Re: Gere goes gaga over Karnataka CM Kumaraswamy

[Guest guest]

Dear FORUM,

As a Development Media professional who is based in Bangalore, closely

watching all these High Gere activities in our city and Karnataka. I am also in

to disseminating, conceptualising some innovative concepts in reaching out to

the community.

Yes, it is remarkable and one should acknowledge Gere's commitment

towards the issue. But, I personally feel that all these Celebrity

campaigns have totally failed and is not reaching the common man or an

illiterate, deprived person. I am not judgemental or cynical but making this

statement based on my observation, interaction with these

professional celebrities. Our CM Kumaraswamy has started a new political gimmick

by staying at a poorest villager of a remote village.

Even his stay at a HIV infected person is also another political gimmik. Still,

one should appreciate his action. It may be because of his counterpart Andra

Pradesh Chief Minister YS Rajashekara Reddy's influence.

Gere, had a lunch on , closed door meeting with local film and TV

personalities14th morning. The artists who had attended the meeting are bit

articulate, in to so called social concern activities and who are in to making

sensible films are our ambassadors. I have seen these actors who are

professional brand ambassadors as a journalist.

For example, Ramesh arvind, a popular actor of Kannada films who had attended

Gere's exclusive meeting is in to Child Rights , Physically and Mentally

Challenged issues, anti tobacco, tourism, environment etc. issues.

So, how can he spend time and energy to understand and support all these issues?

Our Karnataka government is spending huge money on preventive measures and

engaging professional, commercial film people to make HIV based films.

There are a few instances where the concerned department has quashed all the

films produced by such film directors recently.

It is very unfortunate that so called celebrities, who do not know the

basic difference between HIV and AIDS are part of the campaighn. I

hardly see a person like Gere in the entire celebrity campaighn. Gere's

involvement with the issue is above all cerebrel and intellectual level. He is

deeply involved with the issue and he is empetheticaly with the issue. Gere's

camapign is a success because of his emotional commitment. Hardly we see such

type of concerned and knowldgeble celebrity in any campaighn.

Shamantha

Development Media Professional

Bangalore, India

e-mail: <shamantha@...>

[Guest guest]

Dear FORUM,

Being present at the function where the Chief Minister of Karnataka, Mr.H.D.

Kumarswamy announced that he would be staying overnight in a family affected by

HIV, I too, heard many people in the development field and otherwise calling the

action a political gimmick.

There have also been several doubts and questions raised about celebrities being

part of HIV campaign and its effectiveness.

First of all, let us understand that, chief minister of a state staying

overnight at an HIV affected family’s house, eating with them, touching them,

using their washroom is a very big public statement, especially in a state

where people still believe that

HIV spreads by touching.

It is a very big step towards reducing stigma and discrimination (if the media

makes sure that the news reaches as many people as

possible). Whether CM draws political mileage out of it or not is secondary to

me as person working for the cause of HIV/AIDS.

If I remove my hat as a development worker and look at the action as a regular

citizen of the country, I would still laud his action. As the head of the

government, it is his ‘JOB’. He ought to play his role both substantially and

symbolically to deal with HIV/AIDS related issues.

I would rather congratulate him in taking the lead. We all know that,

direct contact with people does make you understand their problems better.

Haven’t most of us experienced that making field visits give us more ideas to

work better than reading books sitting in our offices? So if the ministers are

out to make their ‘field visits’

why should we call them political gimmicks? Let them do it. We should rather

encourage them.

It is better than them sitting at their respective air-conditioned offices (we

seem to have problem with that as well). So let us be generous enough and not

criticise their good actions.

Same is the case with actors and actresses being part of the campaign. Let us be

frank enough in accepting that, even after being in the field of HIV/AIDS for

several years, we also have several information gaps.

So if an actor, whose daily bread and butter comes out of dancing and running

around the bushes and giving mock fights on the screen, is not very politically

correct about his/her HIV/AIDS terminology, we must give them benefit of doubt,

and not stop there, but educate them if they can be used to work towards the

issue. That is OUR JOB.

Let us do it if we want to involve them at all, rather than doubting their

intentions publicly. The case would be different of course if a celebrity gives

a speech on HIV/AIDS and in the same breath fires his/her driver or a cook

because he/she has HIV. That hypocrisy should be protested against.

So the point I am trying to drive home is that, it is time that, we the

development workers and also journalists, should get over this attitude of

‘everybody OTHER THAN US has secret personal interests

in all their good actions’

Involve as many people as possible in the causes that we are trying to work on.

Shailesh Vaite

e-mail: shaileshvaite@...

Phone- 09821224191

[Guest guest]

Dear FORUM,

Karnataka chief minister's annoncement that he will be staying

overnight with HIV infected family is really comendable.

His initiative will be a morale booster to all working for HIV/AIDS

awareness in the state and the country.Other ministers in his

cabinet should take que from him and come forward to fight against

the discrimination that the HIV positive people are facing in the

community

Dr K.G.Kulkarni

E-MAIL: <kulkarnikg@...>