Joe Shearer
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- Apr 19, 2009
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I really think we are handling this very badly.
Consider the facts.
A twisted bigot puts some defamatory stuff about a famous Pakistani poetess, and tries to put her down by blowing out of all proportion an ugly incident at a mushaira that she attended, as an invitee. In spite of the truth being readily available, we have it reported on PDF with all the mirch-masala that was available on the kitchen shelf. We then proceed to make horses' arses of ourselves:
1. some Indians by being churlish and defiant in a surly kind of way, with not a hint of regret, nor any hint that having read the true account, they were not in any mood to bother with the distorted version; pathetic, really;
2. some Pakistanis by applauding the humilitation meted out to the three, a humiliation that never was, as it serves them right for having anything to do with the leprous Indians;
3. some Indians then by playing the tu quoque card, which is so tiresome when our friends the Pakistanis play it;
4. some Pakistanis by sneering at the lack of the true spirit of hospitality of the Indians, and their disgraceful behaviour towards guests;
5. some other Indiansn by thoroughly losing their composure and dragging in Bangladesh;
6. a little love-affair conducted by two of our most respected members, in full public view :-D
7. the usual suspects, weighing in with wholly untrustworthy points of view;
8. very sensible interventions by one Pakistani, with apparently nobody to listen to him and to his balanced and reasonable points.
Please stop. This is fast becoming a headache.
A. There was no insult. One - one - dissenting person spoke up, and I admire him for doing so, and sticking to his guns, even as I am thankful that he was promptly bundled out;
B. There was some elliptical references in the mushaira itself to this incident, of a dignified, yet sardonic type, which apparently tickled the audience and earned its appreciation;
C. The proceedings went on perfectly peacefully from that point on.
I don't like what the protester did, and I don't like the words he used, but damn me if I don't support his right to make that point. It is true that I thoroughly approved of his being thrown out (not literally, I hope), but the two things are separate. I think that the three guests that evening, if asked, will tell us that they had a whale of a time. I think that both sides on this thread now need to give it a break.
Consider the facts.
A twisted bigot puts some defamatory stuff about a famous Pakistani poetess, and tries to put her down by blowing out of all proportion an ugly incident at a mushaira that she attended, as an invitee. In spite of the truth being readily available, we have it reported on PDF with all the mirch-masala that was available on the kitchen shelf. We then proceed to make horses' arses of ourselves:
1. some Indians by being churlish and defiant in a surly kind of way, with not a hint of regret, nor any hint that having read the true account, they were not in any mood to bother with the distorted version; pathetic, really;
2. some Pakistanis by applauding the humilitation meted out to the three, a humiliation that never was, as it serves them right for having anything to do with the leprous Indians;
3. some Indians then by playing the tu quoque card, which is so tiresome when our friends the Pakistanis play it;
4. some Pakistanis by sneering at the lack of the true spirit of hospitality of the Indians, and their disgraceful behaviour towards guests;
5. some other Indiansn by thoroughly losing their composure and dragging in Bangladesh;
6. a little love-affair conducted by two of our most respected members, in full public view :-D
7. the usual suspects, weighing in with wholly untrustworthy points of view;
8. very sensible interventions by one Pakistani, with apparently nobody to listen to him and to his balanced and reasonable points.
Please stop. This is fast becoming a headache.
A. There was no insult. One - one - dissenting person spoke up, and I admire him for doing so, and sticking to his guns, even as I am thankful that he was promptly bundled out;
B. There was some elliptical references in the mushaira itself to this incident, of a dignified, yet sardonic type, which apparently tickled the audience and earned its appreciation;
C. The proceedings went on perfectly peacefully from that point on.
I don't like what the protester did, and I don't like the words he used, but damn me if I don't support his right to make that point. It is true that I thoroughly approved of his being thrown out (not literally, I hope), but the two things are separate. I think that the three guests that evening, if asked, will tell us that they had a whale of a time. I think that both sides on this thread now need to give it a break.