Free-choice?

Let me hear your shock
at my  heinous silence

Yes, I am your biggest sympathizer
I am to blame
for what you do is not
the brunt of what I bear                                

I can be furious
and blindly loyal to
your book


then they say that I don't have free-choice
that I am indoctrinated into
misogyny that I fail to
locate in my world


What rubbish!
I have freedom to choose
to make from all the stories
they narrate for me.

Stories they think are
worthless  lies
are actually my little disputed truths
for which I'm ready to sacrifice
my very existence.


Zeeba T. Hashmi

Lahore,
25th December, 2012




 

Freedom of speech: a sense of misplaced justice

Does free-speech equate to civil offense?

Freedom of expression is highly   reliant on the sort of expression  to be used freely and by what gender as it varies from society to society.  There are indeed, many paradoxes involved when it is to be used in public.  There are many a gaps to be found in what we are expressing and how it is perceived in a highly controlled, constricted environment.  If this is not so, use of violence comes in as the option to hold the reverence of the already dictated appropriateness of communication:  because of discouraging or blocking   divergent ideas or innovations in context to penetrate in communication system layout that is guarded by rigid hierarchy, differences in opinion are not properly understood or rationalized, and any attempt to bridge the gaps is seen with great suspicion; often delegated with punishment.  The inculcation of fear is the primary factor to be considered when deciphering expression here.  And those who show no fear are often considered foolish or suicidal.

There is a perfect situation in the making when common-sense takes a flight.  The our most  dis-appreciated   vocal Dr. Pervez Hoodhboy said something even more bolder about making favorable provision for scientific growth in the country.

"In Pakistan, unfortunately, the conditions for developing science are not good. Science is all about intellectual freedom and questioning the basis of ideas. It requires that people accept the scientific method, which puts logic and observation above preconceived ideas. These conditions are not fulfilled in Pakistan or in most Muslim countries."

Let's not forget how advocating freedom of expression and intrigue has cost him his job from one of the most renowned academic institutes in Pakistan.

If we flip the original question: how we respond is shockingly ironical.

Does taking human life equate to civil offense?

What sort of a question is this?  "No" in a heart-beat!

Think again how you can answer this question in the company of bearded, stout, pious men.  Again, you may have to answer it as diplomatically as you can, depending on how liberal you can afford yourself to be on the conundrum.

Intimidating slogans and banners that criminalize free speech can be found everywhere, starting from the back side of auto-rickshaws to the banners on Lahore Mall Road.

If equating freedom of speech allowed for one and limiting/criminalizing for others it to be analyzed, our sense of justice soon becomes misplaced or biased.  To elaborate it with a little example: there are actually laws against a sect of Muslims for uttering traditional Muslim Assalam u Alaikum greetings in public, yet there are no laws against certain religious clerical groups that openly  issue fatwas of murder and incite violence and harm against minorities.  

Where is our sense of justice here?