Asian Hero - Gao Yao Jie

Attached is a video from youtube about this 80 year old lady called Gao Yao Jie. A lot of you may be wondering why on earth we are focusing on an 80 year old lady who is not even from Singapore. The reason is precisely that she is an 80 year old lady who is not from Singapore.

A lot of times when we look at the elderly in Singapore or anywhere in the world, we think of them as useless, slow, waiting to retire, retired or worse, waiting to die. Even when they are healthy and able bodied, there always seems to be this perception that they have something 'lacking'. As such, when I saw the article on the Sunday Times last week, I was struck by how when most elderly folk would be satisfied with just being laid back and enjoying the fruits of their labour, this elderly lady is moving around the country fighting for what seemed like a lost cause - Aids.

Yes, the degrading term that is often used by people on people as a joke, as something to be feared, as something that is meant to insult or at best, as something that is secretive and best left unsaid. The very term that makes one shun from another regardless of the facts - that Aids is not something that can be passed from talking, from sharing of food or from touch.

With such negative perception of what Aids is, the most one can expect from an individual like you and me is that we do not treat an Aids victim like a leper and that we do not discriminate against them. Or is it?

How many of us are actually prepared to stand up and say, "Let's fight for the discriminated! Let's help those who are suffering! Let's reach out and be friends to these victims?" I know deep in my heart that while I may feel sympathy for these sufferers of Aids and may want to help them, I simply do not have the convictions to actually stand up and do something about it. Then I look around me and realise this astounding fact - that there arent many around the world, more so in Singapore, who are prepared to do this. Many who have stood up and sacrificed the prime of their lives for this cause (or for any cause) are often treated as loafers, idealistic, rich enough to do something like that or simply silly for wasting their time on a cause rather than making money.

YET, we have this old lady, one foot in grave, who shows us, despite her pessimistic point of view, that there are people who dare to stand up against the torrid currents of criticism, against the powers that be that is the government, againsts threats against not only her, but also her family members as well as the burden of discrimination about this disease. She dared to stand up and be counted.

No fear.

The true definition.

Not something we wear on the sleeves/back of our shirts, carry on our bags or sprout out to friends like seasoned veterans.

This 'old' lady has definitely touched me with her actions and put me to shame. She not only talks the talk, she walks the talk.

Question:

What is your point of view about Aids?

Why do you think feel that way?

Do you think Singaporeans have the potential/what it takes to be someone like Gao Yao Jie?

You do not have to stick to these questions. If you feel passionately about the topic, just write about it. The blog is your platform. I am just your guide.