Thio Su Mien Bizzarre Behaviour at RTC Press Conference

[KKC007]

Christianity in UK is dying....they are turning churches into pubs.....sad!

Doesn't that tell you something?

 

[Porfirio Rubirosa]

Excerpt from yawingbread:






Now we can begin to reconstruct what happened and understand better the issues that this drama raises.

It began with Thio getting upset that AWARE was living up to its mission and going about its work in an inclusive, non-discriminatory way. The organisation was beginning to recognise the existence of lesbian and bisexual women, and take on board this group in addition to its multitude of programs.

Thio also felt that AWARE message of empowerment of women -?"take charge of your own lives, take control over your own bodies, make your own decisions in your own best interest..." -- severely contradicted her religious leanings. So she went about recruiting others who shared her views.

Stripped down to the basics, the "agenda" of Thio and her recruits had nothing to do with serving women or advancing feminism. It had just one objective -?to purge AWARE of anything to do with tolerance, diversity and the empowerment of women.

During the last few weeks, many people have wondered why this clique that took over AWARE did not instead set up their own Christian-linked organisation to promote their views. As you can now see, that wouldn't have achieved their objective: It was never to construct an alternative discourse, it was to silence and destroy AWARE's work.

Thio must have known that it might meet resistance and would provoke a public outcry, even if her hachet-women were too naive to anticipate that. So stealth was essential to success.

The plan must have been to take over AWARE, and while proclaiming for public consumption that they were running a secular organisation, infuse their fundamentalist Christian views into AWARE's programs on the quiet. By the time outsiders realise what they have done, it may be years later. Schools will have gladly invited AWARE speakers to talk about sexuality when in fact they will have been promoting conservative Christian norms.

More interestingly, a double layer of stealth was designed. Thio herself wanted to conceal her role as the mastermind. I don't know why.

I cannot imagine why anyone even imagined that they could get away with stealth. Within a day of the annual general meeting when they successfully mounted the coup with the help of new members of AWARE whom Thio and disciples recruited, questions were raised about their intentions.

Since they couldn't declare their true intentions, the new exco leaders resorted to evasion. But they weren't good at it either, and kept getting caught out with discrepancies between what they said one day and the next. Accusations of "lies" began circulating on the internet. Questions about "integrity" flew thick and fast.

The new exco also had nothing to say about their positive program for AWARE -- since they had none -- falling back on generalities that only sounded more suspicious the more they repeated them.


This is roughly where the story is now, but it leaves us with an interesting question -?why did Thio choose to reveal herself last night? I can think of three, not mutually exclusive, possibilities:

She realised that the stealth game was up and decided to change strategy to attack the old guard directly as pro-lesbian, which, if you see my earlier article Pirates ahoy! Gay netizens and the AWARE hijacking would not be supported by actual facts. Yet, she had no confidence that her hachet-women were competent enough to wage this battle, so she had to get involved on the frontlines.

She realised that her emails and early role would leak, and decided that she might as well reveal herself.

She faced a revolt by her hachet-women. They might have got upset that they were getting all the public flak, while the mastermind was cowardly hiding behind them.
* * * * *


What's next?

I am sure more twists and turns will come. Even as I am writing this, I know that the old guard are calling a press conference Friday (24 April) evening.

The big showdown however, will be the Extraordinary General Meeting (EOGM) scheduled for early May. It is not clear which side will prevail. Yet, even if the new exco, by shoehorning in as many church friends as they can find, wins the vote, I really can't see how that will be anything but a Pyrrhic victory.

The grand plan could only have succeeded if executed with stealth. It was crippled once the cover was blown. There is no way now that they can take their Christianist message into schools under the pretence of a secular sexuality education package. The glare of scrutiny will be intense.

Moreover, the new exco has begun a purge of all old hands, which means all the human resource assets critical to AWARE's mission will be lost.

