Tuesday, 3rd November 2009 - 09:16CET
Police question editor of banned student newspaper
The police have called in the 21-year-old editor of a student newspaper for questioning, after his publication was banned from the University because one of the articles was deemed obscene.
Meanwhile, it has emerged that it was the University Chaplain who first flagged the article to the University authorities for action to be taken.
"I read it and I thought it was really obscene stuff. But I didn't get involved much. I passed it on to the University to take a decision. It wasn't my decision to take, it's not my area," Chaplain Michael Bugeja said.
The article, a short story by Alex Vella Gera, 36, caused a ruckus because of its vulgar colloquial language, pornographic descriptions and degrading portrayal of women. The story, Li Tkisser Sewwi (fix what you break) was published in Ir-Realtà, a small non-profit left-wing monthly newspaper published by students.
"I think we can come up with stuff that is more appropriate for a University setting. This is not a language one should use in articles or newspapers. The law itself does not permit such vulgarity," Fr Bugeja said.
He said he was "completely put off" after reading the first few lines of the story and immediately felt it was vulgar and degrading. He added the Chaplaincy welcomed debates on campus but felt such language did not need to be used to spark it.
Meanwhile, the University did not reply to questions about how many complaints it received and whether the administration felt criminal action should be taken against the student publishers.
In a press statement the University had said it deemed the content of the article to be discriminatory to women and to have broken the law since it was illegal to distribute obscene material.
It added that no permission was requested to distribute the newspaper, although other publications and objects were never stopped from being distributed because they had no permission.
The newspaper copies, which are distributed freely on Campus, were removed and thrown away by University cleaners in the past couple of weeks.
Mr Vella Gera, who lives in Brussels, has published two novels that do not employ the same style used in the short story, namely Żewġ and Lil-Hinn Minn Jien.
Editor and history student Mark Camilleri said he was not informed about the case by Rector Juanito Camilleri but by University Students' Council (KSU) president Carl Grech who said the police had turned up at the University to speak to him.
Mr Camilleri felt that although the law did state it was illegal to distribute obscenities the article used poetic licence to reflect a brutish mentality of many Maltese men who believed women were objects. The article had a clear message against such a mentality, he said.
"In fact, the language such people use is much worse than that in the article. You hear them all the time, even how they speak to their children," he said.
"We don't agree with it. We just wanted to reflect this ugly reality that we all know exists. You might not like it, but you cannot negate it."
He said that in the law there was no definition of the word obscenity, and such laws were created ages ago and never really enforced.
He feels that if this article could be banned, several books in the library should also be banned for using a similar style, namely Henry Miller, Marquis de Sade and Maltese acclaimed author Ġuże Stagno.
He believes there is an ulterior motive behind the ban since his organisation had often been seen as a nuisance for its political agenda.
Mr Camilleri also complained about the lack of support from KSU, saying it was clear they also had a right-wing agenda.
When contacted, the KSU president said he would not be commenting on the issue while the police were investigating. He admitted he had not yet read the article.
Ir-Realtà is still preparing for its forthcoming edition which Mr Camilleri promised would make "no compromises".
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Comments
You are so blinded by your 'morals' (religious or otherwise) that you fail to see 'Ir-Realta' (excuse the wordplay, I couldn't resist - hope you get it). It is this irony and the failure to recognize it that is your problem. It is true, as someone said, that it is not adequate to describe the entire student body as 'the creme de la creme' - but the fact remains that a few of them really are. The few that understand the story for what it really is - a mockery of such a view and not the author's own opinions. Please don't take it at face value (this is starting to sound like secondary school here - do you remember being taught about metaphors, similes and irony?) Brilliant.
Have you read the story?
I read it. Didn't really like it not because of the obscenities but for the simple reason that I have read stories like it before (not mentioning authors to avoid a Fahrenheit 451 re-enactment). However, I took in the idea that the mindset was that of a man whose sole intention is to use women.
There are far worse stories than what Mr Vella Gera wrote, which are purely for shock value. And if University students aren't given the chance to do a mature decision and criticism on such a story, forget that the University of Malta will ever become a centre of thought and discussion.
@ M.Baron
Spot on! The chaplain and surprisingly the rector seem intent on limiting the function use of Maltese for fiction. How this action reflects the UoM's commitment to creativity and to the mother tongue is beyond comprehension. The rector and the chaplain ignore the basic linguistic fact that life for a great number of Maltese, university students included, is experienced and mediated not through a sanitised language but through the rich and vibrant medium of colloquial Maltese. The richness of a language is reflected in the literature written. Mr. Vella Gera’s work, like that of other contemporary Maltese authors reflects this vibrancy. The prescription on the type of language used for fiction, coming as it does from the University is distressing. I also find it quite disappointing that the Department of Maltese has nothing to say on the matter. Why is the creative use of Maltese as a language for literature being constrained by this prescriptive straightjacket?
