Banned T-shirt with image of Buddhist Temple Kandy
A Sri Lankan court recently charged a bond of Rs 1 million (Approx. € 6,250) each of two persons who sold T-shirts with images of Kandy Temple of Tooth.
How can SELLING of T-Shirts with an image of a temple disrespect a religion?
How can selling of Buddha statues NOT disrespecting the religion?
Why vendors are allowed to sell Buddha statues?
Where does the intention of disrespect originate- people's mind? politicians' mind? book of law?
Where does disrespect more visible - on the floor? or on the human body?
What message bring a picture on a cloth - faith? hatrism? love? compassion? marketing?
Why people like to display images on their clothes - to disrespect? respect?
Who twist the law - people? government? police?
Bellow is the story reported on 'Sunday Times':
"A bond of Rs. 1 million each was ordered by court for each of two suspects charged with selling T-shirts printed with an image of the Sri Dalada Maligawa (Sacred Temple of the Tooth). The charge was made by the Kandy Police on a complaint made by Kandy residents Vajira Handunge and Sirimal Jayasundera. The defendants are Milinda Bandara and Tuan Nalim. Speaking for the defence, attorney-at-law Nisantha Gunaskera told court that the management of the chain of shops selling the T-shirts had apologised to the Mahanayake of Asgiriya and the Diyawadana Nilame, and promised to remove the offensive items from all their sales outlets. They had also gone to meet the Mahanayake of Malwatte to tender their apologies, but the Mahanayake was not available. In this case, a newly opened shop in the Queen’s Complex was selling ladies T-shirts with the Sri Dalada Maligawa image at Rs. 850 each. Police said the charge was made under section 292 of the penal code, which allows for legal action against persons found guilty of disrespect to a religion. Acting Chief Magistrate Ms. Jayaki de Alwis ordered the Kandy Police to continue with their investigations and report to court on February 2. Attorneys-at-law Channa Gapapthige, with attorneys Maneesha Seneviratne and Sudharama Thundeniya, appeared for the complainants. Sergeant R. M. D. Jayasekera appeared for the Kandy Police, accompanied by Inspector S. Subasinghe, officer in charge, minor offences." source: Rs. 1 m bond on suspects in Dalada Maligawa T-shirt case
Watch "Skewed views of science":
A story to be told but a shocking one! Black Venus (2010). Vénus noire (2010). A story that in every society can exist; either openly or hidden. May this be a guide for those potential victims to prevent miserable lives and painful death! A black African woman was used as a sex object to entertain different groups in the society. Later she became a prostitute with diseases and then embraced a painful death. Towards the end of her life she became the subject of several scientific paintings at the Jardin du Roi, where she was examined in March 1815 by George Cuvier, head keeper of the menagerie at the musée national d'Histoire naturelle. Seek and forgotten by the Parisians, she began to drink heavily and supported herself with prostitution in brothel and then in the streets. She died of an undetermined inflammatory ailment (a combination of pneumonia and venereal disease) on December 29, 1815. Even after her Death her body continued to be exploited by others and her skeleton, preserved genitals and brain were placed on display in Paris' musée de l'Homme until 1974. In 1994 President Nelson Mandela formally requested that France return the remains and it's only in 2002, May the 6th that her remains were repatriated to her homeland and were buried on August 9 of the same year.
Black Venus (French: Vénus noire) is a 2010 French drama film directed by Abdellatif Kechiche. It is based on the life of Sarah Baartman, a Khoikhoi woman who in the early 19th century was exhibited in Europe under the name "Hottentot Venus". The film was nominated for the Golden Lion at the 67th Venice International Film Festival
Description in IMDB movie database:
The movie 'Black Venus' (french 'Venus Noire') "The story of Saartjes Baartman, a Black domestic who, in 1808, left Southern Africa, then ruled by Dutch settlers, for Europe, following her boss Hendrick Caesar , hoping to find fame and fortune there. Once in London her master turned manager does nothing but exhibit her as a freak in a phony and humiliating carnival show. After a series of troubles caused by their act, Caesar, Saartje and their new friend, bear-tamer Réaux, head for Paris where once again, and against her will, she has to mimic savagery and expose her body, first in carnivals, then in the aristocratic salons of Paris, later on among the libertines and finally in brothels where she ends up being a prostitute. In the meantime, French anatomists will have taken an interest in her unusual anatomy (enormous buttocks and labia) only to declare her the missing link from ape to man. In 1815, aged only 27, she dies alone, of a combination of pneumonia and venereal disease."
