Sin atonement -- It-tpattija tad-dnubiet

Lately there have been some incidents that have caused me to think of subjects such as tolerance, begging for mercy and the proportionality of punishment to an offending act.  Those who know me would probably be surprised that the context of all this isn’t criminal justice.

 

One of these incidents involved a conservative comedian, Roseanne Burr, who had a regular comedy programme called Roseann on public TV in the US, the American ABC and was also broadcast on the Australian TV station Network TEN.

 

It wasn’t the first time that Barr had passed offensive comments, generally against figures on the ‘left’ of the American political scene.1  This latest iteration was a message on Twitter where she compared a consultant to the ex-American President Barack Obama, Valerie Jassett, who is black and born in Iran to American parents, as a cross between the Muslim Brotherhood and the Planet of the Apes.

 

The American ABC immedicately decided to cancel her program, and declaredthat the comment was abhorrent, repulsive and inconsistent with the values of the organisation.  Network TEN in Australia also cancelled the programme.  It was no use for Bar to make desperate apologies, not all entirely convincing, as the programme was gone and with it all those employed in its production.2

 

There is no doubt that the comment was racist and very ugly, abhorrent and the rest of it.  However I say, is it right or the only possible outcome for her programme to be terminated?  Is it right for the livelihood of many people be lost due to the irresponsible actions of one person?  Couldn’t an agreed apology have been broadcast at the start of the next scheduled episode where it could be explained why a racist action was not acceptable?

 

Racist people exist in this world, as many as you like, probably too many.  That the door is slammed in their face will not convince them to stop being racist, but will actually increase their anger at being discriminated against.

 

In my opinion, if there is a (small, probably even tiny) chance of someone racist in future becoming not so, this is only when the racism is confronted with a dialogue where the prejudices that lead to this racism are discussed, where the actions of a minority is shown to be simply that of a minority and not the majority, etc.  In other words, racism be fought through education, not by intolerance.

 

Racist people are also people.  They have an opinion (that one might not agree with) and a vote in elections which is worth not less than yours or mine.  If we slam doors in their faces, this will only result in the only occasion they have to talk to those they disagree with, is taken away.  What then would be the chances of redemption?

 

Another case occured in the sporting world, where the Australian rugby player Israel Folau, asked what was God’s plan for homosexuals, stated on Instagram that these were going to hell unless they repented.  This comment triggered outrage, and difficulties to the rugby organisation which is doing all it can to create an environment where those who are homosexual feel welcome in the sport.

 

Folau wrote a well thought out article, even balanced (in my view), where he explained where his position was coming from (his Christian faith and the Bible) and offered to leave his rugby contract if his situation was deemed untenable.3  The organisation Rugby Australia announced it would not take action against Folau for his comments, as it wanted to provide space for both homosexual communities and those with religiously-inspired views4, which I think is a mature attitude.  The door wasn’t closed.

 

Folau’s position is not different to that of many other Christians (not all naturally), who look at the Bible as the literal word of God.  Therefore for example, in a quotation identified by Folau, since St Paul said that homosexuals are one of a group of people who will not enter the kingdom of God,5 this then is the will of God.  Full stop.

 

In our society, we need to leave space for those who disagree with us to be able to speak.  We need to let them speak, listen to them attentively, understand and find out whether there are points with which we agree, not less than we’d like them to do with us.  Then we can have a discussion based on respect.

 

Freedom of expression doesn’t occur when two sides of an argument are able to say (or shout) their position without listening to the other side, with both surviving until the next time.  And this is neither the definition of tolerance.

 

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Dan l-aħħar ġraw xi avvenimenti li ġegħluni naħseb mhux ftit fuq suġġetti bħat-tolleranza, it-talbiet għall-maħfra, u l-proporzjonalità ta’ kastig ma’ att offensiv.  Min jafni forsi jkun sorpriż li l-kuntest ta’ dan kollu mhux il-ġustizzja kriminali.

 

Waħda minnhom bdiet minn kummidjanta konservattiva Amerikana, Roseanne Burr, li kellha programm regolari tad-daħk jismu Roseann fuq it-televiżjoni pubblika tal-Istati Uniti, l-ABC Amerikana li kien ukoll imxandar fuq l-istazzjoni televisiv Awstraljan Network Ten.

 

Barr mhix l-ewwel darba li għaddiet kummenti offensivi, ġeneralment kontra persunaġġi fuq ix-’xellug’ tax-xena politika Amerikana1.  Tal-aħħar tagħha kienet messaġġ fuq Twitter fejn qabblet lil konsulent tal-ex-President Amerikan Barack Obama, Valerie Jassett, li hija sewda u twieldet l-Iran minn ġenituri Amerikani, bħala l-wild tax-Xirka tal-Musulmani (Muslim Brotherhood) u l-pjaneta tax-xadini (Planet of the Apes).

 

L-ABC Amerikana mallewwel iddeċidiet li tikkanċella l-programm, u stqarret li l-kumment kien aborrenti, jumbuttak u inkonsistenti mal-valuri tal-organizzazzjoni.  Network Ten fl-Awstralja ukoll ikkanċella l-programm.  Għalxejn Barr għamlet apoloġiji ddisprati, li mhux kollha kienu konvinċenti, għax il-programm telaq u miegħu dawk kollha impjegati fil-produzzjoni tiegħu.2

 

Bla dubju li l-kumment kien wieħed razzist u ikrah għall-aħħar, aborrenti u l-bqija.  Imma ngħid jien, huwa tajjeb jew l-uniku riżultat possibbli li twaqqaf il-programm tagħha?  Tajjeb li l-għixien ta’ ħafna nies jintilef mill-aġir irresponsabbli ta’ persuna waħda?  Ma setatx ixxandret apoloġija maqbula fil-bidu tal-programm ta’ wara fejn l-aġir razzist jiġi spjegat għalfejn mhux aċċettabbli?

