, and the dreaded coronavirus is at the least of her concerns. Inevitably, she would cause danger to herself and others surrounding her just by being present in an area without adhering to health and safety protocols. At this point, she is both a "covidiot" (a term where someone is purposely disobeying the COVID-19 heath and safety guidelines) and a full-blown "Karen" (The right term for this is called "Corona Karen"). I never wished any ill will, but let's hope that by contracting COVID-19, this would be both a wake-up call and a big slap to the face for these Karens to remind them to stay inside their homes and don't move a muscle outside, except for essential things like shopping, medical care or food orders.

            But can the Karen meme be considered as a sexist slur? I guess not. I have to say this frankly, but despite all the fiasco, it's just a given name. But apparently, journalist Julie Bindel on her twitter post suggested so. Some of them even comparing the meme to the N word slur targeting black people, mainly how "The K word (so to speak) is way worse than the N word". Maybe what they have in mind is implying that all white women is a Karen, while in reality, the meme is mainly used to mock SOME white women who happens to have a planetary-sized ego and the sense of maturity like that of a five year-old with demanding and entitled attitude. It's just a name that is coincidentally used to refer entitled white women who thinks that the manager is beneath her and can be insulted at will. But should we treat the Karen meme as a slur equal to (or maybe worse than) the N word? No. It's just merely the way the Internet puts its criticism. 

            In the end, the Karen meme is just a way of the Internet to criticize entitlement behaviors of some white women who happen to be middle-aged and don't care two shits about public order just to get what she wants strictly on her own terms. It's really like having that one obnoxious friend who is always nagging on others when the person didn't get that they want, and would keep on terrorizing their peers so that they would be satisfied (notice that I used the word "terrorizing", that's exactly what these Karens have been doing). My only message is, don't be a Karen. Under any circumstances and conditions, don't be that one who want to get what you want by speaking to the manager and ruining everybody's day and mood. Some of them might display even harsher behavior than you. Stay safe, stay home, always wash your hands, and always stand 2 meters apart with other people. 

Discrimination: Outdated, Barbaric and Idiotic

(Warning: Strong languages ahead)

Humans. This species has existed since the beginning of time, and during the history of mankind, many important occurrences happened that shaped the way we live our lives today. We are also known to be the smartest beings on Earth, but there are some people who just want to watch the world burn. Every men and women are born with different features, like skin colors, ethnicity and their body shapes. Alongside it, we also have different ideologies and beliefs that we adhere to. Despite the facts stated above, we, as God has proclaimed, are “created as tribes and nations so you can get to know each other.” But these days, some are considering themselves superior, and treat others with different body and facial features, as well as their religions as unworthy. This is a story about human beings being discriminated against one another.

I believe everybody knows what discrimination is, so I’ll explain it briefly. Discrimination is basically a prejudiced of, making distinction towards people with the basis of group, class and category where they perceived to be belong. Someone could get an unfair treatment based on this/her race, gender identities, religious beliefs, age, sexual orientations, disabilities and even political ideologies. The way this is done is to separate or to distinguish someone based on those factors alone, and those who perceive themselves as the superior groups often perceive themselves as the superior ones compare to others. Favoring heavily on one people group over the others can also count as an act of discrimination. 

There are many forms of discrimination that exist during the course of our lives. One of the most known types of discrimination is racism, which is a belief that a specific race is deemed superior over the other. Usually, the people do this towards people with color or different facial features (African and Asian) by someone with European descent (with white skin color). During the course of human history, racism has been portrayed with many forms. During the 1950s and 1960s, People in America would associate the white people as strong, powerful and superior, while the people with darker skin tone are perceived as the descendant of slaves, even branding them as slaves themselves. Schools were separated based on the racial demography of the students inside. There is a political system known as apartheid that based on pure racial segregation by the white population in South Africa. During that time, the laws were intended to put the colored population into alienation, while at the same time allowing the whites to access some of the privileges that otherwise require special permissions if that citizen is a black or people of color (this is hardly granted by the authorities at that time. Even if it is, it typically takes long periods of time). This can also happen during wartimes. When the United States fought against the Japanese during World War 2, many Americans of Japanese descend was subjected to imprisonment just because of their racial heritage. The most extreme form of this, called “white supremacist” recognizes the white race as the superior race. Therefore any racial inclusion and other forms of inclusivity is outlawed, even people of other racial identities is killed and enslaved. Such groups with this belief are the infamous Ku Klux Klan (KKK) in the USA and the Nazi Germany.

