Overseas Think Tank for Indonesia

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By Jennie S Bev

In five short years, Facebook’s members have reached 200 million worldwide. If it were a country, it would be ranked fifth in size after China, India, the United States and Indonesia. It is the fourth largest democracy by far.

No wonder it has been receiving the attention of Indonesian Muslim clerics as well. In late May, 700 religious students and clerics from East Java attended a public forum on young women’s Islamic boarding schools, and ultimately determined that overusing Facebook and other social networking sites was haram, or forbidden. Read the rest of this entry »

By Jennie S. Bev

As part of international efforts to commemorate the Rwandan genocide, a New York-based group is calling for the United Nations to declare April as Genocide Prevention Month. Here at home, next month will bring the 11th anniversary of the Jakarta Riots in May 1998. Crimes against humanity occur every day around the world, and we need to remind ourselves of the root causes of such problems and consider ways to work on solutions.

Let me begin with myself. Being born a female of a minority ethnic group and a member of a minority religious group in Indonesia has put me in the “triple minority” category. While Indonesia’s population has almost equal numbers of males and females, the latter are still considered to be a minority due to their marginalization in civic and political spheres despite some recent symbolic advancements, such as a quota in the legislature. Read the rest of this entry »

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By Jennie S. Bev

Contrary to popular belief, academics are intellectuals but not all intellectuals are academics. Additionally, not all intellectuals are known to the public, and not all public intellectuals are radical.

Radical intellectuals can be found somewhere between university classes and writing and research gigs. They might even be unemployed and possess no Harvard or University of Indonesia PhDs. They are usually those who possess strong opinions but stay on the sidelines. They are iconoclasts, critics and polemicists. Read the rest of this entry »

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By Jennie S. Bev

Adam Smith hypothesized that people are inherently greedy, and that’s what it takes to run the engine of wealth. And to measure a country’s economic health, gross domestic product comes into play.

But while numbers look neutral and impartial on the surface, we should raise our awareness of the fact that they are actually biased toward creating patriarchies. Read the rest of this entry »

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By Jennie S. Bev

In modern societies, compassion is scarce. Almost every day we read news about deadly brawls, mass shootings, hazing, social unrest, murders, robberies — even servants killed in their employers’ homes for petty reasons.

Two weeks ago, a high school in southern Germany was the scene of a shooting that killed at least 10 people. In Alabama, a gunman killed nine people, including members of his own family, before eventually killing himself. Read the rest of this entry »

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By Jennie S. Bev

An Athenian tragedian Euripides (480 BC-406 BC) said, “Equality will never be found among humans.” Some 2,500 years later, women are still struggling for their equal position in society.

Speaking from experience, living in the United States as a minority woman is one of my greatest blessings. On an episode of her talk show, Oprah Winfrey said, “The United States is the best country to live in for women.” While I agree with her to some extent, it might have been an overstatement because, apparently, the United Nations Development Program does not concur with her. The United States was ranked just 12th in 2007-08, behind countries like Iceland, Norway, Australia, Ireland, Switzerland, Japan, Netherlands, France and Finland in a survey of women’s rights. Read the rest of this entry »

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By Jennie S. Bev

Indonesia is a pluralistic country, and it shows how people of different religions and ethnic groups can live side-by-side in harmony. The Indonesian brand of Islam is generally considered to be moderate and liberal. However, a survey conducted by the Center for Islamic and Society Studies, or PPIM, at Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University last year revealed some chilling facts. The respondents were Islamic boarding school, or pesantren , leaders from five provinces in Java, and most opposed pluralism and tolerance, and approved of the use of violence in the name of religion.

Of the respondents, 75 percent said they would allow churches built without permits to be destroyed or closed; 86 percent agreed that Muslims should not allow other religions’ worship places in their neighborhoods; 81 percent agreed that Muslims are not allowed to extend greetings for other religions’ holidays; 75 percent agreed that adulterers should be stoned to death; and 77 percent agreed that non-Muslims are not allowed to be heads of state. A whopping 89 percent supported Shariah-inspired bylaws as the standards for Indonesia’s morality. Such findings raise fundamental questions: Is Indonesia’s pluralism sliding downhill at an exponential rate? Shouldn’t we all be aware of and adhere to the so-called “universal” human rights?

Pluralism is about mutual co-existence … as it is almost impossible to understand others without accepting common values

Despite the alarming facts, the Indonesian government and some moderate scholars have been denying Indonesia’s slide into intolerance and its dying pluralism. The typical argument given has been, “Those radical extremists are loud while speaking up is not a salient feature of moderates.” This might be true to some extent, as the media is usually quite eager to pick up negative news. Or the cautious nature of human beings could explain why people are interested in alerting themselves by focusing on negative news, thus creating a bigger ripple effect.

Whenever we speak about pluralism, it is about mutual co-existence. It is, above all, about equality, as it is almost impossible to understand, accept and live peacefully with others without acknowledging common values. The most basic of all values? The so-called “basic” human rights.