Now this is what I call effective promotion. You are dearly missed old friend.
I suspect Muscat.Pat was being sarcastic.
at least i HOPE Muscat dot Pat was being sarcastic!
Why aren't all the media organisations (especially the newspapers) demanding a reasonable explanation from the Rector about this?
Where are all the student organisations protesting this breach of human rights? Not one of them issued a statement. Sedated cowards.
Dear Pat, your short comment just summerized why our country seems to move backwards instead of forward!
Please take a minute to think about what you said.... you want OUR students to be like the Taliban!!! I hope you know what kind of people the Talibans are.... they oppose education and they destroy any symbol of any religion which is not Muslim, for starters.
You think that KSU is "tomorrows open minded leaders"!!!!! Please be aware that KSU are puppets controlled by the bigger political parties. SDM backed by PN and Pulse by PL... none of their members will go out of line from the party's orders. And regards "open minded leaders", there are none of that sort on our dear island. Unfortunately, open minded people in Malta, stay away from politics since it's too dirty and corrupt!
I say again, people like Mark Camilleri give me the hope that the Maltese mentality can one day change to the better.
Animalism as depicted in literature may hold some interest as well. There is space for it as well I should hope. It's part of human nature isn't it? And literature should sometimes reflect that. You happened to mention Arabian Nights. The late great Pasolini, who was an established author, poet and filmaker (amongst the best I dare say) brought this text to life in a wonderful film which amply demonstrated his understanding of the book. do you know what he followed it with? Salo. One of the most savage films in history. Alex has been writing for quite a while. this is the first time he opted for such an approach. You are being hasty in your dismissal
Your point about Vladimir Nabokov's 'Lolita' is actually rather ironic. In that novel, Nabokov constructs a narrator who couches his perversity in poetic language. Nabokov himself was actually accused of writing lewd literature and his novel was initially banned in several countries. However, what many failed to understand in Nabokov's case is that the narrator of the novel is not necessarily to be equated with the writer. There is no space to present a lengthy explanation here but, actually, Nabokov as a writer exposes the monstrosity of the narrator precisely through what the narrator himself says.
This is, what I feel, critics of the Maltese article are failing to keep in mind. In prose, what the narrator says is not what the author thinks! One might criticise Mr. Vella Gera for not having made this clear since he published this on a newspaper, where people expect non-fiction rather than fiction. However, the people's reaction is indicative of the need to be better acquainted with literary devices and to encourage the understanding of literature. This, unfortunately, is not the direction that Malta seems to be taking at the moment.
What you said is true but i don't want to end up living with more extreme religious people either. i rather have a Christian neighbor than a Muslim.
Turkey is civilised but money-minded (like Malta). So they keep their mouth shut. But they draw the line at........some locations in the archaelogical site are labelled 'Destroyed by the Christians'. Not in Paul's time of course. They continued to prefer their goddess, Artemis. No, the Christians who came later to destroy. Female deities were a force to be reckoned with in pagan times (we are, after all, talking about the Middle East where traditionally, women do not have much clout. And still so). And so Mary, the Virgin Mother of God, is not mentioned much in the scriptures. Her veneration, her rehabilitation, came later. Much later.
I met a researcher recently who was researching objects of veneration in Malta. He was amazed when he had to conclude that Maltese society if not really Christian at all but Marian.
That really set me thinking.
Anybody who is thinking that none of this is relevant to the issue here, I can assure them that with a little lateral thinking, the links should be glaringly obvious. But that is the objective mind for you.
Until recently, Malta had a success story. It had the City Lights, a cinema showing pornographic films. A symbol of Malta 'having arrived'. It was not to last. It was axed. Back to square one. Islamic Turkey has one, sometimes more, cinema in the main street of any city of any size. Turkey is civilised, even won the Eurovision Song Contest once. I did not find such an establishment in (Sanli)Urfa. This because, like us, it has a shrine to the prophet Abraham. It is a place of pilgrimage. But I can vouchsafe that, what happens behind closed doors is nobody's business. Much further West, in Ephesus, where Paul the apostle was run out of town, there is a house dating from 200AD reputed to be the house of the Virgin. Thousand continue to flock there in spite of the contradiction.