Discrimination doesn’t limit itself to racial identities; religious identities can also be attacked, like anti-Semitism and Islamophobia. As the name suggests, one is a discrimination of people adhere to Judaism, and the other is intended to the Islamic faith. Anti-Semitism can be traced back to the time when Adolf Hitler rose to power of the Nazi Party of Germany. At that time, he viewed the Jewish citizens as “Semitic race”, while the Aryans were praised as the “master race”. He was also allegedly the mastermind behind the holocaust, an ethnic-cleansing genocide that targets Jewish-Germans. Islamophobia rose as the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks in New York City, most people would brand Islam as “the terrorist’s religion” and the oppressive religion” based on the appearance of hijab-wearing women, some even got their hijabs yanked in public. The recent Islamophobic attack occurred just a few months ago, when an Australian extremist/terrorist who shall be remain nameless in this article attacked the Al Noor and Linwood Mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand. 51 lives were claimed as the result of this vicious attack. The attack itself forced the New Zealand government lead by Prime Minister Jacinda Adern to revise the gun control laws, which now made the use of military-style semi-automatic rifles illegal. 

Sexual identities are often perceived as sitting duck (easy target) for discrimination, with most people who protest the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) Community with the base of religion and morals. Some were forced to be “straighten out”, some even banished. There is a story about one church who hates the LGBT community so much, they put godhatesfags.com as the name of their official website. The Westboro Baptist Church is an “old-school Baptist” congregation in Topeka, Kansas. Aside from normal church services, these hard-lined Christians are also known to held protests and pickets, most notably holding the sign “God Hates Fags” and “Thank God for Dead Soldiers”. They are also somehow racists. Evidenced by their past action of picketing an Islamic funeral. But what makes them famous is the fact that they hate the LGBT members to the core. 

And these heinous acts are not only committed by normal citizens themselves to others, law enforcement officers like the police are also prone to these sickening events, especially if it involves someone with different racial or religious background. Over this past two weeks, the world is currently reeling over another episode of police brutality in America. The latest case happened in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on May 25, with the latest victim being 46-year-old African American George Floyd, who died after being pinned down by four police officers, three of them were white, while the other was of Asian descent. At the time of the incident those four were responding to a call for possible counterfeit in a convenience store where Floyd entered to buy something. He was pinned with one officer's knee restraining Floyd's neck for almost nine minutes, choking him in the process. Consider America's history with their police force, it's no secret that they are more often resorted to excessive and unnecessary force, even when the detainee is unarmed and pose no threat whatsoever. More often than not, American citizens of African descent are most likely to be arrested without explanation. Before Floyd's death, another African American who was killed because of his skin color was Ahmaud Arbery. He was killed in cold blood by a former police officer and his son while jogging in Georgia. The bastard claimed that Arbery matched the description of a robber in their specific area. What disgust me the most is Arbery was brutally murdered without explanation and a chance to defend himself. Currently riots are happening across the United States, protesting the death of Floyd by the supposed "protectors". Those four "killers with badges" has since fired from the Police Force, with that one officer, Derek Chauvin, who has extensive misconduct cases prior to this one charged with second- and third-degree murder, although some would want him charged with first degree murder. To make things even spicier, Chauvin's wife filed a divorce on him. Karma is real. 

These are just some of the countless discrimination cases happened around the world. And whoever does so in public, their intention is to assert dominance to other members of the society. They are taught to believe that they are the superior beings in this Earth, and anybody who is different is nothing but a spec of dust. Many of them are somehow (ignorantly) proud of what they are doing. Hell, they even made a law bill that contains pure discriminating verses, cornering one particular group. I have to say, among the more educated people, there are always some individuals with the brain of a deranged animal wreaking havoc. And I can assure you that those guys who have the guts to commit any acts of discrimination deserve a kick in the nuts and be taken into custody. Discrimination is a dick move, and those who did it are even bigger dicks. And to George Floyd, rest in peace, you beautiful and gentle soul. You are no longer suffering from horrible injustices. You say all lives matter, but after this sickening turn of events, I guess Ice-T got a point when he and his band Body Count released the song No Lives Matter, because really, when it comes to asserting dominance over other minority groups, no lives mattered for these "privileged" assholes.

Morality Police: Idiots or Attention Seekers?