Now the question is: Does the most accepted interpretation of Islam in Indonesia equally acknowledge all human rights as purportedly listed in international treaties and declarations? Based on the above survey results, it does not. Or, at least, according to those respondents. Is it really so, however?

Khaled Abou el-Fadl, professor of law at the University of California in Los Angeles, wrote in “The Great Theft: Wrestling Islam from the Extremists,” that some argue there are no such things as universal values, hence the so-called “false universals.” But many moderate scholars are not entertained by the idea that universal values are not applicable in certain cultures because each culture is unique and independent. According to their argument, “false universal” antipathy is oftentimes an act of concealing ethnocentrism. Many moderate scholars are known to argue that at least a human being has the right to live with dignity.

Fred R. von der Mehden, a professor of political science at Rice University, in his paper “Hindrance of Democracy and Modernization in Indonesia,” said that Indonesian religious leaders and organizations in the past century have not consciously fought modernization, which is believed to be a fundamental ingredient in acknowledging universal human rights. He also added there have been misleading facts that are antithetical to a pluralistic democratic society: statements that Islam is not compatible with democracy, violent actions against minorities in the name of Islam and efforts to implement policies that are perceived to limit religious rights. Failed nation-building is a bitter pill to swallow, indeed, and it takes more than a village to socialize the notion of pluralism in a society.

We might want to place the responsibility for making changes in the hands of Muslim clerics and even Nahdlatul Ulama and Muhammadiyah, but we can actually start with ourselves, with these verses from the Koran : “If God had willed, He would have made you one community but things are as they are to test you in what He has given you. So compete with each other in doing good”; and, “Among His signs is the creation of the Heavens and the Earth, and the diversity of your languages and colors. Surely there are signs for those who reflect.” Do it now; wait no more.

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Jennie S. Bev is an Indonesian-born author and columnist based in Northern California. This article was published by the Jakarta Globe.

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By Jennie S. Bev

Prior to Socrates (469-399 BC), there were the Monists and the Sophists. While the Monists subscribed to superstitious primitive beliefs, the Sophists were much more sophisticated. They taught and philosophized. Above all, they were well-versed in the arts of rhetoric and debate.

These sophists might still be alive and kicking today, far closer than we realize.

The arts of rhetoric and debate were called “sophistry” and those who mastered them would become advanced manipulators. In the hands of truth-seeking philosophers like Socrates, it was an effective tool. In the hands of politicians, it had the potential to make them charlatans.

Today, sophists might no longer exist officially but they are likely to remain within the realm of politics, particularly during an election period. The United States and Indonesia are no exception. George Eliot once said, “An election is coming. Universal peace is declared and the foxes have a sincere interest in prolonging the lives of the poultry.”

While Eliot was referring to particular side-tracked politicians, it is often inevitably true.

It might be true that Barack Obama, who sounded sincere, has been showing genuine interest in saving the world through his conscientious deeds, which started with the order to close the Guantanamo Bay prison within one year and meaningful talks with Middle East leaders. Yet there are also antitheses of Obama, those whose political platforms might ring with universal world peace but whose real intention is anything but.

In the United States, winning hearts comes by winning minds first, which is the other way around in Indonesia

In the 2009 election period, Indonesia has begun to see all kinds of political gladiators. As in high school, the most popular individuals enjoy high approval due to superficial, subliminal and not-so-intellectual reasons, and are likely to win the crowd and the votes. Among them are wild wolves and tame yellow Labradors, both of whom speak and behave quite similarly.

Sophistry is in full swing and constituents might not be able to determine which of the candidates are legitimate.

Ronald Reagan said humorously that “Politics is supposed to be the second oldest profession. I have come to realize that it bears a very close resemblance to the first.” With a lot of respect for the people behind the “oldest profession” facade, selling is what both have in common.

Sophists were known for their notorious manipulative nature. In Indonesia’s political arena, many political gladiators have been positioning themselves to win people’s hearts by marketing personal piety through different symbols, flamboyant rhetorics and extravagant promises, mostly without any clear, quantifiable or measurable indicators. In the United States, winning hearts comes by winning minds first, which is the other way around in Indonesia.

It might be too early to use Obama as the poster child of the New Deal’s comeback. He did, however, raise the bar for all politicians. He has set an example that rhetoric and debate are not the only useful apparatuses in convincing voters and opponents, but so was the search for “the truth” and “the just.” He showed that the substance of an argument rings much louder than egotistical tongue-twisting assurance.

In the latest 2008 presidential election campaign in the United States, street-level euphoria, such as titanic banners and posters by traffic lights, were not found. Most campaigns were conducted indoors and in the media. Rage was kept to a minimum and whenever it occurred, intellectual fencing matches followed. This is believed to have reduced sophistry to a controllable level.

