Re: An open letter to Mr Gere: Apology Rejected !

[Guest guest]

[Moderators note: The message “An open letter to Mr Gere: Apology

rejected from Sudhir M, New Delhi, originally appeared on the Hindustan Times

column, has attracted strong reaction from many of the readers of this FORUM.

Most of the messages did not add any additional substance to the ongoing

dialogue; instead it was sheer expression of outrage. The level of outrage was

so severe, some of them used words which, I couldn’t locate the meaning in any

dictionary! So I have to reject those messages.]

Re: /message/7245

Dear FORUM,

Well, unfortunately, I happen to be a " common woman " as opposed to Mr.

Sudhir being a common man and I do not think any woman's modesty was was

violated especially if the woman herself is not complaining.

I think we have to concentrate on HIV/AIDS. I suggest we channelize our energies

towards making sure female foeticide is stopped, women are not sexually

assaulted and women are not harassed for dowry.

Let's start with ourselves first before we pick on others.

Some Indian men don't even have basic respect for the women in their own

families. Let's start from our own homes first before we try to save the modesty

of *all *the Indian women.

Let's stop being hypocritical.

I would also suggest Mr. Sudhir delete the part about " We, the people of

India " ... I simply do not subscribe to his views.

Chirantani Dey

e-mail: <chirantani.dey@...>

[Guest guest]

Dear Forum/ Moderator,

Re: /message/7245

It appears to me that Mr Sudhir's message " An open letter to Mr Gere:

Apology " is a facetious and satirical response to the accumulated and excessive

media and political outpourings on the subject and most definitely " tongue in

cheek " ! I hope this does not let loose another storm.

I found the Kamasutra & erotic temple art descriptives in the message a stated

counterpoint to the real event descriptions of outrage to women on a daily basis

in India, especially delicious.

We are a poor lot indeed if we cannot see the humor in our false sense of self

righteousness.

While the world and we grapple with the mutiplex issues related to combating

HIV/AIDS on a sociological, anthropoligical, medical, technological, political

and financial level, we should consider this: looking very carefully at oneself

in a mirror every morning should warn us that we may not come across a person

that day, more in need of humility and help!

Best wishes for a saner outlook to life and reality.

Dr Shashi Menon.

E-MAIL: <msmenon@...>

[Guest guest]

Dear FORUM,

Re: /message/7245

Apparently Ms. Dey did not read the full mail of Mr. Sudhir, 'the common man' in

question. I think you replied immediately after reading through first paragraph.

If you had read the whole mail you would have realized that it was a rather

sarcastic mail, which points out exactly the issues you have brought forth,

about the state of women in our country. He is being cynical about the people

who claim to be the 'moral police' and make a hue and cry over a non issue,

while ignore the everyday atrocities committed against women and sometimes even

perpetuate it themselves.

This line from your mail is very interesting.

" women are not sexually assaulted and women are not harassed for dowry "

Really? Im amazed, where did you get this data? a seperate census of your own?

India must be really " shining " then. Perhaps we don't need electric bulbs any

more. Perhaps we should shut down all the NGOs working on women's development or

domestic violence, perhaps even better we should stop the NGOs who work for

women who have been tricked into getting HIV by concealing the status of their

husbands.

Perhaps the newspaper reports of dowry deaths and suicides by young brides are

false. I don't think you are a 'common woman', you seem to have super powers and

see the future about how India should be ideally and not how it is now. I hope

you understand the cyncism in the previous paragraph and realize that I am not

actually asking the NGOs to be shut down, but about your superpowers I am not

being cynical at all.

My best regards to you

BVJ Gandhi

e-mail: <b_vjg@...>