(Warning: Strong languages, sexual references and rants ahead)

            Okay. Hear me out for a second. I believe human beings are born with different levels of intelligence and different ways of thinking. Therefore, everybody has their own opinions when it comes to specific issues or problems, that otherwise would require a full understanding in order to find a specific solution. We are also having different standards on some aspects, like hygiene and cleanliness, food preferences, or our way to conduct our daily activities. On the moral side of things, it depends on what ideology someone might have in their minds. If it’s someone living in a more predominately Muslim region, most of their moral standards are more likely based in Islamic customs, or if that same individual live in a more liberal setting, It would be like “as long as you are not walking around buck naked, it’s okay”. Same with someone’s sexual life, with both scenarios in play.  But some people just want to shove their standards to non-consenting society; or forcing everyone to follow certain things against their will. 

            Just yesterday we celebrated what would have been Australian wildlife conservationist Steve Irwin’s 57^th birthday. He passed away in 2006 after an accident involving a manta ray during a filming process. To celebrate the occasion, Google decided to post a doodle depicting Irwin holding a crocodile chewing the letter “L”. One organization in particular, PETA (acronym for People for Ethical Treatment of Animals) responded the doodle with tweets seemingly targeted to tarnish the Australian’s legacy and life. One of which even stated that he was killed while “harassing a ray”. They ended up getting roasted by the Internet. Hilariously, this same “animal rights” group is also known for blatant hypocrisy. While fighting for “animal’s rights”, they are also known for high euthanasia rates for animals, whether stray and wild animals, or “rescued” pets (PETA didn’t believe in pet ownership, stating it as “an abysmal situation”). One source even revealed that in total, from 1998 (second half only) to 2019, there are as many as 41.539 animals were killed from 49.737 received, that is 83,5% of total animals on PETA’s shelters. But what grinds me the most is they are also notorious to promote veganism to the point of actually unbearable to look. Few of their campaigns involving trying to turn the society into vegan diets, claiming that by eating meat, they support animal cruelty. Now listen here, you little shits! Yes, there are some type of birds, four-legged animals, fishes, or any types of animals that are not suitable for human diets for numbers of factors. Pork (or any pig-based ingredients for that matter) is strictly forbidden according to the Islamic Sharia diet, because of the fact that the pigs actually showered in their own fecal remains. Eagles are not suitable either, because of their sharp claws. Chickens, cows, certain types of fish (or any sea creatures) and goats or lambs are mostly raised in farms as kettles for eggs, milks, wool, and meat. And during the process, they are treated with utmost care and as humanly as possible. And it depends on someone’s personal taste to be a meat eater (I am one, and I’m fucking proud of it.) or a vegetarian. One more thing that makes me want to go on a manhunt for these PETA assholes is their dairy campaign, ignorantly linked the consumption of milk with autism, which is both a hilarity and a total bullshit on its own. From what I understand, autism (officially known as Autism Spectrum Disorder) is a mental/neurological condition that mainly affects someone on the social level. It means, it’s mainly a neurological matter, not something that can be easily triggered by outside factor (Same for those crazed anti-vax mobs, but that is for another story). I wonder what kind of weed they must be smoking when they made this campaign. Must be stronger than the ones Snoop Dogg used to smoke. 

