Am I safe?

March 3rd will be remembered as one of the darkest day in the game of cricket. A day when all sport rivalries dissolved, all competitiveness vanished and all swaggers were dropped. We saw an event that summarizes the extent to which the terrorism has reached. Cricket, particularly in the sub-continent is considered a religion and players are no less than idols to be worshipped. No wonder they become the target of some fanatic actions and religious statements.   

I watch old clippings of the game when the spectators could run on the field to intercept a boundary or even to rejoice after winning an important game. The players at that time were scared that they will get hurt as the fans pulled their jerseys and tried to shake their hand. That was 20 years back. Today, we see the players come in tight security. The entry into the stadium is not without passing through a metal detector or full body frisk, flags with poles, bottles and other hard objects are banned to carry. And even after complying with these laws, one has to watch the game that is played in a caged ground; high barbed wires enclose the field to avoid any contact of the players with the spectators. This is what happens today. We have come a long way in the last 20 years in terms of security. The game is the same and the passion is the same but the world has changed.   

Today, we live in a world where women and children are harassed in broad daylight in developing countries, war and disease engulf a substantial portion of the third world countries, economic failure has broken the backbone of the developed world, religious fanatics all over the world are fighting for supremacy while the planet is slowly melting as the Global warming shows its power. Knowingly or unknowingly, we are digging our own grave.   

And while the big fish eats the small fish, I ask the question, “Who is safe?”