A day too late...
Yesterday, I found no time to comment on a letter to The New Vision (copied below). The state minister for information and broadcasting complains about the point of view of The New Vision. The daily's major shareholder is the Government (so please ignore the wrong fact, that you may find on their internet site; it is simply outdated...), therefore some natural conflicts of interest arise, although The New Vision says that it "must publish criticism of the government ('without becoming an institutional opponent of government').Nowhere does the act say that The New Vision must publish praise of government." (http://www.newvision.co.ug/V/)
My two most favourite sections of the letter to The New Vision are the following:
"Any responsible government such as ours has a duty to protect the unsuspecting population against immorality sharks, who genuinely believe in practices such as homosexuality and they want to impose these on the population. Our laws abhor homosexuality, pornography and such other vices."
Is there any need to comment on these lines? I doubt it. However, I am curious and tempted to ask the minister how this works. How is the practise of homosexuality imposed on me as part of the population. Or maybe it does not work any more in my case, because I grew up in those regions of the world with are the source of all immorality. Moreover, I have had frequent contacts with homosexuals! So I may have developed some kind of natural resistance against it. Or I am alread doomed. That might be…
"You boldly stated that the Government is hypocritical and has infringed the Constitution. You went further to urge the organisers of the Vagina Monologues to go to the Constitutional Court on account that freedom of expression had been violated. There is something strange about the New Vision’s persistent position on matters such as pornography and homosexuality. the New Vision is urging the public to sue its employer!"
What is the role of the press if not to point out shortcomings. Besides, what is wrong if The New Vision recommends to make use of all legal means available, if a case is doubtful. This is the way it is, or at least, this is the way is should be. However, if the rule of law is underdeveloped… or if someone is afraid of the outcomeof the court ruling, hey that is another issue. In my personal opinion, it not the role of the Minister of state for information and broadcasting to criticise the media. Instead he should have congratulated the media for taking a critical position.
But, I should never forget, where I am. I am in a country, where there is a one page article on pick up lines, another one page article on how and when to break up relationships and where there are still exchange rates for the Austrian shilling, Deutsche Mark (not Deutschmarks, dear Northamericans!!!), and all other currencies which do not exist any more. But who cares.
"Why does New Vision promote homosexuals? TO many Ugandans, the play, which the New Vision has ferociously defended, promotes lesbianism and homosexuality. Far from the huge deception the organisers and promoters have portrayed, the play is not about violence that is regrettably meted upon our women. It is not even about any collective action society should take to stamp it out. Our laws are clear about the obnoxious practice we know as homosexuality. The Penal Code outlaws it. Besides, it is repulsive to our culture and traditions. That is why the Media Council, in its own wisdom, banned the play’s performance at Ndere Theatre and the Government supported the council’s decision. What has been The New Vision response following the ban? In the New Vision of February 18, you doubted whether the council’s decision and Cabinet’s support were constitutional. You boldly stated that the Government is hypocritical and has infringed the Constitution. You went further to urge the organisers of the Vagina Monologues to go to the Constitutional Court on account that freedom of expression had been violated. There is something strange about the New Vision’s persistent position on matters such as pornography and homosexuality. the New Vision is urging the public to sue its employer! As your position is that in spite of what the law says about homosexuality, the right to freedom of expression must disregard that law! Where in the world is there unfettered freedom of the kind you want to see in Uganda? Any responsible government such as ours has a duty to protect the unsuspecting population against immorality sharks, who genuinely believe in practices such as homosexuality and they want to impose these on the population. Our laws abhor homosexuality, pornography and such other vices. In United Kingdom, for example, the story is different. I agree that there have been inconsistencies in the way the Media Council treats the pandemic of immorality in our country. This should stop. However, such reported inconsistencies should not provide an excuse for the likes of the New Vision to advocate that because application of the law is inconsistent, nothing against public immorality should be done. Increasingly, the New Vision is articulating the rights of homosexuals. This practice has increased over the last few months. Increasingly, too, the paper in which the Movement Government has majority shares, is promoting illegality presumably under pressure from its rivals in the print media. Progressively, one is witnessing an organised campaign in the media and schools to ‘soften’ Ugandans’ revulsion against vices such as homosexuality. As long as the Constitution’s stand is that homosexuality is a criminal practice, the New Vision should not advocate a contrary view through use of orchestrated tactics designed to undermine Ugandan’s social as well as moral order. Finally, the Movement Government is the author of the freedom we are all enjoying: Freedom of expression, association, etc. The Government will jealously guard against any attempt to erode these freedoms. However, it believes that freedom a la carte is dangerous and it does not exist anywhere, including in the more established democracies. If Government were to follow the New Vision’s line, people would soon clamour that it is their right to go naked on the streets of Kampala. Would the New Visionn defend their rights to do so? Freedom with responsibility is the issue here. Responsibility entails observance of Uganda’s and not other countries’ laws. " By NSABA BUTURO The writer is minister of state for information and broadcasting Published on: Thursday, 24th February, 2005 in The New Vision SOURCE: http://www.newvision.co.ug/detail.php?mainNewsCategoryId=&newsCategoryId=459&newsId=419805
My two most favourite sections of the letter to The New Vision are the following:
"Any responsible government such as ours has a duty to protect the unsuspecting population against immorality sharks, who genuinely believe in practices such as homosexuality and they want to impose these on the population. Our laws abhor homosexuality, pornography and such other vices."
