[കേ.ശാ.സാ.പ] Re: [കേ.ശാ.സാ.à´ª] Re: Kerala going to the dogs.

>
> Some of us have drafted a letter of protest to the
> Principal of St. Joseph's College of
> Communication in Changanassery, which has recently
> expelled five students for making a film on
> homosexuality. I have attached the final petition
> to this email. If you would like to sign on to
> the petition, please send an email with your name
> and designation, if any, to mayur_at_altlawforum. org
> or please email me so I can add your name to the
> petition. Thanks Siddharth
> ------------ --------- ------- * Please go through
> the following petition. If you do wish to sign on,
> please send an email, with your name and
> designation, if any, to mayur_at_altlawforum. org.
> To, The Principal St. Josephs College of
> Communication, Changanassery Dear Ma¢am/Sir,
> Re: Students expelled for making film on
> homosexuality. We are deeply disturbed at
> the expulsion of five students from your
> institution on the ground that they made a film that
> explores
> homosexual themes. The film titled ¡Secret
> Minds¢, as you are aware, is a short film on
> homosexuality made as an entry for the competition
> section of an inter-college short film festival in
> Thiruvananthapuram. According to newspaper reports
> the management of your institution felt that the
> film, by portraying homosexuality had transgressed
> the limits of decency and moral values that your
> institution stood for. We, the undersigned, find
> these reasons completely unacceptable, and would
> like to express our shock and outrage at your
> action. Homosexuality in India is a
> topic that is taboo and is largely left out of
> public discourse. However, as you may be aware,
> there is a growing movement for the rights of
> sexual minorities in this country, which argues
> that all persons irrespective of their sexual
> orientation and gender identity have the right to
> live with dignity. In fact, the constitutional
> validity of the law criminalizes
> homosexuality in India is currently under
> challenge before the Delhi High Court. The acts of
> your institution have effectively censored a film
> on homosexuality, thus repudiating a certain way
> of life and denying homosexuals and other sexual
> minorities validation of their lifestyles through
> public portrayal and constituting an official
> condemnation of homosexuality. Historically, it
> is the incursions of the State into free speech that
> has been guarded against by academic institutions,
> film-makers, and artists. Instead, your
> institution by its actions has sought to act as the
> State and arbitrarily impose its own moral values
> in censoring this film. Merely because your
> institution is of the opinion that homosexuality is
> immoral it does not entitle your to censor the
> portrayal of homosexuality thus curtailing any
> debate or discussion around the issue.
> Furthermore, the invocation of the arbitrary
> standard of ¡obscenity¢ or ¡indecency¢ cannot be a
> legitimate reason for such an action, as this only
> becomes another reason to stifle debate and censor
> expression. It is the responsibility of an
> institution like yours to create a space that allows
> for the articulation of opinions that it may not
> agree with. It is only by pushing the limits of
> what is sayable and unsayable that such a space
> can be created. We believe that the actions of your
> institution in expelling these students for
> exercising their freedom of expression is
> completely unjustified and undermines the creation
> of such a space. As an academic institution,
> and particularly as a media and communications
> school, we believe that it is essential that your
> institution encourage diverse points of view and
> modes of expression. Academic growth and
> excellence can only be achieved in a space that is
> open to different ideas, where there is a culture
> of creativity and where people are not afraid to
> openly express themselves, and it is your
> institution¢s duty to ensure that such an
> atmosphere is cultivated. However, your
> institution¢s acts in expelling these students can
> only destroy the possibility of creating such an
> atmosphere and harms the reputation of your
> institution as a centre of academic excellence. As
> an institution that is training future film makers
> and media artists, your action in expelling these
> students undermines the role of film makers and
> artists who have always acted as guardians of the
> limits of free speech. Furthermore, what is
> extremely shocking is the disproportionate and
> arbitrary punishment given to the students. It is
> disturbing that your institution¢s response to the
> portrayal of homosexuality has been so vicious and
> brutal. We condemn your decision, demand that you
> reconsider your actions and reinstate the expelled
> students. * If you do wish to sign on, please
> send an email, with your name and designation, if
> any, to mayur_at_altlawforum. org.
> Annexure
>
 http://www.deccanhe rald.com/ deccanherald/ apr282007/ national22255200 7427.asp
> Deccan Herald, 28 April, 2007 * Students
> expelled for making film on homosexuality * From R
> Gopakumar DH News Service Thiruvananthapuram: A
> Catholic Church-run mass communications college in
> Kottayam has stirred a hornet's nest by expelling
> five students for making a film on homosexuality.
> The students are all fourth semester BA
> (multimedia) students of the St Joseph's College
> of Communications at Changanassery. The incident
> brings alive the raging worldwide debate on
> homosexuality to the church circles in Kerala.
> Neither the expelled students nor the authorities
> were readily willing to comment. Prathyush, one of
> the expelled students, told Deccan Herald that
> four of them had acted in the five-minute short film
> titled Secret Minds. The film depicting
> homosexuality was directed by an MA (film and TV)
> student Jeo Baby. He claimed that it was mainly
> intended for an inter-collegiate film festival
> here. The college management, however, felt that
> the film had transgressed the limits of decency
> and moral values that the college stood for and
> would have misled youths. The college authorities
> further said that the students misused the campus
> and college hostel premises for making the film
> and had also acted entirely nude in it. The
> management made clear its stand in the showcause
> notice issued to the students. The students were
> first served a showcause notice on March 23 and 27
> and later expelled on April 2 on finding that
> their replies were unsatisfactory. However,
> Prathyush who was the only student willing to speak
> denied these allegations and said that they had
> exercised only their freedom of expression. The
> film was also well within the confines of the course
> to which they were admitted. Also, they had acted
> only partially nude as required by the script.
> "In any case, the film was not
> for public viewing but for a specific festival
> audience. They are just creating unnecessary fuss,"
> he said. The students registered a complaint
> against the college with the Mahatma Gandhi
> University's grievance cell and also forwarded the
> notice which contained the charges against them.
> When contacted, college director Fr Sebastian
> refused to comment saying the issue was not over
> and was "undergoing certain processes". However,
> experts see the incident as an offshoot of the lack
> of theological guidance in the Church on the issue
> of homosexuality.

Arun Shivanandan <arun.shivanandan_at_gmail.com> wrote: Argument against Smart City etc: Big Corporates exploit people. Hence they should not be allowed.

( Most of the major IT companies have labour laws hitherto unseen in the private companies in our state. Like- working from home, long pre- and post-maternity leaves, and strong sexual harassment laws )

 On 5/11/07, Arun Shivanandan <arun.shivanandan@gmail.com> wrote: The second link is --> http://www.countercurrents.org/gender-marcel080305.htm

On 5/11/07, Arun Shivanandan <arun.shivanandan_at_gmail.com> wrote: And the reason is not just crony capitalism.

I do not know why most 'intellectuals' do not have much to say when the topic is this. By my thinking, most intellectuals think only for 50% of the population. And same with the government. You will understand why, if you read these articles-->

1.http://www.countercurrents.org/gender-jacob230604.htm
2.http://www.countercurrents.org/gender- marcel080305.htm

Please read those.
 
This forum has seen a lot of discussions. On a variety of topics. Let's see if this topic gets dodged.

Thanks,
Arun.

"Do not judge me by my actions;

Do not judge me from man's point of view"

"Judge me from God's - by the hidden purpose behind my actions.
Regi George wishing you Good Luck. Thanks

       
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Received on ഞാ മെ 13 2007 - 11:03:04 IST