If you want to publish erotic articles to bring out a point, try Lolita, or Arabian Nights. They are full of eroticism, but praiseworthy, because they are poetic and expressive. Maybe it was your purpose. Fine... but I only know it was the purpose because you said so in the comments here. To the unaware reader, it sounds just like pure pornography with absolutely no purpose.
So yes to freedom of speech. But this isn't speech. It's pure OINK OINK, and you can't deny that. I suggest that if you like it, keep on turning in the mud. But then don't call yourself an artist. Not everything is art, or even literature. This article, by itself, conveys no message at all, and signifies nothing, other than bestial screaming.
Please don't go there and argue with the "I'm paying for your education" drivel. Yes you are contributing to students' education. And I recieve my stipend in order to study. fullstop. what I do after my studying is not up to you.
@A.Gauci
I mentioned TV, newspapers, computers and telephone as they are a means by which you are connected to the whole wide world, and through them you can be exposed to a plethora of stimuli which may or may not go against your morals and principles. I do not want to isolate older people and neither conservatives because they also contribute to society. What I do not expect is for them to tell me and impose on me what to do, without taking into consideration my own principles and morals. Morals are not only religious morals. Every person has their own morals.
Freedom of expression and ideas in Western democracies are usually taken for granted but judging from cases such as this one and the earlier banning of Stitching, I see that Malta still has a long way to go ...
Does Malta think it is a better country than all the other civilised countries because it has these holy laws?
Why so much anger? "Filth"?! "Throw them out"?! "Never amount to anything"?! I hope you understand that no one can be thrown out of university for the simple reason that YOU do not like what they're saying. Besides, let me tell you that the students most likely to never amount to anything and most likely to destroy the little enchantment left on this island are those who with sprakling eyes and a dumb look on their face congregate in the hall to clap to Dr.Gonzi or Dr.Muscat before the elections. These students are our STATUS QUO... there is no going forward with these people! On the other hand, people like Mark Camilleri (who I do not have the pleasure to know) are the ones that bring about the change that we so much need!
I would like to congratulate Mark for his good work! The police have been brought in this only for intimidation... quite predictable by our fascist administration.
Uni authorities should also switch on to reality: it's UNIVERSITY of Malta not Kindergarten of Malta.
Even though, it seems we have not been educated yet and some people that commented here before and a good beloved priest on campus still are not capable of doing this simple task.
Thus dear rector, you should be more concerned about teaching this nation rather than indoctrinating it, and let people and your fellow students think for their own. I believe that is your mission
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/21/opinion/21kaplan.html?pagewanted=1&%2339&sq=grove%20press%20lady%20chatterley&st=cse&%2359;s&scp=1
Not to compare the quality of the writing, obviously, but certainly the graphic nature.
However depressing this particular incident may be, it does not ultimately surprise me in the least. Maltese never had a problem with Anglo-American films using swearwords and sexual scenes. When Maltese filmmakers or TV producers do similar things however, they always cause a hullabaloo.
This is the same kind of reaction from people whose artistic understanding ventures only as far as some Montesin or Fredu l-Fra production. Like all the other hullabaloos, it is a symptom of a dying generation still grabbing, ever more frantically, at the last straws of cultural power, and like all those hullabaloos, it will also pass and be forgotten within a few weeks.
Hopefully we don't forget that it was a supreme shame to have occurred in the first place.
I am incredulous at the arrogance you show towards those who pay taxes from which you can attend the university and receive your stipends. Instead of these stipends you should be forced to repay the state with some hard labour which will teach humilty and discipline. The lack of values university students are showing will one day comeback to haunt them in real life. Besides don't compare students with a genius as Michelangelo, who although achieved perfection in his art always claimed that he was inspired in his works by GOD. Whilst our students for the sake of appearing modern and without having 5% of the genius of Michelangelo, have turned their backs on God and his commandments....... ghax huma bravi, moderni, liberali...... fil-verita xalaturi mfissda mhallsa mit-taxxi taghna
Quote of the day.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not leftist or anything, but why I am surprised that it had to be the University Chaplain who first flagged the article?
Here in Malta we applaud drug dealers who report people for stealing a slice of bread it seems, just as long as that drug dealer happens to supply us with a daily dose of "Christianity".
Rude words are wrong, but harboring a pedophile priest in Gozo is "Alright", he can be forgiven!
The Chaplain is nothing, but a Vatican watch tower ready to quash alternative thought.
It doesn't belong there.
