Selma, I feel that you are going overboard with this 'Freedom of Expression' thing and Democracy; Do you realise that the opponents, the protesters too, are excercising their democratic rights and freedom of expression! As long as there is No Violence and or threats of murder etc. like when Satanic Verses was published, all protests, perception and opinions are OK, until their logical resolution is arrived at.
One has to be Fair to all sides, arguments in a democracy. Nascy Caldeira --- On Sun, 17/4/11, Carvalho <elisabeth_...@yahoo.com> wrote: > From: Carvalho <elisabeth_...@yahoo.com> > Full text: > Throughout his life, Cunha would endure > censorship, detention and > exile. > In seems, we have learnt nothing about freedom since then. > Despite the strident > censorship that our writers and intellectuals encountered > during the Portuguese > era, our Goa governments repeatedly wants to impose the > same on us. Not once > have they stood up for individual liberties preferring > instead to impose their > own sense of morality, and sensibilities on the people. The > most recent case > being the proposed ban on the Hindi movie, Dum Maro Dum. > > > We must realize, that in a free society, civil liberties > such as the artist’s > right to create, to interpret, to challenge existing > norms are sacrosanct. They > must be protected, they must be fought for as fiercely as > our nationalist heroes > fought for Liberation and they must be honoured every step > of the way even when > it repulses us to do so. Unless the mind is allowed to roam > unfettered, it > cannot create, it cannot hold a mirror unto society. When > the creative mind > itself is weighed down by censorship, society stagnates; it > becomes hollow, > echoing only those sentiments which it finds acceptable > from within its empty > chambers. > > Who is to decide what is objectionable in a free society? > Yes, there are laws; > there are guidelines to decide what is truly offensive, > inciteful, obscene, > violent and defamatory but the mark of maturity lies in our > ability to discern > which is which. Hurt sensibilities do not give us the right > to clamp down on > free speech in the guise of protecting society. The > principles of democracy are > far greater, far more important than our hurt.