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Cow Remark on CNN
In the article <3v36kc$45p@newslink.runet.edu>,
received on 25 Jul 1995 16:37:32 UTC,
snanjund@muselab.runet.edu (Shashidhar C Nanjundaiah) wrote:
:
: Dear netter,
:
: I'm posting a copy of a self-explicit letter I mailed to CNN today.
: Please give me constructive feedback if you would. Here it goes:
:
: July 25, 1995
:
: Executive Producer
: Cable News Network
: 1 CNN Center
: Atlanta, GA
:
: Dear Sir or Madam:
:
: I write to express my profound disappointment and distress over some
: remarks made by your anchor between 4:00 and 4:30 p.m. on July 23, 1995.
: In his tag on a story about saving baby leopards in Northeast India, the
: anchor said, "[These leopards are being fed milk...] Hopefully, it is not
: milk from any sacred cow."
:
: The remark, apart from being completely out of context, removed from the
: truth and radiating blissful ignorance of Indian culture, is obnoxiously
: insensitive. Being originially from India, I am deeply hurt by the
: remarks. Any claims to levity that you might make will not patch up the
: issue. All the recent clamor in India regarding another culturally
: insensitive story on your Indian service's broadcast stands not only
: justified, but powerfully reinforced by the present remark.
:
: The tag is also indicative of the deeply ingrained "religious racism"
: (for lack of better phrasing) that pervades this society. It is an
: example of how myths are manufactured by irresponsible journalists like
: yourselves, and are carried across the nation to gullible viewers. Time
: and again, I have been asked painful, mostly untrue questions about my
: culture, and I have always wondered where the questins originate. After
: watching your programs and others like it, I think I know the answer.
:
: Your program has evoked unnecessary personal pain and hurt my cultural
: pride and sentiments. The remark is by no means a stray case, and neither
: am I. Therefore, I wish to pursue this matter further. Please note that a
: copy of this letter will also be mailed to the Indian government, and a
: modified version of this letter will be mailed to the *Times of India*
: for publication in India. I hope that this will create an awareness in
: India about CNN's true "colors." I also intend to take this up on a legal
: level in the USA.
:
:
: Sincerely,
:
:
: Shashi Nanjundaiah.
:
:cc: Mr. Bhaskar Ghose, Secy, Ministry of I&B, Mandi House, New Delhi 110001.