Nies razzisti fid-dinja hawn kemm trid.  Li wieħed jagħlqilhom il-bieb f’wiċċhom mhux se jikkonvinċihom biex ma jibqgħux razzisti, anzi jżidilhom ir-rabja li qiegħdin jiġu ddiskriminati kontra.

 

Fl-opinjoni tiegħi, jekk hemm ċans (żgħir, u probabbli żgħir ħafna) li min hu razzist ma jibqax tali, dan jiġi meta r-razziżmu jiġi affrontat bi djalogu fejn il-preġudizzji li jwasslu għal dan ir-razziżmu jiġu diskussi, fejn l-aġir ta’ minoranza tiġi murija li hija biss aġir ta’ minoranza u mhux dik tal-maġġoranza, eċċ.  Fi kliem ieħor, ir-razziżmu jiġi miġġieled bl-edukazzjoni, u mhux bl-intolleranza.

 

In-nies razzisti huma nies ukoll.  Għandhom opinjoni (li wieħed jista’ ma jaqbilx magħha) u vot fl-elezzjoni li jiswa mhux inqas minn tiegħi u tiegħek.  Jekk nagħlqulhom il-bibien, dan jirriżulta biss li l-unika ċans li għandhom biex jitkellmu ma min ma jaqbilx magħhom, ikun itteħdilhom.  Imbagħad x’ċans jibqa’ ta’ fidwa?

 

Każ ieħor seħħ fid-dinja sportiva, fejn il-plejer Awstraljan tar-ragbi Israel Folau, meta mistoqsi x’kien il-pjan t’Alla għall-omosesswali, stqarr fuq Instagram li dawn kienu sejrin l-infern sakemm ma jindmux.  Dan il-kumment qajjem kjass sħiħ, u diffikultajiet lill-organizzazzjoni tar-ragbi li qed tagħmel minn kollox biex tikkreja ambjent fejn dawk li huma omosesswali iħossuhom milqugħin mill-isport.

 

Folau kiteb artiklu rraġunat, u anke bbilanċjat (fl-opinjoni tiegħi), fejn spjega minn fejn ġejja l-pożizzjoni tiegħu (il-fidi Nisranija u l-Bibbja) u offra li jekk is-sitwazzjoni tiegħu ma titqiesx tenibbli, kien lest li jitlaq mill-kuntratt tar-ragbi tiegħu.3  L-organizzazzjoni Rugby Australia ħabbret li mhix se tikkastiga lil Folau għall-kummenti tiegħu, għax trid tipprovdi spazju kemm għall-komunitajiet tal-omosesswali u għal dawk b’veduti reliġjużi4, li għalija hija attitudni matura.  Il-bieb ma ngħalaqx.

 

Il-pożizzjoni ta’ Folau mhix differenti minn dik ta’ tant Insara oħra (mhux kollha naturalment), li jħarsu lejn il-Bibbja bħala litteralment il-kelma t’Alla.  Għalhekk per eżempju f’kwotazzjoni li semma Folau, ladarba San Pawl jgħid li l-omosesswali huma wieħed mill-gruppi ta’ nies li mhumiex se jidħlu fis-saltna t’Alla,5 din hija r-rieda t’Alla.  Punt.

 

Hemm bżonn li fis-soċjetà tagħna, inħallu spazju għal min ma jaqbilx magħna biex ikun jista’ jitkellem.  Irridu nħalluh jitkellem, nisimgħuh b’attenzjoni, nifhmuh u ngħarblu jekk għandux punti li nistgħu naqblu magħhom, xejn inqas milli nixtiequ li hu jagħmel magħna.  Imbagħad nistgħu ikollna diskussjoni abbażi tar-rispett.

 

Il-libertà tal-espressjoni ma ssirx meta żewġ naħat ta’ argument ikunu jistgħu jgħidu (jew jgħajtu) l-pożizzjoni tagħhom mingħajr ma jisimgħu l-oħra u li t-tnejn jibqgħu ħajjin sad-darba ta’ wara.  U din lanqas mhi d-definizzjoni tat-tolleranza.

 

 

1http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-05-30/roseannes-twitter-history/9814728, retrieved 4/5/2018

2https://edition.cnn.com/2018/06/01/entertainment/roseanne-barr-begged-abc-apology/index.html, retrieved 4/5/2018

3https://www.playersvoice.com.au/israel-folau-im-a-sinner-too/#DprDD8UsuM5CQUtC.97, retrieved 4/6/2018

4https://www.foxsports.com.au/rugby/rugby-australia-ceo-raelene-castle-says-israel-folau-is-walking-the-line-after-latest-controversy/news-story/00a79c74fa8436230dc6533b929f9ec0, retrieved 4/6/2018

51 Cor 6:9-10

1http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-05-30/roseannes-twitter-history/9814728, retrieved 4/5/2018

2https://edition.cnn.com/2018/06/01/entertainment/roseanne-barr-begged-abc-apology/index.html, retrieved 4/5/2018

3https://www.playersvoice.com.au/israel-folau-im-a-sinner-too/#DprDD8UsuM5CQUtC.97, retrieved 4/6/2018

4https://www.foxsports.com.au/rugby/rugby-australia-ceo-raelene-castle-says-israel-folau-is-walking-the-line-after-latest-controversy/news-story/00a79c74fa8436230dc6533b929f9ec0, retrieved 4/6/2018

51 Cor 6:9-10