The 2009 presidential election campaign in Indonesia might not be a perfect democratic event, but at least it looks like one, sprinkled with sophists’ typical look-like-one-but-not-one logic of being a charlatan. Friendly and reliable-looking candidates are expected to receive more votes, regardless of their true character and capacity to make positive changes in society.

Among the less educated and somewhat naive voters, simple gestures of culturally induced politeness might even be key. Aesthetics and superficial customs are likely to replace ethics and morality. Japanese American novelist Kyoko Mori once referred to this phenomenon as “polite lies.”

As long as Indonesia’s politicians have not realized the importance of substance in their agenda, such as dignity and self-sufficiency instead of hoping for foreign assistance for most problems, “the truth” and “the justice” seeker will remain dormant. And they will keep sophistry looming among an unpretentious crowd.

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Jennie S. Bev is an Indonesian-born author and columnist based in Northern California. This article was published by the Jakarta Globe.

by Jennie S. Bev

January 14, 2009

On Jan. 19, 2009, Martin Luther King, Jr. would have been 80 years old. His hair would have been all gray and his hardships would have been marked with deep wrinkles on his face. And he would have been the proudest person on earth to see the first African-American president who will be inaugurated on the following day: Jan. 20, 2009.

King might not be present on that historical day but he will be there in spirit. He once said, “If anything happens to me, there will be others to take my place.” With commendable and convincing oratory skills, Barack Obama is one of the best manifestations of his spirit.

Out of the three leadership types — anchor, fixer and visionary — King’s was visionary.

He envisioned an America (and the world) that is free from racial discrimination, racial segregation and poverty by channeling his thoughtful nonviolence activism effectively in an eloquent manner. His ability to thrill audiences with a poet’s tongue and a philosopher’s erudition was hard to match by any other leaders, except perhaps by John F. Kennedy, Harvey Milk and Barack Obama.

As a visionary, he possessed an innate ability to predict, including his own future: his death. He had been channeling it through searing oratory that looked past his own death foretelling how he should be viewed long after he was gone. Such oratory is called “automortology.”

It was a philosophical way of looking at life and death, combined with wishes for his own funeral and eulogy. He did not wish to be remembered for winning a Nobel Prize and a few other hundreds of awards, but instead as one who clothed the poor, visited the incarcerated and fed the hungry. He wished to be remembered for his love and efforts to serve humanity.

Obama promises to carry on King’s legacy by strengthening civil rights enforcement and combatting discrimination

Delivering his own automortology long before he was assassinated gave him a triumphant moment that he knew where he was standing and clearly saw what the future held. It also spoke to his would-be assassinator that he was aware of the plan and not afraid when it eventually occurred.

Harvey Milk, the first openly gay person who served as a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, also predicted his own assassination. He recorded his life story and wishes, which later were used as the basis of his biographical book “The Mayor of Castro Street” by Randy Shilts and movie “Milk” played by Sean Penn.

As an orator, Milk eloquently said, “The American Dream starts with neighborhoods. If we wish to rebuild our cities, we must first rebuild our neighborhoods. To sit on front steps — whether it’s a veranda in a small town or a concrete stoop in a big city — is infinitely more important than to huddle on the living room lounge and watch a make-believe world in not-quite living color.”

He also gave rise to an adage that has been empowering every gay man and woman ever since, “If a bullet should enter my brain, let that bullet destroy every closet door.”

Like King and Milk, Obama is also a great orator spelling out grand ideas in anodyne words sprinkled with hope. Most, if not all, visionary leaders almost always sound alarming to oppositions, which explains why assassination is a risk none greater than the vision itself.

As a president, Obama promises to continue King’s legacy by strengthening civil rights enforcement, combatting employment discrimination, expanding hate crime statutes, ending deceptive voting practices, ending racial profiling, reducing crime recidivism by providing ex-offender support, eliminating sentencing disparities and expanding the use of drug courts. All in addition to fixing Bush’s jammed trickling-down economy with his bottom-up economic justice, fighting for fair trade and creating millions of jobs among many other things to fix and undo.

Obama’s responsibility is far greater than most of his predecessors. And he has his visionary leadership revealed in persuasive rhetoric to distinguish himself. His inauguration speech will be a classic, just like FDR’s “There is nothing to fear except for the fear itself” and JFK’s “Do not ask what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.” And we already have one from him that is already ringing, “There is not a liberal America and a conservative America — there is the United States of America. There is not a black America and a white America and Latino America and Asian America — there’s the United States of America.”

Obama’s former aide Dan Shomon said it well, “People have always had a tendency to give Obama a pass. It’s like no other politician I’ve seen. They feel like he is on this important mission. And maybe he is.”

Obama is on an important mission and he might risk being assassinated. That inauguration speech might serve as both a promise and an early unfinished automortology. Let’s hope the latter would not ever transpire.

Long live the first black leader of the new world.

Jennie S. Bev is an Indonesia-born writer and former law lecturer in Northern California. This article was previously published by The Jakarta Globe.