It was not long ago when a Catholic priest introduced a wonderful adage during our offline discussion: "
corruptio optimi pessima." It is a powerful adage, which alludes to the corruption of the best being the worst of all. This is true in any set-up. The best friend, when corrupted, turns out to be the most lethal enemy; a spouse, when corrupted, turns out to be the most potent destructor of a marriage; a Justice system, when corrupted, turns out to be the greatest factory of injustice; so on and so forth. When an egalitarian state in Kerala that had so far not been communal, even during the worst of communal riots in other parts of India, shows signs of communal depravity by attacking the nuns of Missionaries of Charity, an order established by Blessed Mother Teresa, what would one do? Is this a sign of road to perdition? That is what made me flash this letter to
The Hindu.
Published in The Hindu, National Edition, dated September 30, 2004.
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Sir, — The attack on the nuns of the Missionaries of Charity in the most politically conscious State of Kerala reminds me of the Latin adage corruptio optimi pessima (the corruption of the best is the worst of all). Hope the powers-that-be act swiftly to ameliorate the situation.
Rex S. Arul,
Smyrna, Georgia
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http://www.hindu.com/2004/09/30/stories/2004093003601001.htm