            You think that’s the only case of morality police on patrol? Oh boy, I’m just getting started. There is one current uproar in Indonesia involving the Indonesian Commission for Child Protection (Komisi Perlindungan Anak Indonesia, KPAI in Indonesian) commissioner for health, narcotics and addictive substances Siti Hikmawatty. Her controversial statement claims that if women went to the same swimming pool as men, she would end up pregnant. If there is an award for the bullshit statement of the year, this would take the top prize. She even continued the otherwise head-scratching comment by stating that some men might get sexually excited and ejaculate on the pool, with some sperm that are said to be strong enough to actually impregnate a woman. She later apologized, claiming that the statement is not on behalf of the commission, but as a personal statement. But alas, the fire has started, and memes and roasts started to flood all social media channels. On a more serious note, the Indonesian Doctors Association executive Nazar stated as documented by The Jakarta Post that it is impossible for women to get pregnant in a swimming pool. I think what dr. Nazar said is consistent, unless you have the pool for yourself with your wife, and actually engaged in a full sexual contact (intercourse involving penile penetration into the vagina), there is no goddamn way in hell that a woman can get pregnant inside a swimming pool. For those of you who wonder who this woman is, this is the same woman who accused the renowned clove cigarette company Djarum for child exploitation over their badminton scholarship program, citing that the move actually promotes smoking among the youth (In opposite, the Djarum Badminton Club outlaws smoking inside their premises). Many of you might think that she is just some idiot with limited knowledge, but she actually has a master’s degree in early childhood education. So, either she did it for sensation, or blatant ignorance. There are many other cases like this that makes you laugh and embarrassed to be an Indonesian at the same time. One of which is the proposed Family Integration Bill, that is viewed as a possible intrusion of privacy and slight traces of misogynist views (the bill has a verse stated that the husband is the traditional breadwinner, and the wife as the more traditional “housewife”). Few “sketchy” bills including a move to outlaw sperm and ovum donors, a rehabilitation plans for LGBT community and outlawing whips and bondage (as well as rehabilitating those who are engaged with BDSM/Bondage, Domination, Sadism and Masochism). Let me stress one thing out. When it comes to sexual activities between a married couple (husband-wife), it should be their own business to handle. You perverts thought that this supposed “bill” would further enforce all families in Indonesia, but instead, it would only be viewed as a step back for women’s rights. The government should not dictate a happily married family on how they run their own household. And to make things worse, when it comes to proper sexual education, we are still stuck in the Neanderthal era (and by that, I mean whenever a sex-related topic is being brought up, it would be quickly dismissed as immoral and sinful). 

            Clearly, while everyone keeps their moral standards to themselves and not boasting too much about it, some deranged fuckers are more than happy to enforce their standards, shoving them to every non-consenting people’s throats, and complain and moaning if there are something that is not suit their approval. Whether animal treatment to someone’s sexual life and preferences, there is always one idiot that always nagging on little things. While some are highly educated and intelligent for their own right, they are willingly to drop some IQ points to that of a Neanderthal to post sketchy statements, questionable beliefs, confusing remarks, and rage-triggering opinions. Safe to say that morality police are doing nothing but being a total pain in the ass. 

The Jakarta Flooding: Who to Blame?

(Warning: Strong languages and Rants ahead)

            I know that I shouldn’t write this, but let’s face it. After several years, the phenomenon is back, and it’s even worse than ever. It has been a known fact that the Special Capital Region of Jakarta, which is known as the capital city of Indonesia and one of the busiest cities in the world, also known for its floods. But years prior to today, all flood cases are handled quickly and efficiently, without having to fear of another one every time the rain comes. During the first three months of a new year, the Jakarta flooding is almost certain will make the news on a daily basis. 

            I have to say, I’ve been to this situation where floods are everywhere in your surrounding areas (although my own neighborhood is located in fairy higher ground, which is a good thing on its own), and few of my friends have been struck with this type of natural disaster. Whether in Manado or Bogor (where I live now), I always cherish the fact that my home is free from the flood. I can vividly recall the 2014 Manado Great Flooding on January 15, 2014, which claimed 19 human lives and damaging over 1.000 houses, with estimated loss of around IDR 1,8 Trillion. And let me tell you, it was hailing nonstop from two days prior, and intensified with windstorms on the morning of the day. Communication broke down, road networks disrupted, flights being cancelled, and blackouts are the thing we have to endure during those treacherous days. The flood recorded the highest ever at over 4 meters high. That is twice more than the depth of an Olympic-sized swimming pool. Both the Indonesian Government and local authorities did their maximum to restore the city; and is now thriving with marine tourism and currently emerging as the new tourist destination. 

            The flooding in Jakarta is, quite frankly, not really a new issue, because the city is infamously known for it. But the way the current administration handling this matter is making my blood boil. The case can be traced back to December 31, 2019 during New Years Eve celebration. The next day, Jakarta is flooded in several key areas, including a taxi pool in Kramat Jati. Today, after an overnight rain, the city is once again flooded, with puddles reaching thigh level of an adult. Several key toll roads are also flooded, including the oldest toll road in service, the Jagorawi (Jakarta-Bogor-Ciawi) Toll Road. While some are worrying about evacuation, others took to social media to once again criticize the current Governor Anies Baswedan, who are deemed “incompetent” on running the government, especially on issues like this. Now bear in mind, this guy won the Jakarta Election by the means of racism, taking a complete advantage on the blasphemy case of Basuki Tjahja Purnama a.k.a. Ahok, the current governor at the time who happens to be of Chinese descent and of Christian faith. He was also backed by the FPI (yep, those dickheads. I heard that their leader is still on Saudi Arabia on a self-imposed exile, but I guess he is too scared to come back), that same hard-lined “Islamic” group who is responsible for the 212 Movement, referencing their protest on December 2, 2016. At the time, he was perceived as someone that has the highest amount of respect to the Islamic society and to true Indonesians/pribumi (or so they claimed), while Ahok was perceive as a Chinese dictator and a blasphemer. And the racism didn’t stop there. They are also willing to persecute fellow Muslims to an extent of abandoning one’s funeral who happened to support the incumbent governor, claiming by doing so, they justified the blasphemy. 