Even if the old guard and their hundreds of new supporters lose the EOGM vote, I believe they are determined to start a new organisation, and that's where the skills and experience will be

http://www.yawningbread.org/

 

[londontrader]

Gays are even worse! These genetically different people will only support their kind.

You'll be surprised at the number of homosexuals amongst the banking community. It seems their temperament is very suitable for this profession. I have no problems with them because they keep their personal lives to themselves. I do have a problem with these aggressive Christian types who turn their offices into mini churches.

 

[londontrader]

i dunno about you AWARE sounds like a damn bloody good name to promote public awareness...the NAME is GOOD!!!

I prefer it be used by Christians to promote the Gospel than gays and les to promote their lifestyles to many others who are not even gay or les...

Christianity in UK is dying....they are turning churches into pubs.....sad!

What about the non Christian members of AWARE and the women they reach out to? Is AWARE to become a missionary organization? I think Christians have many avenues to promote the Gospel and should stick to them!

Christianity is dying in the UK because the Church hasn't kept pace with the mindset of a new generation. In a couple of years, there is a real possibility that muslims will outnumber Christians in the UK.

 

[londontrader]

Sounds like Josie would fit in quite comfortanly as a private banker...btw is Dr Thio even an AWARE member in the first place?...

Don't think private banking wants her at all. She is quite famous now and based on conversations with some DBS fellows, I gather she is more a marketing person (ie. advertising, promotions, parties etc.) than a banker. Besides, she's not pleasing to the eye enough by my (private banking) standards!

 

[londontrader]

Her aunty in law, the self proclaimed "feminist mentor" Dr Thio Su Mien appears to be lagi worse...when she was at Drew & Napier she used to conduct these prayer sessions at her office...appeared to create a faction of sorts...well until the former PAP MP Bayi got the better of her and her gang then no choice had to set up her own law firm

I have a colleague (am now in a local outfit) who will only recruit Christians for his team. The Snr Mgt seems to tolerate this as long as no one complains. It's quite funny watching these people play at being capitalists (ie. lie and cheat for $) during the day and run along to their prayer group meeting after 6pm.

 

[londontrader]

I've such encounters in Canada. But the perpetrators are students ... from Singapore :p:p:p

Seriously, in first world countries, such people will be sacked for forcing their religious beliefs on their subordinates.

Yeah! What's this about these Singaporean Christians and their pushy attitude?

There is actually a law against this kind of behaviour in the UK. You get the sack and your company gets sued for lots of $$$. One isn't even allowed to enquire about a prospective employee's religious preference.

 

[banova888]

My guess is that they will make a mess out of the who thing.

One good thing though, now everyone in Singapore is aware of Aware. So at least she still live up to her name in marketing.

I think the Gays and lesbians should not go to Hong Lim but head towards Church of Our Savior at Margaret Drive.

LOL! And all Straight Males! should stay in this forum and fight for AWARE!

 

[banova888]

Doesn't that tell you something?

We must be Aware! of Makapa, Jah Rastafar, SIFU, ImperialArms, Angelo, and all other like minded chinks.

 

[TeeKee]

Doesn't that tell you something?

yeah endtime is getting closer..

 

[Conan the Barbarian]

[COLOR="_______"]Josie Lau - President

She is the Vice President & Head, Marketing, Cards & Unsecured Loans, Consumer Banking Group, DBS Bank Ltd.

She is responsible for driving retail usage on the credit/debit cards, through partnerships with retail merchants for offers and privileges for its base of > 1million card members. She was previously responsible for the premium segment of customers, and she launched the Treasures Amex Black Elite Card for DBS Treasures Priority Customers. To further engage this group of high net-worth customers, .

[/COLOR]

Rubbish lah. How can a VP take on such a role. The corporate rank for this should be MD or at least SVP, She'd probably just in charge of marketing efforts or something minor.

