Super Swift soars to seventh heavens
Taylor Swift is re-writing music history with a frenzied fan following that wants to see her live for her latest 52 concerts across the US that is known as `The Eras Tour’. The Tour has seen phenomenal sales of tickets. Already, 2.4 million tickets have been sold out and about 14 million ticket aspirants crashed the ‘Ticketmaster’ server in quest of tickets. Re-sellers are quoting $40,000 or more for a ticket as she prepares to perform live after four years.
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The ‘Swiftonomics’ has become record breaking, which has made her the most celebrated musician the world has ever seen. With 11 Grammy awards to her name, Taylor Swift is drawing unprecedented crowds with so far on an average 46,000 fans having already booked tickets for each of her live performances. The devoted fans aren’t deterred by high interest rates and recession. It’s not about economics only but about her charisma to be able to draw fans like a magnet of intense attraction that has catapulted her to super stardom. It is improbable that any other artiste garnered such immense fame and allure as Taylor Swift ever since her first album, which was released at the age of 16. She wears on her arm the number 13, which incidentally is her birth date – December 13, 1989. The number 13 is truly lucky for this superstar.
Elvidio Miranda, Panjim
Violence against women
Majority of the world’s nations have a patriarchal system where men have a larger say than women. The two condemnable offshoots of patriarchy are gender inequality and sexual violence directed against women. Violence against women and girls (VAWG) are most often unreported because of the stigma attached to it, though the rate of violent incidents has reached pandemic proportions.
When the United Nations (UN) declared November 25, every year, as “International Day for the elimination of violence against women”, its hands were, obviously, full. Sexual violence against women is categorised, among others, as unwelcome sexual advance, rape, child sexual abuse, forced marriage, human trafficking and female genital mutilation. But intimate partner violence is a tricky problem for a woman. Other than that, one in three women worldwide experience domestic assault at any point in time in their marital life.
Some countries have outlawed domestic violence. But 49 countries have no laws to tackle domestic violence. During the pandemic, the numbers shot up for obvious reasons. However, only one in 10 women approach the law enforcers against their harassers.
In a grim pointer, of all the trafficked persons 70 per cent consist of women. Another contentious, and interrelated, issue is early marriage that enhances the “marital longevity” of a woman. The longer is the duration, more is the possibility of domestic violence. Only 78 countries have criminalised marital rape.
The biggest problem facing women is that sexual violence in many countries continues to be governed by lax laws. Conviction rates are not enough to evoke confidence among lawmakers and women in the criminal justice system of that particular country. Everyone should understand that prevention of crimes against women is an unfinished business.
Ganapathi Bhat, Akola
Support for ‘OneLove’ armbands
This is regarding the current topic of World Cup controversy on the ban on players wearing ‘OneLove’ armbands to indicate their dislike of the policy of Qatar to treat the workers in construction of the stadia and other infrastructure to host the current soccer extravaganza. From my knowledge, what the footballers of a few countries are eager to indicate is their anger in a civilized manner the uncivilised cruel deeds of the Arab country Qatar for treating the workers like slaves to erect the necessary stadia. The FIFA that is headed by Infantino, is in the hands of a weak person because Infantino is not the majestic Joao Havalange who during his reign as FIFA president, never feared the purchasing power of Petro Dollar.
I, a small man, in my individual capacity support those footballers in this current World Cup, who are trying to campaign in favour of OneLove Armband because the Arabs have bad habit to ill-treat labourers not only in Qatar but in all the Gulf countries, where due to easy accumulation of excessive Petro Dollars, they commit all the treacherous acts.
If my memory is right, it was in 1982 World Cup Brazil’s skipper Socrates as a follower of French writer of Democracy and Freedom, Joao Havalange, representing his mighty team Brazil, played with the head band having “I love Democracy – I love Freedom” inscribed on it because Socrates was campaigning for democracy in his country.
A Veronica Fernandes, Candolim
Illegal activities continue to flourish
The two recent incidents of suspected drug overdose of a female tourist and a Telangana registered SUV wreaking havoc by driving on the Arossim Beach and running over a flock of brown headed seagulls, killing two of them. This shows reckless behaviour by tourists and stringent action should be taken against perpetrators of such activities. Tourists are emboldened to commit blatant crimes in Goa taking advantage of the deteriorating law and order situation. Government gives only bunch of bundle speeches and lacks strategy to control drug trade in state.
The tourism department should work alongside the Goa Police to make sure that rules are in place. Improved safety reforms should be introduced to make the places in and around the beaches safe for everyone. Crime can have a very negative impact on tourism and security cannot be taken for granted. Unless the State takes strict measures, there will be no alteration in the behaviour of the tourists. ‘Athithi Devo Bhavva’ should be the maxim under the Goa Tourism promotion, but the openness and welcoming of tourists should not be extended to criminal behaviour or breaking of rules and laws.
K G Vilop, Chorao
Essence of Constitution is being eroded
On November 26, we observe our Constitution Day which is also known as National Law Day. We have a lot to reflect on what has been going wrong with the very guiding principles of our Constitution being flouted with impunity. On November 26, 1949, the Constituent Assembly adopted our Constitution which was drafted by a committee headed by Babasaheb Ambedkar, who played a pivotal role in its drafting.
Perhaps the founding fathers never visualised or anticipated that money and muscle power would one day rule the roost in our country’s political arena with persons lacking morals and ethics assuming power. So now there is a need of urgent amendments to our Constitution to safeguard those fundamentals while leaving no grey areas for manipulation and towards this the Legislature, Executive and Judiciary must look within.
The loopholes that have crept in the Anti-Defection law must be plugged. The Autonomy of the Reserve Bank, Election Commission, Enforcement Directorate and the CBI must be restored. And more importantly the very vital independence of the judiciary can never ever be compromised.
Let us all sincerely commit to protect and ensure that the doctrine of our Constitution is strictly adhered to in letter and spirit with no room for fudging or fraud. Only then will there be something to rejoice and celebrate on our Constitution Day.
Aires Rodrigues, Ribandar