The way he run the capital is also a notorious one. He infamously slashed the flood mitigation funds in favor of the preparation of the FIA Formula E race slated to take place in the Monas Street Circuit in Central Jakarta on June 6, 2020. Despite being a fan of this series, and motorsport in general, this is a head-scratching move for me. Yes, Indonesia is slowly recognized on the international stage thanks to the 2018 Asian Games, but doing this while sacrificing the more important matter like environmental issues is straight up nuts. Earlier on the month of February, he instigated a revitalization project at the National Monument, WITHOUT consulting to the State Secretary. And the way he conducted the project? He cut all the trees situated on West Medan Merdeka Street. He is also not above making controversial statements either. He once stated in response of the New Year’s Day flood that water is supposed to flow and to be absorbed to the ground, not directing it to the sea because it will violate God’s will (now this is the most fucked up statement of the decade so far). The ones who supports him are even crazier, claiming that the flood is actually “God’s gift”. The Ciliwung River Normalization started during the Ahok Era is since discontinued under Baswedan, replacing it with the more weaker “Naturalization” Project. At the time, only 16 km (10 miles) of riverbed that are successfully dug and enforced with dams surrounding the riverside settlements.

            I have to say that although Baswedan deserves all the bashing due to his alleged incompetence and constant diversion on issues at hand, we have to consider our role as normal citizens. Blaming the flooding solely on someone’s incompetence is not really a wise decision, although it played the most part. We are also (partially) responsible for all these things, such as littering, logging, building settlements on riverbeds, and less attention on water irrigation. So, for those of you who wants to bully the governor, think about this: have you done enough to prevent the flooding on the small scale? And for Mr. Baswedan, quit joking around, pull your head from your ass, and actually, just for once, focus on the mitigation of the floods. Formula E can wait, it will still be held. Put all your efforts on all things necessary for either mitigation or future prevention of the floods. And for those of you who might ask if I want to vote for him on the next election? Nope. Not only because the fact that he is just another under-performed governor, but my ID is a North Sulawesi ID, therefore ruling me ineligible for the Jakarta Election, and not to mention that I currently live in West Java. And to close this, remember to always spread good vibes, even in a situation like this.

Good Riddance: Those Crazed Radical Muslims Are not Coming Back!

(Warning: Strong Languages and rants ahead)

            First of all, I have to say that I’m writing this while feeling a little bit under the clouds (relax. It’s not that goddamn virus. Probably just a little fatigue). When I first encounter the news about a plan to bring back around 600 former ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) members who happened to be of Indonesian nationality, I had my doubts on how these men and women (and children) are planned to be reintegrated to the society. At the time, the government was still determining the best possible options for the ordeal, even went as far as activating the deradicalization program once those 600 are back on home soil. But this morning when I wake up (still a bit tired), the news broke out: The Indonesian government has come to an agreement to NOT bring back 600 (former) Indonesian citizens. And my first-time reaction for this? Good. Fucking. Riddance. 

            I did mention in my previous piece about how an ideology, once it has been planted to someone’s conscience all the way to their sub-conscious, then it is borderline impossible to perform a deradicalization process on said person. And apparently, this is one of the concerns voiced by not only the masses, but also political figures themselves. When the bill was announced, Coordinating Minister for Politics, Legal and Security Affairs Mahfud MD reasoned that this move is to prevent new “viruses” (ideologically) from entering the island Nation. And this is consistent with the Indonesian constitution, mainly the Decree No. 12/2006 about the Citizenship of the Republic of Indonesia (The bill is in Indonesian). Another base used for this particular reasoning is the Decree No. 6/2011 about Immigration, which is also in Indonesian (there is a verse on that bill that allows the minister in charge to prevent specific person or group from entering the country. One of the main reasons this can be done is whether that individual has been involved in an organized trans-national crime, which includes terrorism). 

