Journalists from all over the world are in Amsterdam for a masters on Journalism within globalisation. Wereldjournalisten taps into their views on multicultural reporting and the Dutch medialandscape. For the coming three months they will post their observations and anecdotes in this blog.
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February 25, 2008 at 10:24 am
I was wondering what my very multicultural classmates think of the following tv-fragment:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knRLJp-nqSg&feature=related
It has been chosen TV-moment of the year. You see very famous comedian Hans Teeuwen who defends himself for insulting the three muslim-showhosts in a song.
Shoot!
February 26, 2008 at 5:03 am
Hi Neeltje,
Hmmm… the video left me a little flummoxed about what I really believe in.
The comedian made a couple of interesting point:
a) What is an insult? Is calling homosexuality a sin, an insult to homosexuals? Should people stop expressing their opinions, for the fear that they might be insulting to others?
b) Is threat of violence an acceptable response to an insult in modern society? No matter how far you are provoked?
The show hostesses made one interesting point:
Does freedom of expression equate to right to insult?
What I would have liked to ask the comedian is this:
a) He said that when you make fun of people in power, it is good for democracy. But does he really think that Muslims are in power in Europe. Whom was he referring to, when speaking of “people in power”.
b) Is there a power dynamic in the act of insulting? Do we insult those we think have a power over us? People in power don’t equate to politicians, whom we have the power to elect or throw out of office. Or a Church that nobody believes in. So we can insult them. But authorities who have the right to, say, deport you or people who claim to have a greater right over the land, surely have power. To that extent, are the immigrants positioned to insult the majority community, even if they have the right to do so.
c) With every right comes a responsibility. What is the responsibility that comes with freedom of expression?
Other than that, the most interesting thing was the show format, which itself seemed to question stereotypes:
a) The girls were wearing headscarves, but didn’t come across as oppressed or submissive. I noticed that in Denmark as well. Girls were wearing headscarves but their body language spoke more of defiance and rebellion than suppression. (You want to see a suppressed woman’s body language, come to India.) Are Muslim girls wearing the headscarves for the same reason that a lot of black people wore an Afro in the 60s: as a counterculture move to define themselves and take pride in their heritage.
b) It also showed that if the minorities organise themselves, they can find a platform to voice their concerns.
Anyway, that’s my penny’s worth.
C