Behzti Play - Sikh Perspective in Press

[GuruManeyoGranth]

Waheguroo Jee Ka Khalsa!

Waheguroo Jee Kee Fateh!!

Found this in today's The Observer. I think this is an article that tries to rebalance (belatedly) the media backlash that we faced in the last week.

Observer Newspaper Article

What does the sangat think about the article?

Bhul Chuk Maaf

Waheguru

[Guest rsingh]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4125533.stm

Rushdie outraged at Sikh protests

[sanj singh]

This quote explains it all, we must learn from it and understand.

Gurharpal Singh, professor of inter-religious relations at the University of Birmingham, said: 'There is no structured leadership in the community, so competing groups try to get in on the act when single issues arise.'

[buddasingh]

the following is from the Rep website. My comments follow. This has not been submitted to any press. As is they are not written in a form that mainstream press is likely to print. I am not in Britain. If someone wishes to take ideas, use all or any part of it to write something, please feel free.

Behzti: Following the violent events at The REP on Saturday, which have been broadly reported in the news, the management has found it necessary to cancel the remaining performances of BEHZTI in order to ensure the safety of audiences and customers. The theatre regrets having to take this action and apologises for any disappointment this may cause. If you have tickets for the play, please contact Box Office on 0121 236 4455, who will arrange a full refund.

We have taken our message board off-line for the time being due to overload on comments regarding BEHZTI. Some comments were overtly racist and many were innappropriate for the many young people who access this site. Whilst we encourage debate and discussion over this topic we think certain views are better discussed in a chat room rather than on a public access message board.

------------------

The Rep website homepage in commenting on Behzti contains two paragraphs. The first paragraph refers to “Violent events … broadly reported in the news”. The Rep knows very well that in one sweeping statement they are endorsing the hysterical nonsense of the mass media. This self serving repetition of sound bytes comes from an outfit which espouses to challenge mindsets. If the Rep is so intent on freedom of expression, they should set an example by hanging their head in shame on a theatre’s opportunistic alignment with t

hese sound bytes.

The second paragraph of the Reps statement on Behzti speaks of removing the online message board due to comments on Behzti. First, why remove the message board? Is it not the Reps position that censorship is wrong? There are three reasons provided by the Rep for removing the board? The Rep is apparently so uneasy with their stance that cannot unequivocally state why they are taking the stance. Was it the overload of comments? Were the comments overtly racist? Or were they inappropriate for young people? Is it a point system for each reason toward a ban? Would one reason have been sufficient? Exactly what was the process undertaken to violate free speech by the upholder of freedom of speech?

If a carefully crafted and a well rehearsed script can be justified under the banner of freedom of speech in a Rep theatre, then why can’t the Rep website, a much more spontaneous medium, be mature enough to expect a wide range of views to challenge all of us? Isn’t it the Reps position with Behzti that society is mature enough not to take offense out of context?

To the Rep: Please enumerate for us the categories on which basis comments can lead to removal of the message board. God forbid that against freedom of speech you are simply using your common sense and discretion in deciding what the standard is for offensive in your community! Pease tell us that you had nothing less than masses of people peacefully protesting against your website message board in the cold for a minimum of 11 straight nights to aid you in your drastic step to remove the message board, one more night than the masses of Sikhs young and old from all walks of life who you ignored.

Could the Rep make their textbook hypocrisy any clearer? They promote “Freedom of Speech” upon ignoring the voice of a whole community, but then cave in to some inner voice to selectively stomp out speech. The following rings a bell when it comes to elitist hypocrisy: “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than

others”.

Finally, there is much irony in the Rep specifying that some comments on the message board were “overtly” racist. The Rep speaks of “violent events”. Code word: “think terrorist-like people”. How stupid does the Rep think minorities are? We don’t require covert racists to champion the cause against overt racism.

In fact, we need to address the greater evil of the socially mobile and formally educated racists. The western racist world that we are born into confers a race advantage which they promote and thrive upon. However, they are insecure as they see forces toward a more level playing field. This insecurity makes them connivingly racist, and willfully blind in promoting racism, all while speaking against overt racism and for their harmonious love for curry.

The Rep and Rep likes collectively seek and promote “acceptable hatreds” to maintain their social status. Perhaps it is because they are well aware of how they treat minorities that they are so afraid of becoming equal to them.

[buddasingh]

http://www.birmingham-rep.co.uk/core_asp/s...sponsorship.asp

is the link to the sponsors on the website for the Rep. Instantly boycotting them may not be as productive as contacting them by letter or phone, expressing your concern and giving them an opportunity to put their position on record. Amazing sometimes how profits can evoke a "sense of caring".

If you have a sikh organization to do it great. If not, no reason to wait, any individual has the right to express themselves. I suggest be polite but don't be afraid to ask them to be accountable. They may not take a position, if so tactfully confirm that they do not expressly support the Sikh community at this point and don't be afraid to say that you will be working to get this word out to the Sikh community. Remember that for responsible citizens, doing nothing or maintaining the status quo is sometimes the equivalent of doing something wrong.

They have a right to withhold their support and you have a right to withhold yours from them.

If you don't directly deal with any of the sponsors here, be aware of businesses not listed that you may be able to speak with that do support the sponsors. e.g. radio advertisers.

[buddasingh]

on rushdie

Rushdie seems to have put his foot in his mouth very early. On one hand he’s summed the situation up in with a black and white analysis. Yet he comments...

"The question it raises is whether such things are actually happening within the Sikh community. If it is true that things are going on in gudwaras that should be exposed, then this episode needs to be examined in a new light,"

Rushdie obviously knows very little about gurdwaras. He has not educated himself on whether there was violence, what actually caused violence, yet it is a foregone conclusion that an entire community was violent. He has also concluded that this is in fact the reason for stopping the play, without regard to the fact that the Rep is a political player, not a neutral party.

Someone of his influence commenting on an issue in which he so obviously lacks insight seems to suggest that he is an advocate for freedom of speech at any cost. In this case he would also promote the fatwa against him at any cost. His approach suggests that a fatwa is simply, as others have commented in the past, an extreme form of literary criticism. i.e. freedom of speech.

He’s coming off sounding like another washed up celebrity trying to regain some cheap attention.