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ACTION against boston-globe report (fwd)
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Wed, 07 Dec 1994 17:47:05 EST
From: Rahul V. Herwadkar <rvh@MIT.EDU>
Subject: ACTION against boston-globe report
December 7, 1994.
hi,
foll. is a report of an unpleasant incident in Sherborn, MA. more
shocking is the manner in which boston-globe reported the event.
please read on, and if you wish to, send a protest letter to Boston
Globe, or send _EMAIL_ to: letters@globe.com or beam@globe.com
***CUT HERE***
Hi
Here's the article I was talking about in the previous message.
Bobby
---------
This is a call for action!
In the uppermiddle class town of Sherborn, MA, a peace education
school erected a bronze statue of Gandhi as a memorial. The town
residents went nuts. The statue was defaced; the zoning board chair
man resigned in protest; a resident summed it up, the statue "is an
affront to the sacrifices of the people in this town for freedom."
Instead of denouncing this outrageous display of ignorance and racism,
Boston Globe columnist Alex Beam chose to smugly comment on the
irony of the Sherborn response in herr December 7 column, featured
on the front page of the Globe's much read Living Arts section.
"Needless to say," Beam writes, "the town is up in arms." Is it suppose
to be obvious and understandable that people would find a Gandhi
memorial offensive? AFter all, Beam writes, "the effect [of the
statue] is quite jarring." And Gandhi is the man whom "Winston
Churchill dismissed as a 'half naked fakir.'" (I'm sure the fact
that most Globe readers don't know the meaning of the word "fakir"
hasn't escaped Beam--it can't really matter, since after all, the
word does sound remarkably similar to "fucker" or "faker.")
Beam is trying to be sarcastic, but in so doing, dredges up many racist
characterizations of Gandhi, thus legitimating Sherborn's response and
contributing to the general public's narrow, racist understanding
of Gandhi. Racist ignorance as displayed in Sherborn demands informed critique
and outrage--not cutesy sarcasm.
In sum, Sherborn's response is NO BIG DEAL to Beam, maybe a little
ironic and funny, but certainly nothing to condemn.
If you think otherwise, please drop a line to Beam, at beam@globe.com.
Or to the Globe, at letters@globe.com.
***END OF REPORT***
From,
Rahul V. Herwadkar.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Email: rvh@athena.mit.edu ! MAD Mathematics:
rahul@iesl.mit.edu ! "<SUCCESS> = <X> + <Y> + <Z>
Phone: (617) 253-6232 [ DAY ] ! where <X> = Work,
(617) 621-0586 [NIGHT] ! <Y> = Play,
! <Z> = Keep your mouth shut".
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