Mindef banned nsfs from singing "purple light"

[Extremist]

Ever wonder if speaking up about sexism really creates change? Here's one case where it has!

Earlier this year, AWARE learned of "Purple Light", a marching song sung by many NSmen, which included the lines:

"Booking out, see my girlfriend

Saw her with another man

Kill the man, rape my girlfriend

With my rifle and my buddy and me."



We were troubled that NSmen were bonding over misogynist lyrics about committing sexual violence against women. So we raised our concerns with MINDEF and SAF.

And now we have excellent news: MINDEF and SAF have confirmed that they took steps to investigate. They will "immediately halt" the singing of these lyrics, which they describe as "contrary to the values of [their] organisation".

It's really encouraging that MINDEF and SAF are prepared to listen to feedback, recognise this as an issue and take action on it. Thumbs up!



AWARE Singapore

*AWARE Singapore is a women's right activist group fighting for the rights of women and promoting "gender equality". Article first appeared on AWARE Singapore's Facebook page here.





Many NSman are very angry with MINDEF decision to ban this song:

Davin Ng: Because the lyrics refer to the way many Singaporean women ditch their boyfriends without a second's thought when they enter NS. Nearly 3/4 of the attached men in my BMT platoon were dumped during the confinement weeks of BMT, and the lyrics were made up to express their rage and frustration. You might want to think about how women behave like opportunistic brats instead of complaining about the mere symptoms.

Some guys also defended Singapore women by saying:

Warren D'cruz: Age of girls having boyfriends who arebin NS are around 18yrs old. They are still in the verge of building a future for themdelves and exploring the various opportunites that they can use to build their future. They will make more friends and meet more guys. They will have more options to choose. How they view and cherish their relationship with their boyfriends who are in NS depends on their maturity, morality and their social backgound. There is no way to stop them from ending a relationship. The responsibility lies within them. Not all women are the sole responsible of a breakup. The same also applies to guys. However, if I was a girl and know that my boyfriend is singing these kind of songs at NS. I will be very afraid!!!!

 

[Jah_rastafar_I]

Aware was behind this. Yes officially it's banned now but do you think they actually ban it when they train? It's one of the most memorable songs of all and probably the one that everyone that has served and ord or rod that still knows how to sing it.

 

[Narong Wongwan]

Totally never heard of this song.....
Last time we sang 三月十五....

 

[Jah_rastafar_I]

The offensive verse in the song was raped the girlfriend.

Yup aware was offended cos of the last verse in the song which is rape the gf who cheated on the man who then proceeded to kill the man and murdering of another human being is ok as long as he isn't a female.


They totally ignored the cheating behavior of the gf that led to those consequences.

 

[bushtucker]

and the closet gays would sing: "with my buddy and his rifle in me..."

 

[Ash007]

So change to ?
"Booking out, see my girlfriend

Saw her with another man

Kill the man, Slap my girlfriend

With my rifle and my buddy and me."


And when they complain about killing the man, just say, that's what we learn in NS!

The offensive verse in the song was raped the girlfriend.

Yup aware was offended cos of the last verse in the song which is rape the gf who cheated on the man who then proceeded to kill the man and murdering of another human being is ok as long as he isn't a female.


They totally ignored the cheating behavior of the gf that led to those consequences.

 

[CheeByeKiaTonyChat]

I know this song but never knew it has this verse. I remember the last verse as :

when(if) I die, would you bury me, with my rifle and my buddy and me. :(

 

[bushtucker]

when(if) I die, would you bury me, with my rifle and my buddy and me. :(

very meaningful.

 

[neddy]

Purple light
In the valley
That is where
I want to be
With my three
close companions
Just my rifle and my buddy and me….

SOC
Si bei jia lat
IPPT
Lagi worst
Everyday
Doing PT
With my rifle and my buddy and me….

Booking out
To see my girlfriend
Saw her with
Another man
Kill the man
Beat* my girlfriend * change to fuck, why rape or beat?
With my rifle and my buddy and me….

Booking in
Took a shower
Dropped my soap
Bent my knees
Felt something up my asshole
With my rifle and my buddy and me…

Purple light
At the warfront
That is where
My buddy died
If I die
Would you bury me?
With my rifle and my buddy and me….

ORD
Back to study
Got degree
So happy
Can’t forget
The days in army
With my rifle and my buddy and me….

 

[CheeByeKiaTonyChat]

I think this weekend all NSF will purposely sing 'purple light'. dumb bitches @ aware nothing better to do.

 

[JeanGrey]

blah blah blah from AWARE... who's going to speak up for all the army boys who lost their girlfriends to ORD-ed civilians?

its tough going tru NS as it is, even tougher when hearts are broken.

i know many guys who lost their other halves during NS and it almost pushed them up the lorry.

call them softies or whatever, but a broken heart is a broken heart.

 

[laksaboy]

Fuck you AWARE feminist harpies. Do no encroach into areas where you do not belong or have no knowledge of.

'Kill the man, rape my girlfriend' is a cheeky variation of the song, the original lyrics were something else.

 

[cunnosieur]

These are good England educated songs...

My time NS....all the Hokkien songs, LJs and CBs....plus 18, 21, 369 gang songs etc...

But I told my CO that these are the BEST HOKKIEN RIFLEMEN FIGHTERS to defend and will die for S'pore.

<iframe width="640" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/nlhEAdPxIX4?feature=player_detailpage" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[The_Hypocrite]

My ns time never sing tat leh. Is it a recent song?

 

[Extremist]

<iframe width="640" height="480" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/edTXmkdGxbk" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>...............

 

[zhihau]

Fuck you AWARE feminist harpies. Do no encroach into areas where you do not belong or have no knowledge of.

and rightly so, they weren't aware.

 

[sleaguepunter]

most aware members are either lesbians or left on the shelf aunties. how can this small number of bitches be respresentive of all the normal women in the country?

as for the song ban or dun ban also difficult to enforce. anyway, only recruit phrase got sing song, post to unit liao, lug a GPMG or 84 for 3-5days at LCK, nobody will even have breath to sing simi lanjiao songs.

anyway, the bayi poke arsehole part i never heard before and this song i never hear after i pop from tekong. i think tekong bmtc drill sargents got more time on hand so can teach recruits more songs. i posted to a mono intake battlion, they dont know many songs.

 

[steffychun]

Chief Clerks for sure were the proponents behind this

 

[ahhock24]

Purple is often associated with gay. So purple light meaning gay revelation is it?
Anyway lyrics sound like written by a loser turned gay turned depressed & regressive, no wonder our army boy so soft nowaday. I say buried it for good.

 

[laksaboy]

most aware members are either lesbians or left on the shelf aunties. how can this small number of bitches be respresentive of all the normal women in the country?

What's more appalling is that Mindef/SAF had actually pandered to the whims of those feminazi cows. This will unfortunately set a precedent. I expect AWARE to tell Mindef/SAF to do this (female gender affirmative) or not do that (misogynist, sexist) in future, readily dishing out their advice to the military top brass.

I have a distaste for NS: I find it to be a waste of time, exploitative and too much resources have been spent in national defence.
However, this particular episode with AWARE has finally made NS truly odious.

Then again, my reservist cycle is finishing so I don't really give a shit.