《我报》28-2-2012
炎下之意（专栏） 文／马炎庆
向林书豪学习
林书豪大学毕业后加入美国职业篮球联赛（NBA），曾经与金州勇士队（Golden State Warriors）和休斯敦火箭队（Houston Rockets）签约，但只担任候补。
去年年底进入纽约尼克斯队（New York Knicks）后，开始受到瞩目，成为首发球员。
林书豪职业生涯首五场的表现，创了自1974年以来NBA的最佳成绩，并获得NBA东部周最佳球员。杰出的表现引起全世界的注意，并刮起了一股林来疯（Linsanity）。
在黑人当道的美国篮球圈里，又没有姚明2.29m的傲人身高（林书豪只有1.91m高），一位华裔球员要取得成功的机会非常渺茫。
林书豪凭着一股信念，努力锻炼多年，加上父母的支持，让他打破一般主观的观念，成了众人，尤其是华人世界的骄傲，更是大家学习的好榜样。
受冷嘲热讽激励
而不是被它击败
我不是什么运动健将，对篮球也没多少兴趣，但近期媒体大肆报道林书豪的新闻，让我有点好奇，便在网上找了有关他的资料，对这位24岁的年轻人也有了多一点的认识。
林书豪说：“篮球是一项属于白人和黑人的运动。在美国，一名亚裔美国篮球运动员是不受人尊重的。”
林书豪在大学打篮球时，只有少过0.5％的甲组篮球员是亚裔，刚进入哈佛篮球队时，经常引来异样的目光。
2007年，他参加旧金山的Pro-Am夏季联赛，走进球馆开始热身时，有位工作人员对他说“这里举行的是篮球比赛，不是排球”，他在球场上和健身室里，常给人喊“Wonton soup”（云吞汤）、“Sweet and sour pork”（咕噜肉）、“Open your eyes”（把眼睛张开）、“Go back to China” （回去中国吧）和 “Orchestra is on the other side of campus”（华乐团在另一边）。
但是，这些冷嘲热讽并没有影响林书豪对篮球的热爱，或许还给了他多一股力量，激励他更努力奋斗。
“人狗论”风波的来龙去脉…
上个星期，英文报章就中国学生“人狗论”事件的报道，引述我的一句话，众多网民就把我的那句话解读成我不但不站在新加坡人这边，反而袒护这位中国学生，因此在网上怒骂。
对于网民的反应如此激烈，起初我有点惊讶。我不全怪媒体断章取义，但我确实没有抨击新加坡人的意思。
记者问我：“我们可以从这件事学到什么？”
我的回答是：“这名学生似乎对某些新加坡人的行为不满。我们到底有没有这样的行为？我们应该反思（reflect）一下，但我对国人有信心，除了一些害群之马，大多数新加坡人都是善良宽容的。”
报章上却只摘录我的部分答案：“我们应该反省 (reflect)。”
无需灌篮百发百中
只求为民全心全意
一个外国学生拿了新加坡政府奖学金来本地求学，不饮水思源，还反咬新加坡人一口。我了解人们对这件事的愤怒，可以理解他们的情绪为何如此激动。
感谢多位关心我的朋友和支持者，担心我被恶劣的评语影响。
身为一个公众人物，人们对我的言行举止要求高是应该的。我也深知政治生涯漫漫长路，不可能一帆风顺，我们所说所做的一切，更不可能取悦大众，满足每个人的要求。
无论网络评语多么不堪入耳，是误解也好，是观点不同也好，有道理的话，我一定好好聆听，从中学习改进，但我不会让一些无稽的言论影响我做我认为该做的事，说我该说的话。
我不需要灌篮百发百中，我只要求自己为民全心全意。
Translated version of my article in MyPaper (28 Feb 2012)
Learning from Jeremy Lin
Shooting hoops for a serious career hasn’t always been a child’s play for rising NBA star Jeremy Lin. He took on the position as a reserve player with Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets fresh out of college and it was not until the end last year that Lin finally gained international recognition with the New York Knicks as a starter. During his first five games, Lin boasted the best performance in NBA history since 1974, making him the highly acclaimed Eastern Conference player of the week. This phenomenal accomplishment brought about a wave of “Lin-sanity” craze across the globe.
Nowhere near Yao Ming’s towering 2.29m, it is undoubtedly a challenge for Lin, a mere 1.91m, to emerge tops in the NBA landscape that is largely dominated by brawny black Americans. Nevertheless, years of hard work and unyielding determination, coupled with the relentless support from his adoring parents, gave Lin the mettle to shed the shackles that ingrained the minds of those with a biased perception towards vertically challenged players, making him the pride of the global Chinese and setting exemplary standards for many to emulate.
I am no athlete and my interest in basketball is limited. However, the incessant reports on Jeremy Lin in recent weeks have inevitably aroused my curiosity, spurring me to learn more about this widely talked-about 24-year-old youth.
Lin claimed: “It (Basketball) is a sport for white and black people. You don’t get respect for being an Asian American basketball player in the U.S.”
Less than 0.5% of men’s Division 1 basketball players were Asian-American during Lin’s college career. Lin was told off by one of the caretakers at the Kezar Pavilion in San Francisco when he was warming up for the Pro-Am game in 2007: “‘Sorry, sir, there’s no volleyball here tonight. It’s basketball.” Lin has often been ridiculed at games and during his training sessions with shout outs such as “Wonton soup”, “Sweet and sour pork”, “Open your eyes!”, “Go back to China!” and “Orchestra is on the other side of campus!”
However, the mockery that he had to put up with did not extinguish his love and passion for basketball. On the contrary, it served well as a motivational force that empowered him to succeed through perseverance.
Many netizens have expressed unhappiness following the equivocal representation of my comments by an English paper last week regarding the remark of a foreign student on a Singapore scholarship, reproaching me for speaking in favour of the PRC scholar and not resonating with my fellow Singaporeans. I was initially baffled and stupefied by the emotional backlash from netizens, especially since it was never my intention to pass judgments on my fellow countrymen. Neither am I admonishing the media for having taken my words out of context.
The reporter had asked: ‘Do you think there are lessons we can take from this?’
My full answer was: “I think first of all, these are behaviours that this gentleman has picked up. We need to reflect upon ourselves, are we the way they described? We should take this opportunity to reflect upon ourselves, but we should (also) be confident of ourselves. Even though some of us are like that, majority of Singaporeans are gracious, there are good people in Singapore.”
Unfortunately, the paper took on my words selectively and ran: ““We (also) need to reflect, are we the way that they described?” springing a surprise uproar that was uncalled for.
I perfectly understand the furore and outrage that fellow Singaporeans have towards the ungrateful and brazen attitude displayed by the scholar who turned around to bite the hand that fed him.
I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to all my friends and supporters who continue to stand by me amidst the critical voices. As a public figure, I understand and concur with the high standards expected of what I say and do. Navigating a political career is never a smooth sailing voyage and striving to address every personal grouse and woe is no mean feat.
Regardless of the online criticisms, be it the result of misinterpretations or differing views, I will lend my listening ear like I always do, for as long as we continue to share reasonable exchanges. I hope to learn and better myself from your voices. On the other hand, I will not let remarks that harbour malicious intent nor irresponsible lash-outs deter me from what I believe I should do or speak my mind.
Perfect score in basketball or give my all for Singapore and Singaporeans, … I guess you know my call
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