please add my name. anand patwardhan On 5/11/07, Anivar Aravind <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- > Hash: SHA1 > > > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > 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 [EMAIL PROTECTED] 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 > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > 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 [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Annexure > > > http://www.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/apr282007/national222552007427.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. > > > -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- > Version: GnuPG v1.4.6 (GNU/Linux) > > iD8DBQFGREdaF+jWtLmEaycRAlOkAJwO/MQhRjJyAGSxSNR4wI4yGpA9EgCeOo50 > 1UtZW0DfvwSMEn/eL8neb5M= > =TvwI > -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- > > > >
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