Friday,
November 03, 2006
Freedom of Speech vs. Common Decency - -
Shylocks and Mafia, OK ???
The
ANNOTICO Report
Let
me go on the Record. I ally myself with Abe Foxman of
the Anti Defamation League (ADL).
Abe
would be opposed to any "so called" Parody of Jews as Greedy,
Grasping, Hook Nosed Shylocks, and I would be standing there next to him.
I
hope Abe would also agree that Saha
Baron Cohen's ridicule of
The
author of the following article points out that not only are such associations
"indecent", they have practical implications!!!
I
quote: " Say the first word that comes to mind if
I say
"In such a
way, organs of the media are, with total impunity, sowing seeds of poison by
planning one negative stereotype after another in the common peoples minds
...by constantly portraying other groups in a negative or ludicrous light they
besmirch the reputation of such groups and destroy their right to live with
dignity and self-respect. "
American
Chronicle
David
Kessel
November
3, 2006
As the government
of Kazakhstan is hating Borat more and more for
making a movie and TV series in which their country is shown to be a backward
East European backwater and a poor Third World jumping off place, and in the
aftermath of the cartoon riots, many Muslims around the world are steel reeling
under the weight of the controversy, many Western media leaders are citing the
right of free speech in their defense.
Many are saying
that a movie is not real life, and a cartoon is just a cartoon. However, how do
you know about the effects that such movies or cartoons will have on people in
real lives? Peoples reputations can be ruined. They can be mocked. They
can be refused jobs and apartments. They will be shut out of social lives.
Its been known to happen. Who is reading such newspapers or watching such
movies? It is mostly working-class people the majority of whom arent that sophisticated and who, while realizing that
a movie was made at a studio, will still form harmful subliminal associations
in their minds which in the future will only increase bigotry and
discrimination against various groups. So, while free speech is allowing you to
make funny movies and caricatures, keep in mind that you are harming many
peoples lives in the process.
I keep hearing
things like- well, most people know it is really nothing serious, just a
parody. But most people, even in the West are not necessarily open-minded,
international, politically correct PhD holders with majors in Intercultural
Communications. Landlords and employers are watching such movies and seeing
such cartoons. And next time a Muslim or a Kazakh comes to apply for a job or
to rent living space, they stand a bigger chance of being rejected than before
such things have been put into the organs of the media. In social situations
people will be ridiculed- "Hey, I saw a show about
Such
irresponsible journalism and movie making is creating a very harmful effect. Think
about one thing, for example: it is called "word association". People
are asked to give the first other word that comes to mind when a certain word
is uttered. Teachers in classrooms would give an exercise to students quite
often when I was younger. Say the first word that comes to mind if I say
In such a way,
organs of the media are, with total impunity, sowing seeds of poison by
planning one negative stereotype after another in the common peoples
minds.
Granted, Italians
are now quite well accepted in
Media should not
take the very sacred right of free speech as a license to slander entire groups
and, in process, virtually ruin their lives. Free speech is there to expose
true evil, not sow tribal scorn and hatred. So, please have some decency, media
people. We cannot legislate decency, only suggest it to you. Think about all
those who may be affected by your gross and false generalizations and by the associations
you are repeatedly inserting into the minds of the common working public
worldwide in the name of 'free speech' and the Almighty Dollar.
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