            When we trace back stories of their notorieties, I guess the move to leave those same deranged minds that leave the safety of Indonesia to join what can be described as the most dangerous terrorist organization in the world (whether willingly or forcefully, even the latter categories should be consider as an accomplice, although not completely exposed) is right on the money. One of the stories that still lingers to me personally is the 2018 Surabaya attacks targeting three churches in the East Javanese capital, the Sidoarjo Regency, and the Surabaya Police Headquarters, carried out by three families with corrupted ideologies. This was also the first instance (according to the Indonesian National Police) where a terrorist used his own family as co-participants of a terror attack. What makes me sick to the stomach is all the children that were involved as suicide bombers are around the age of 8-18 years. In an even more sickening turn of events, some jackasses began to accuse the government and the Police Force that the attack was a false flag. Some of them even went as fa r as saying that the government itself orchestrated the attack as a false flag. One asshole from the 212 Guard (These guys again? Give me a break) even stated that the terrorists were innocent; and should not be blamed. He also stated that the attack was deemed as a false flag made to suppress those who are against the sitting government and demanding new president. Before the Surabaya attacks took place, in Depok, West Java, there was a 3-day long standoff at the Mobile Brigade Corp’s Headquarters between the police’s Detachment 88 Counter-Terrorism Force and roughly 155 inmates, all of them are convicted to terrorism. Five brave policemen lost their lives at that fateful three days, as well as one terrorist who met his well-deserved end by a headshot. At the time, many Indonesians are worried, because that was the same place where former Jakarta Capital Governor Basuki Tjahja Purnama served his prison sentence for (alleged) religious blasphemy. But why so, you may ask. The reason was if the inmates were crazy enough, some of them would attack him as well. 

            I guess what Minister Mahfud MD said earlier is relevant. Just imaging one day in a peaceful community, a former ISIS fighter who went through deradicalization actually influenced (brainwashed) his neighbors to join his “jihad” (by that, I mean mass, unadulterated genocide), and ended up blowing himself up inside a shopping mall, with follow-up attacks at various public places, even police stations. Few who weren’t involve in that attack might started to post sympathy to those who blew themselves to pieces, rather than their victims. No matter how hard or intense those programs may be, those misleading values won’t simply be forgotten. In the end, the main goal these fuckers had in mind is to change the state ideology from the more celebrated Pancasila (means the five principles) to the stricter version of the Islamic Sharia Law. Although being a Muslim myself, I can’t seem to imagine living my daily lives under complete control of ISIS’ version of an Islamic regime, where killing those who are said to be against Islam (whether non-Muslims or fellow Muslims with different opinions) is not only permissible, but rather encouraged. I don’t want to be that type of idiot that always sugarcoating everything with religious values (I have to stress one thing. I am not encouraging you all to not study your own religion. But please, if you want to do it, don’t just took one verse blindly without taking it to a proper context or situations You have to fully understand your own holy book). Hell, If I ever met one of those guys, the only thing that they will get from me is a police report and a kick in the nuts. And I haven’t even mention what these bone-headed jackasses done to the women. Those same “brave men” (I refer those guys as horny beasts who can’t even control their own boners) actually raped women in their captivity. They are also sold as slaves, either for labor or as a living sex doll (you read this right, no one is messing with your eyes). And what did I say about children being involved in a terror attack? Don’t let those smiles fool you for one bit. They might be children, but they were actually taught by ISIS about warfare, and mostly how to kill someone either at far or point-blank range. There is even a video surfaced on various social media platforms of children of various nationalities burned their own passports (this effectively nullifies their own citizenship; the Indonesian citizenship bill also recognizes this). 

            And to end this rant (not exactly one, I guess), I have to say that after days of consolidation, what President Jokowi said as a personal statement has finally come to reality. Roughly 600 ex-Indonesian citizens who pledged their allegiance to the Islamic State are not coming back to this 18.000 island clusters. This was their own choice to make, and by doing so, denouncing their own citizenship. Now that this is sorted out, those same number of individuals are now awaiting trial for the crime of Terrorism. And I believe the Syrian government still institutes death penalty by hanging. As I said earlier at the top of this piece, Good. Fucking. Riddance. Now leave us alone and don’t ever come back and spread those toxic values. We don’t want our fragile minds and delicate brains to be polluted with those trash you call “true Islamic values”. For us, it’s just terror propaganda sugarcoated by religion.