[Reader-list] Freedom of Expression my foot!

[S.Fatima]

Dear Rahul
I don't agree with you on this. Where has this concept
of Nation, Nationalism, Rashtra come from? Was it
there in our country 100 years ago, or 300 years, or
2000 years ago? Has it been mentioned in any Shastras?
I don't think so. It has been implanted into us by the
colonial rule. While we continue to reject so many
things as "foreign" we have happily accepted this
concept as it suits our ends. Why?
And what is constitution/legisilation? Is it a voice
of God? Is it embedded in our DNAs? Isn't that created
by some individuals (who we may or may not agree
with).

I think its time we rise above the definition of the
Nation if we want to bring any real change. And a
civil war and bloodshed is not required for that. What
is required is the opening of hearts and minds.


 
--- Rahul Asthana <rahul_capri at yahoo.com> wrote:

> Corrections to my post:
> Sanjay Kak is the name of the person..and the movie
> was not banned but prevented by Police to be
> screened.I apologise on posting without reading the
> full details.But the basic issue still stands.viz.Is
> the nation justified in preventing from screening
> \banning some forms of expression?
> 
> 
> --- Rahul Asthana <rahul_capri at yahoo.com> wrote:
> 
> > Jeebesh,Shuddha or any other champion of freedom
> of
> > expression,
> > I really want to understand where you guys are
> > coming
> > from and I think it is very necessary for the
> people
> > of the country that we get at the bottom of
> > this,because you guys reflect the opinion of a lot
> > of
> > people in the media.
> > A nation is defined by certain underlying
> > principles.Those principles are not that are
> subject
> > to amendment by legislation.So,for example,Iran is
> > an
> > Islamic democracy.Its the underlying principle of
> > the
> > state and even if 99% want to be secular,there is
> no
> > process in the framework by which Iran can become
> > secular,unless of course,there is a civil war and
> > some
> > bloodshed, in which case,anything is possible.
> > India is a secular democracy.To anyone who wants
> to
> > create a Hindu/Muslim/Christian nation;does not
> have
> > a
> > constitutional way to accomplish this.Violence of
> > course is always a recourse.The principle of
> > immutability of borders is one of the principles
> > which
> > is inherent to the existence of every nation
> > state.India is no exception.As far as I know,no
> > nation
> > gives a constitutional process to redraw its
> > borders.
> > So,the only course followers of such an intention
> > have
> > is violence,terrorism etc.
> > So,the facts of the case are this,Amitabh Kak made
> a
> > movie enabling the ideology which is against the
> > basic
> > underlying principles of  the nation.It was
> banned.I
> > do not see your problem with this.Now of
> course,the
> > fact that the movie did enable that ideology or
> > not,can be argued.but not that it shouldnt be
> > banned.
> > You guys may have risen above the concept of
> nation
> > religion etc, but nation itself,by definition,cant
> > rise above the definition of itself.
> > (I think this is a simple statement,dont know why
> it
> > comes out so convoluted;perhaps my English is not
> > good
> > enough.Anyway..)
> > So to ask the nation to allow freedom of
> expression
> > on
> > ideologies which go against its underlying
> > principles
> > and which if enabled,can only lead to violence and
> > strife,is like asking a primary school to use "We
> > dont
> > need no education" as its morning prayer.
> > To further illustrate my point,I think Amitabh
> Kak's
> > background or financier is irrelevant here.So is
> the
> > traumatic roleplaying that Jeebesh was subjected
> > to.If
> > a group of old ladies in a village in Kerala
> > suddenly
> > decide that they want a separate country and start
> > distributing pamphlets,I would support
> confiscating
> > the pamphlets and giving them adequate
> > punishment.Freedom of Expression my foot!
> > Jeebesh/Shuddha,lets try to convince each other.I
> > believe its very important.
> > Hoping to hear from you
> > Best,
> > Rahul
> > 
> > --- Kshmendra Kaul <kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com>
> wrote:
> > 
> > > Jeebesh
> > >    
> > >   The pain in your words is touching. The pathos
> > in
> > > your questions will move the coldest of hearts. 
> > >    
> > >   Aahhhhhh! no one left to argue with and
> > convince.
> > > Alas! this deep fear and inability to live with
> > > disagreements. Woe on this desire of people to
> > > satiate their rage. Curse those trying to
> restrain
> > > our intellectual lives.
> > >    
> > >   Jeebesh your traumas need attention. Let's do
> > some
> > > role-playing with you as the protagonist.
> > >    
> > >   It was a small world, a village of sorts where
> > > everyone knew everyone else. Close cousins were
> > > called "my brother" and "my sister", other than
> > > parents and grandparents, every adult was an
> > "uncle"
> > > or "aunt".
> > >    
> > >   In it lived Jeebesh. In the last of his teens
> or
> > > maybe just past them but really a child as most
> > > young men were in those seemingly but largely
> > > uncorrupted surroundings. For long years (some
> say
> > > since many a centuries from the past) they
> > retained
> > > the innocence of Trust and Hope. 
> > >    
> > >   SK also lived there or at least today he
> claims
> > > to. SK is Jeebesh's "cousin". Everyone in your
> own
> > > age group was a "cousin" if you could not trace
> > out
> > > some other close relationship.
> > >    
> > >   18 years back an Exodus of Jeebesh's people
> took
> > > place. Everyone knew everyone else.
> > >    
> > >   Jeebesh knows they had not known enough. The
> > > terrain had parted and lake-seas receded, the
> > > volcanoes had gone quiet. No one had recognised
> > the
> > > signs of upheavals that were to come. 
> > >    
> > >   For Jeebesh today, memories of those times are
> a
> > > whirling blur of images and sounds. They would
> > drive
> > > him mad if he could afford to lose his sanity:
> > >    
> > >   - Jeebesh's sister was picked up and raped and
> > > left abandoned.
> > >   - Another sister was raped and killed after
> > that. 
> > >   - Another sister was raped and killed but they
> > > mutilated her breasts.
> > >   - Jeebesh's mother was not spared either.
> > >   - Jeebesh remembers his father hanging dead on
> a
> > > tree
> > >   - He remembers the corpses of young and old
> and
> > of
> > > male and female riddled with bullets
> > >   - Most of all he remembers the fear in the
> eyes
> > of
> > > those around him.
> > >   - He remembers the loudspeakers blaring hate
> > > messages from places meant for worship.
> > >   - He remembers his own fears reflected in the
> > eyes
> > > of those around him.
> > >    
> > >   Inspite of that "Trauma List", for 16 years
> > after
> > > those days, Jeebesh tried to put his life
> together
> > > in new surroundings. He whined every now and
> then,
> > 
> > > he sobbed in the loneliness of alien lands. He
> met
> > > up with tiny groups to recount happy memories
> and
> > > sing songs of his Lost Land, if they could.
> > >    
> > >   Not many in the New Land seemed to acknowledge
> > > that Jeebesh existed. Jeebesh led a quiet
> 
=== message truncated ===



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