The Internet is full of stuff far worse then ir-realta and its not a case of whether I like it or not, we can easily read http://maddox.xmission.com/ from the University Wifi..
I don't like certain newspapers, but I don't think they should be banned either.
Wonder what will happen when the chaplain stumbles across "Frans il-hammalu" on youtube.com which is accessible from any computer on Malta (and university) and uploaded from Malta.
You say very blithely "So what" if , as I hold on pretty strong grounds, Vella Gera's farrago is pornographic. The answer is simple. If it is pornographic it is in breach of the law, and so long as the law stands as it has stood for many decades you have to respect it or else get the lawmakers to change it.
@ J Farrugia ....... bahahahaha! i laughed till i cried. you're better than an episode of jerry springer. seriously dude - buy a pulpit. preach fire and brimstone ! i'll come watch. i promise. i'll bring popcorn, a bottle of whiskey and a party of friends. who needs xarabank when there are people like you spouting such wonderful wonderful drivel?
single mothers? unknown fathers? naked women? how brilliantly off topic!
i can just picture you hunched over your computer, having a coronary, banging out your words onto your long suffering keyboard.
warms the cockles of my heart.
i'm serious people - i think he's brilliant!!!!!! i was bored - now i'm not.
poke the bear someone! please ... poke him ! i wanna see what he comes up with next ....
*poke* *poke*
When translated to English it does look similar to Henry Miller's work.
I'm curious ... did you actually read the story?
the author may have been pornographic in his short story. so what?
@ James Farrugia
he may have 'stooped low' and been 'vulgar'. again, SO WHAT?
this is the way he chose to express what he had to say.
do you have to read the story? a big resounding NO!
look at it, deem it 'not your taste' and MOVE ON.
i found your posts distasteful, offensive and closed minded. am i jumping up and down screaming that you should be deprived of the right to be distasteful, offensive and closed minded? NO!
who would this story have hurt had it been allowed to roam around the university? noone.
so as i said here (http://www.timesofmalta.com/blogs/view/20091102/andrew-borg-cardona/banning-a-newspaper-in-2009) .... live and let live dudes .......
We would have a sign of parental advisory, ensure that the copies are accessible only to those legible by law, and ONLY then, freedom of expression will rule.
But without the appropriate regulations we provoke havoc.
And regarding it being rude, I believe that there's more rudeness in how the issue was tackled: the dumping, the unprofessional manner by which the editor was informed, if at all. and the lack of chance for a debate, a proper discussion. That is what is truly rude here!
Sometimes I wonder what our students are learning at University.In the human rights Charter 'the right to insult ' is not included.
No one has a right to write degrading language about any section of our society .
Ir-realta should continue to be distributed but it should show respect to its readers and the place where it is distributed.
you say- Those defending Vella Gera show their double standards
I for one do not defend Vella Gera but liberty of the responsible, inclusive, enabling kind.
This type of repressive behaviour is being experienced in other sectors of society even if each sector remains as yet too small to raise a voice that can be heard.
yet with all its weaknesses, democracy is a wonderful defender of the single individual against the hubris of the political class.
I have no doubt that democracy will ultimately come to our rescue too.
Your morality is not above the fundamental right of freedom of speech. What you continuously fail to grasp is the moral relativity that is modern society. You have no right to impinge your morality on others. The article was deemed demeaning to women, as if banning the newspaper is going to restore gender equality! I don’t know who the other commentators here are, but I am a university student so the newspaper was targeted to me. So before look down from the moral high ground keep this mind. In fact even Fr. Bugeja admits that he only read the first few sentences of the short story.
Anyway, I’m sure that Realta won’t rest until the ban is lifted. Actually I suspect Realta’s outrage would increment tremendously if the editor or writer gets sued or arrested. For the sake of peace I honestly hope that they lift the ban before someone plans something stupid.
@ J Farrugia
Realta has absolutely nothing to do with the Labour party, in fact I suggest you take another look at the from page of Realta.
Interesting analogy (regarding the girl movement showing up topless) except that the analogy does not work.
In the case of an article, you can easily refuse to read it, and not be offended. In the case of the topless girls on campus, the only way to refrain from seeing them is to walk blindfolded or not attend university.
Guess stepping on "big" toes is quite irritating for some....
I read the short story and i thought it degraded MALE not the other way around... Artist Vella Gera Wrote what everyone has heard or even said or worse even done...and you all sit here insulting Mark Camilleri, Mr Vella GEra, People who liked the story, people who did not and not even realizing that that is IR-Realta you are living in!
