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Another Fool’s Day
by Dunstan Chan. Posted on February 19, 2012, Sunday
IT is said that April Fool’s Day began around 1582 in France with the reform of the calendar under Charles IX, who introduced the Gregorian Calendar where the New Year’s Day was moved from April 1 to Jan 1.
Communication travelled slowly in those days and some people were only informed of the change several years later. These people, oblivious to the change, continued to celebrate April 1 as New Year’s Day. They were labelled ‘fools’ by the general populace, were subject to ridicule and sent on ‘fool errands’. They were sent invitations to non-existent parties and had other practical jokes played upon them. To this day, April 1 is the day when people play all sorts of pranks and make ridiculous claims.
One would have thought one day in a year when people can engage in such tomfooleries is enough. However, in Malaysia certain parties seem to be hell bent on creating another day when people have the licence to make illogical claims and fallacious pronouncements.
I am referring to the campaign by some quarters calling for the prohibition of Muslims from celebrating Valentine’s Day. The reasons given being that it is a Christian festival and that celebrating it “would lead to immoral activities”.
I would have just said, “Huh, what are you talking about, dude?” and treat this as an early April Fool’s joke except that there are some dangerous implications in the statement, in particular, the juxtaposition of Christian festival and immoral activities.
Firstly, let’s go down to the basics – what is the origin of Valentine’s Day? Well, its origin is shrouded in history. One writer quipped, “there are more tales of the origins of Valentine’s Day than arrows in Cupid’s quiver”.
One version, which appeals most to romantics, puts it in memory of a priest, Valentine of Rome, who lived during the rule of Emperor Claudius II. The Roman Empire then was in a state of war. The emperor was having difficulty in recruiting soldiers for his army. Many of the Romans were unwilling to go: the married men did not want to leave their families; the young and betrothed pleading exemption due to impending marriage. To counter this, Claudius ordered a moratorium on marriages.
Now the good priest Valentine heard of the emperor’s command and was very sad. When a young couple came to the temple, he secretly united them in marriage in front of the sacred altar. Another pair sought his aid and in secret he wedded them. Soon word spread and others came to be secretly married. So Valentine became the friend of lovers in every district of Rome.
But, such secrets could not be kept for long and at last word of Valentine’s acts reached the palace of Claudius, and the emperor in a fit of anger, had Valentine thrown into a dungeon for putting a spike in his scheme. It is said that while in prison, he prayed and cured the jailer’s daughter of blindness. When the cruel emperor learned of this miracle, he gave orders that Valentine should be beheaded. The morning of the execution, Valentine is said to have sent the keeper’s daughter a farewell message signed, “From your Valentine.” The year was 270AD and the date Feb 14.
I love this version – it is a celebration of love, courage and compassion. So do millions of people. They make it an occasion to express openly their appreciation of their loved ones with presents of flowers, chocolates and going out for romantic dinners.
It would have been fine at that according to one person (whom I believe reflects the thinking of the moral campaigners) interviewed by the newspapers recently, except for a couple of leaps – a leap of logic by him and the purported leap by the couple into bed. So, it seems that Malaysians have the proclivity to ask partners to pay for dinners horizontally. He expounded further that those involved in immoral activities on Valentine’s Day were young school leavers who think they are grown up resulting in an increase in baby dumping cases.
Hmm, I can see the connection now: Valentine’s Day – dinner – bed – baby dumping. It seems that at least one minister agrees with him. She was quoted as saying that the number of young women getting pregnant, especially during festivals, was a worrying trend.
Meanwhile another politician urged the young people to practise self-restraint and not to succumb to temptation. However, I would have thought that these so-called errant youths must have quite a bit of self-restraint if they could hold out for a full year before they let their guard down.
Now here’s the rub. Many people said that we should not just express our love only on a specific day. To them every
day can be Valentine’s Day, hence, flowers, chocolates, and dinners can be done on any day. I don’t I need to expand further. I think the readers can catch my drift.
Anyway, Feb 14 has passed and the hoo-ha has died down a bit. At last we can take leave of all this silliness that is … until next February.