 

[TeeKee]

What about the non Christian members of AWARE and the women they reach out to? Is AWARE to become a missionary organization? I think Christians have many avenues to promote the Gospel and should stick to them!

my friend, anywhere can be a venue to spread the gospel, the best place is where most people are lost in life, such as here..

Christianity is dying in the UK because the Church hasn't kept pace with the mindset of a new generation. In a couple of years, there is a real possibility that muslims will outnumber Christians in the UK.

Christianity is fastest rising faith in Asia, while it is slowly dying in Europe and America.

Jesus rules!

 

[londontrader]

Rubbish lah. How can a VP take on such a role. The corporate rank for this should be MD or at least SVP, She'd probably just in charge of marketing efforts or something minor.

A mid tier manager with a fancy title tagged on ie. nice sounding name card
A common practice in retail banking

 

[londontrader]

"my friend, anywhere can be a venue to spread the gospel, the best place is where most people are lost in life, such as here.."

Maybe I should invite Dr Thio and Josie to do some gospel spreading on the trading floor. Plenty of lost souls there!
Wonder if they are game?

"Christianity is fastest rising faith in Asia, while it is slowly dying in Europe and America."

Not sure about America, the Christian Right seem to be doing just fine.
but you're right about Europe

 

[scroobal]

Sorry bit what do you mean by that?

As she is not in the ex-co and does not hold any position, she did not have to show her hand at RTC. There is another group at the same church that are forcing this lot to come clean as they too were receipients of Thio's email. That pressure forced her out. I am told that this group isd also pro-family but does not like the dishonest way that this was done.

Ryan Goh, our former erstwhile SIA pilot, authorered a petition letter, sought signatures for it and he himself did not sign it. It took ISD to find the eventual author. On that single point, old man crucified the Pilots Association at the Istana and they folded as their credibility was shot to pieces.

Thio did the same. By way of Deception seems to be motto of this lot.

 

[scroobal]

Don't think private banking wants her at all. She is quite famous now and based on conversations with some DBS fellows, I gather she is more a marketing person (ie. advertising, promotions, parties etc.) than a banker. Besides, she's not pleasing to the eye enough by my (private banking) standards!

Agree bro. My sources tell me the same - no banking or financial background just marketing and she was brought in as chief conceirge for card program.

 

[scroobal]

Yeah! What's this about these Singaporean Christians and their pushy attitude?

There is actually a law against this kind of behaviour in the UK. You get the sack and your company gets sued for lots of $$$. One isn't even allowed to enquire about a prospective employee's religious preference.

Similar laws operate in all developed countries. One can be dismissed for showing religious bias in the work place. By law, one cannot ask for the religion of an applicant during a job interview.

 

[SneeringTree]

As she is not in the ex-co and does not hold any position, she did not have to show her hand at RTC. There is another group at the same church that are forcing this lot to come clean as they too were receipients of Thio's email. That pressure forced her out. I am told that this group isd also pro-family but does not like the dishonest way that this was done.

Ryan Goh, our former erstwhile SIA pilot, authorered a petition letter, sought signatures for it and he himself did not sign it. It took ISD to find the eventual author. On that single point, old man crucified the Pilots Association at the Istana and they folded as their credibility was shot to pieces.

Thio did the same. By way of Deception seems to be motto of this lot.

That's why I say they seem to be incapable of being truthful, open and direct. All these shady deception is all the more inexplicable given their arrogant level of self-righteousness and belief of their infallibility.

I honestly think that these bunch of people are pathological.

 

[scroobal]

That's why I say they seem to be incapable of being truthful, open and direct. All these shady deception is all the more inexplicable given their arrogant level of self-righteousness and belief of their infallibility.

I honestly think that these bunch of people are pathological.

I maybe short sighted and bias here but I notice that religious converts have a serious issue with being honest. I see that with at least the major religions. They tend to bend arguments to suit their cause no matter how ridiculous it is.

 

[HakkaThaileen]

wah like you know them so well..are you a Christian yourself?

I don't know much about religion. But I know what I don't believe.