It's 2009...In Iran People Get The Penalty of death for expressing themselves !
For Protecting Themselves from rape!
For Not PRactising Religion...Hope this won't happen in malta anytime soon
+ This Issue SHould Have been banned if it was distributed at playgrounds, secondary schools, primary schools, kindergarten, sport centres ect...
THis was published at university...over18 people...mature people...people it was directed too...people that could change/improve malta in the near future...
can't wait for 2010 ...it seems hilarious news will make the head line next year
I personally don't always agree with what they write, and don't like the crude language they sometimes use. I cannot comment on the short story cause I haven't read it, BUTwhat they write makes me think, that is something no other newspaper does, usually newspapers tell you what to think - depending in who sponsors them be it PN, MLP or some other financial organization.I suggest you find a way to support Mr Camilleri, especially if he is taken to court and convicted, since he is still a student and has no means of paying for such expenses. I would not like to see him ending up in jail for following his dream, and voicing what many other youths from all walks of life are thinking.
With all the mediocrity and trivialities which flower at tal-Qroqq and the Junior College , it took this article to 'put off' Fr Bugeja and make him scream that certain things not 'appropriate to a university' . If he found the artcile obscence (just as I find most 'church' or 'religious' activities organised on our island; and I am myself a Catholic), he should have thrown the paper in a recyle bin. Or was he afraid that his apparently-unthinking flock would be 'contaminated' by the reading, and go and cry 'scandal' to their mummies?
As for the KSU, its futility is conspicious in its failure to defend freedom of speech.
To Mark Camilleri and Alex Vella Gera go all my solidarity and support.
Do you purposefully miss the point completely? The author of a book, play, short story or whatever uses language to portray his/her characters and/or situation. If you are offended by foul language wear ear muffs before setting out into the Maltese streets. If an author is describing a character who habitually uses foul language, then I think it's inevitable that foul language is used!. If he/she puts asterisks instead (so that readers like you are not offended), I'm sure the gist of it would still be there, but it would be extremely ridiculous.
On the other hand, if you as a reader are offended, put the book/story down and let others be.
The ban was regarding public decency. Freedom of expression should be practiced UNLESS a picture / story offends public morals. There are those who place morality on the very bottom of their concerns - that is their prerogative.
But let me pose this question: What if some members of a girl movement started to show up topless at the University, doesn't the rector have the right to ban them from the premises? Would the oglers organize a protest?
So, the poser is this: Seeing a girl topless goes contrary to public morals, and a vulgar story doesn't?
Those defending Vella Gera show their double standards.
One final comment to those who accused Fr. Bugeja or the 'Church' for the ban, read the article again - Fr Bugeja passed on the article and objected to it but he didn't make the decision and neither did the church. You are barking at the wrong tree, however since when is defending Vella Gera, means suppressing Fr. Bugeja's right to object to a vulgar (or immoral) piece of thrash?
I haven't read the 'short story' since it sounds that it has no redeeming features.
Just because you wrote "a short story and not an artical " does this give you the right to use vulgar and coarse language. Do you have such a low opinion of women ? Is that what you want us to learn "about human nature " Do we have to be inteligent to understand obscenity ?
@ Timothy Gauci
"University students are the creme dela creme of Maltese society "
Are you sure ? Recent events are proving otherwise. First they had nothing better to do ,but to ask for a condom vending machine to be available on campus and now this ? I cant see any bright lights here !
"Are you comparing the Bible to this 'story' full of swear words and other offensive statements?".
Actually, I find condoning incest, rape, genocide and slavery (as the Old Testament does) much more offensive than any swear word or any statement in Ir-Realta'. Have you ever read the Old Testament in its entirety? I doubt it.
@ J Farrugia:
Actually my mind is not boggled at all, and I do see truth from fiction. Both the Old Testament and the story in Ir-Realta' are fiction.
this censorship must stop. We are living in 2009 AD not 1000 AD.
No condoms, no divorce, no cohabitation, no sex-before-marriage, no this, no that....not to mention that the left wing is being treated unfairly on Campus.
I will no longer allow my people to be led by the nose by know-it-all priests. This time you have gone too far. The Church has no authority to censor anyone. We don't vote for politicians to be ruled by clergymen.
Jesus Christ said "is- saltna tieghi mhux ta' din id- dinja"....yet the some priests insist on intruding, censoring, dictating, reporting, etc, etc
The Inquisitorial mindset has never left the church. And the Church is losing followers each day for its antics.
Stick to preaching about Christ. You have no authority to do anything else. Any magic powers you think you have are completely self given. Mind your own business.
