Listen / Read
Vishvapani talks in pauses. I imagine it comes from a combination of his calm and ordered mind, honed by years of meditation, and an attempt to speak clearly on the radio. But it sounds almost like he’s speaking in Morse code, like he’s some sort of machine that only has the capacity to speak in bursts of 10 syllables or less.
He tells us today that the death of Natalia Estemirova “is a reminder that neither Buddhists nor followers of other faiths have a monopoly on moral courage”. So can we assume that he also believes that neither Buddhists nor followers of other faiths have a monopoly on moral commentary. And can we therefore conclude that he’s being a bit of a hypocrite every time he offers moral commentary on Thought for the Day knowing that it doesn’t allow similar contributions from the faithless. I’d like to think that we can. I think he should meditate on that.
In regards to Russia, I feel like I’m a bit too cynical. What’s happening to journalists, human rights investigators and activists over there is quite terrifying. But while I found the news shocking, I found it unsurprising all the same. Russian authorities are corrupt and the Russian military or security agencies, whether acting on orders or their own ruthless initiative, are murdering anyone who threatens to expose the goings-on in Russia’s neighbouring territories. Those who carry on despite this constant threat are beyond courageous.
[Additional: In this case of course, it's Chechen warlords, supported by the Russian government, who are almost certainly responsible for the death of Estemirova. If Russian security agencies had been responsible, a radioactive isotope, rather than a bullet, would probably have been used.]