"It was the famous "Hottentot Venus". "Hottentots" is the name the Dutch settlers of South Africa gave the Indians-joi joi group. The sweet and peaceful character of the joi joi-led them to get friendly to the Boers (farmers) installed in the seventeenth century in the Cape Colony by the Dutch East India Company." Watch on You Tube
Cast
Yahima Torres as Sarah Baartman
Olivier Gourmet as Réaux, le forain
Jean-Christophe Bouvet as Mercailler
Jonathan Pienaar as Alexander Dunlop
Andre Jacobs as Caezar
Olivier Loustau as Le Capitaine de Hussards
Diana Stewart as Lady with Parasol
Eric Moreau as Un spectateur de baraque de foire
Ralph Amoussou as Harry
Violaine de Carne as Diane de Méry
Yann Sorton as Client du cabaret
Jeanne Corporon as Une invitée
Gilles Matheron as Théobald de Méry
Philip Schurer as Peter Van Wageninge
Violaine Gillibert as Géraldine Rivière
Christian Prat as Monsieur Campanile
Albanna Enlil as Peuple - scène du tribunal
"With "Vénus noire"Abdellatif Kechiche tells the story of Sarah Baartman, an African born from the Khoisan Tribe who was a slave of a Dutch farmer. She went with the brother of her slave owner on an Exhibition, a "Freak" Tour in England with the promise of a wealthy future. Then Sarah Baartman was sold to a Frenchman, who took her to his country. An animal trainer, Réaux, exhibited her under more pressured conditions for fifteen months. Overall Sarah Baartman was exhibited around Britain and France from 1810 to 1815, entertaining people by exposing her nude buttocks and her highly unusual bodily features. She had large buttocks and the elongated labia of some Khoisan women. Towards the end of her life she became the subject of several scientific paintings at the Jardin du Roi, where she was examined in March 1815 by George Cuvier, head keeper of the menagerie at the musée national d'Histoire naturelle. Seek and forgotten by the Parisians, she began to drink heavily and supported herself with prostitution in brothel and then in the streets. She died of an undetermined inflammatory ailment on December 29, 1815. Even after her Death her body continued to be exploited by others and her skeleton, preserved genitals and brain were placed on display in Paris' musée de l'Homme until 1974. In 1994 President Nelson Mandela formally requested that France return the remains and it's only in 2002, May the 6th that her remains were repatriated to her homeland and were buried on August 9 of the same year.
Obviously this dramatic and terrible story is not for everyone and I strongly suggest the most emotionally fragile people among us to read about the Sarah Baartman's story instead of watching Abdellatif Kechiche's film. "Vénus noire" remains an interesting film as Sarah Baartman's story is to be told so that we understand how Difference, the fear of it, the non understanding of it can trigger the most inhuman sentiment, which lies in the darkest place of our soul in one word: Racism. However in 2 hours and 40 minutes, Abdellatif Kechiche abuses the audience with too many despicable scenes, too many scenes of dehumanization and degradation. So many that you find yourself in a overdose state. At some point I wanted to leave the Theater. I didn't pay to "look" but Abdellatif Kechiche places the audience in a voyeurism sit that makes you so uncomfortable your eyes flee the screen searching for the blackness of the Theater room. Even if there is a reason for us to be gradually placed within different environments so we understand that racism isn't bound to a Country or a social class it is still very tough to keep absorbing shocking images on a continuous basis. We are transported from the vulgar and popular crowd of London to the vicious and decadent Bourgeoisie of Paris and eventually to a so called scientific experiment. One can easily draw the conclusion that whatever form of Racism we are confronted to, none of them is humanly or intellectually acceptable. In fact all of them are profoundly revolting.
Beside its heavy content and shocking scenes that for sure will polarize the audience, the film is also served with an outstanding cast. The main actress Yahima Torres is very convincing in a very difficult role. But all actors (Andre Jacobs, Olivier Gourmet) display skills in their respective interpretation, skills that trigger emotions, we hate, we curse, we're ashamed, we're shocked and we're upset during 2h40 of cinematic maelstrom."
Saartjie Baartman was a beautiful South African showgirl with an irresistible bottom - no wonder she caused such a sensation in Georgian England. Rachel Holmes on the legend of the 'Hottentot Venus'
