{"id":64177,"date":"2012-12-11T11:47:53","date_gmt":"2012-12-11T11:47:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/?p=64177"},"modified":"2012-12-15T13:06:19","modified_gmt":"2012-12-15T13:06:19","slug":"sri-lankan-parables-the-ruler-and-the-thinking-citizen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/sri-lankan-parables-the-ruler-and-the-thinking-citizen\/","title":{"rendered":"Sri Lankan Parables: The Ruler And The Thinking Citizen"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Basil Fernando<\/a><\/span> –<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Basil Fernando<\/p><\/div>\n

Once a ruler told one of his country\u2019s citizens,<\/p>\n

Mr. thinking citizen, you have told me some very beautiful principles. For example, you have said that any inquiry against anyone must be fair, and you have explained what fairness means. But you do not seem to understand that I do not like principles.<\/p>\n

The thinking citizen then said, Sir, every nation that wants peace and tranquility must fellow good principles.<\/p>\n

The ruler said, I do not agree; peace and tranquility can be brought about by the sword.<\/p>\n

Such a nation will be a very unhappy place, said the citizen<\/p>\n

All unhappy ones can be erased by the sword, said the ruler. And you, thinking citizen, if you wish to be happy, stop thinking or you may soon not have a head to think with.<\/p>\n

President\u2019s judges<\/strong><\/p>\n

The ruler said to the judges of the country, \u201cI understand your worries. You have been told that you belong to a separate branch of government and that you are to be independent. Now, I will remove the reason for that worry. From now on, there is only one branch and everyone is part of it. Your loyalty is only to me. Everyone serves me. I created a position called President\u2019s Counsel – PCs. Now I will make you President\u2019s Judges \u2013 PJs. And the Chief Justice<\/a><\/span> will be called the President\u2019s Chief Justice – the PCJ.<\/p>\n

But we are supposed to protect the people said the judges; we are supposed to protect their liberty.<\/p>\n

Do not worry about that. I have declared that people have surrendered their liberties to me. They have become slaves voluntarily. I am now the people\u2019s sovereign. You have only to protect me.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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