Is there any need to comment on these lines? I doubt it. However, I am curious and tempted to ask the minister how this works. How is the practise of homosexuality imposed on me as part of the population. Or maybe it does not work any more in my case, because I grew up in those regions of the world with are the source of all immorality. Moreover, I have had frequent contacts with homosexuals! So I may have developed some kind of natural resistance against it. Or I am alread doomed. That might be…
"You boldly stated that the Government is hypocritical and has infringed the Constitution. You went further to urge the organisers of the Vagina Monologues to go to the Constitutional Court on account that freedom of expression had been violated. There is something strange about the New Vision’s persistent position on matters such as pornography and homosexuality. the New Vision is urging the public to sue its employer!"
What is the role of the press if not to point out shortcomings. Besides, what is wrong if The New Vision recommends to make use of all legal means available, if a case is doubtful. This is the way it is, or at least, this is the way is should be. However, if the rule of law is underdeveloped… or if someone is afraid of the outcomeof the court ruling, hey that is another issue. In my personal opinion, it not the role of the Minister of state for information and broadcasting to criticise the media. Instead he should have congratulated the media for taking a critical position.
But, I should never forget, where I am. I am in a country, where there is a one page article on pick up lines, another one page article on how and when to break up relationships and where there are still exchange rates for the Austrian shilling, Deutsche Mark (not Deutschmarks, dear Northamericans!!!), and all other currencies which do not exist any more. But who cares.
"Why does New Vision promote homosexuals? TO many Ugandans, the play, which the New Vision has ferociously defended, promotes lesbianism and homosexuality. Far from the huge deception the organisers and promoters have portrayed, the play is not about violence that is regrettably meted upon our women. It is not even about any collective action society should take to stamp it out. Our laws are clear about the obnoxious practice we know as homosexuality. The Penal Code outlaws it. Besides, it is repulsive to our culture and traditions. That is why the Media Council, in its own wisdom, banned the play’s performance at Ndere Theatre and the Government supported the council’s decision. What has been The New Vision response following the ban? In the New Vision of February 18, you doubted whether the council’s decision and Cabinet’s support were constitutional. You boldly stated that the Government is hypocritical and has infringed the Constitution. You went further to urge the organisers of the Vagina Monologues to go to the Constitutional Court on account that freedom of expression had been violated. There is something strange about the New Vision’s persistent position on matters such as pornography and homosexuality. the New Vision is urging the public to sue its employer! As your position is that in spite of what the law says about homosexuality, the right to freedom of expression must disregard that law! Where in the world is there unfettered freedom of the kind you want to see in Uganda? Any responsible government such as ours has a duty to protect the unsuspecting population against immorality sharks, who genuinely believe in practices such as homosexuality and they want to impose these on the population. Our laws abhor homosexuality, pornography and such other vices. In United Kingdom, for example, the story is different. I agree that there have been inconsistencies in the way the Media Council treats the pandemic of immorality in our country. This should stop. However, such reported inconsistencies should not provide an excuse for the likes of the New Vision to advocate that because application of the law is inconsistent, nothing against public immorality should be done. Increasingly, the New Vision is articulating the rights of homosexuals. This practice has increased over the last few months. Increasingly, too, the paper in which the Movement Government has majority shares, is promoting illegality presumably under pressure from its rivals in the print media. Progressively, one is witnessing an organised campaign in the media and schools to ‘soften’ Ugandans’ revulsion against vices such as homosexuality. As long as the Constitution’s stand is that homosexuality is a criminal practice, the New Vision should not advocate a contrary view through use of orchestrated tactics designed to undermine Ugandan’s social as well as moral order. Finally, the Movement Government is the author of the freedom we are all enjoying: Freedom of expression, association, etc. The Government will jealously guard against any attempt to erode these freedoms. However, it believes that freedom a la carte is dangerous and it does not exist anywhere, including in the more established democracies. If Government were to follow the New Vision’s line, people would soon clamour that it is their right to go naked on the streets of Kampala. Would the New Visionn defend their rights to do so? Freedom with responsibility is the issue here. Responsibility entails observance of Uganda’s and not other countries’ laws. " By NSABA BUTURO The writer is minister of state for information and broadcasting Published on: Thursday, 24th February, 2005 in The New Vision SOURCE: http://www.newvision.co.ug/detail.php?mainNewsCategoryId=&newsCategoryId=459&newsId=419805
posted by Torsten at 11:38 am
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home