Gesu qallikhom...."Morru fid- dinja kollha xandru l- bxara t- tajba"....MHUX..."Morru fid- dinja kollha iccensuraw f' ISMI".
I am not sure what you are so shocked about anyway. Do you also avoid films which contain vulgar language? If you are consistent then I assume you do. A shame for you then sir. If you could overcome your prudery you would find that you are missing out on many of the best films ever made.
The only thing that is truly offensive here is that the University still sees it fit to treat Maltese adults with such condescension that it deigns to prevent them from being exposed to the sort of naughty words that the average self-respecting Maltese schoolboy had used half a dozen times by eight o'clock this morning.
It is the age of instant internet access and satellite TV in every home but you people seem to live in some bizarre alternative reality. The University cleaners really have their work cut out for them if they are going to be set the task of forever preserving the immaculate purity of the innocent, almost lamblike, obscenity-free Maltese people.
Although the executive of KSU may have their political views, I am disgusted that they do not protect every student's right (irrespective of belief) to read what they want and to express themselves freely. Student Union? Where are you? Bending under political and theological pressures?
Stitching, cemetery photos shoots, student's newspapers.. what next? Will the police tell me what to wear, what to read, what music to listen to?
which part of the irony you didnt quite get? the article wasnt by any mean offensive to women.. it was the opposite.. it is showing what women go trough , what the reality is for many women.
as alex said.. read between the lines before you judge something..
students have no guts to help themselves . the only thing that stimulates them is their stipend
As soon as I get it, I will mail it to everyone on my address list, asking them to do the same.
That is the only way to get the censors off our backs - by showing them that their inquisitorial attitudes are counter productive and whatever they try to ban will get a hundred times more publicity than if they leave it alone.
"Why is it that this so-called communist 'Collective' is only attacking the PN and not their brothers in arms, the Mlata labour party?".
I think that checking which party is in government will answer your question.
Are we judging taste (whether bad or good) again as in the Nadur Carnival????
@ ALex Vella Gera - to pass on a message you dont need to stoop so low and being vulgar and arrogant. Foul mouthing doesn't mean that you are an intellectual. Is this the way your parents have brought you up and sent you to the University to repay them with insults against your own mother and what not? Is this the way you treat your women? Is this the manner your family speaks in your own home? If I were you I would make a humble apology to those you have offended. You dont deserve to be representing us in any manner in Brussels. You should be ashamed of yourself."
offensive...arrogant - words which one can use to describe your comment Mr.J Farrugia
humble...intellectual - words which one cannot use to describe your comment
Let's drink the blood of some heathens eh!
Insults against your own mother...I'm sure that that must be Mr.Vella Gera's favourite past time. Unbelievable.
And no excuses please - at leasat he should have the courage to admit openly that the banning was the direct result of his actions.
And how did the police get invoilved? Are we going to have Morality Police as well now>
Welcome to Iran-In-The-Med!!
Are you comparing the Bible to this 'story' full of swear words and other offensive statements? The Bible, especially the Old Testament, was written thousands of years before the enactment of the UN Convention of Human Rights. The Bible is part of Human heritage and was beneficial (and still is) to billions of people around the world.
As I said, the Constitution is clear. Article 41(2)(a) is a provision which serves to curb abuse of the Fundamental Human Right of Freedom of Expression. Fundamental Human Rights are there to be protected, and not to be abused of.
And what about prosecuting you about obstructing the voice of the people?
The more time passes by them ore i notice we are still in medieval Europe with an inquisitional church and a feudal regime ruled by nepotism and conservative leaders.
I read the article i did not like it myself since the message was not clearly explained and it totally reflated Maltese visual view about sex. But after all the newspaper is called ir-Realta`. And that is what he gave you Fr Bugeja.
You church people always boost yourselves about being side by side with the people so you should know that this is how society is...
I thank Mark (whom i know personally) for voicing the message of those oppressed and for enacting real democracy. Wish him luck in his duty and i offer my full support
And no excuses please - at leasat he should have the courage to admit openly that the banning was the direct result of his actions.
And how did the police get invoilved? Are we going to have Morality Police as well now>
Welcome to Iran-In-The-Med!!
in what dreamland are you living? .. we continue to see these kinds of oppressions every week , mainly by religious FANATICS (yes like those people who tie bombs to them selves) and by law enforces who have time to waste instead of preventing other serious crimes. we are going in 2010 and malta is still a theocratic country. wake up
"I will prosecute those who think that they invented the new wheel of insulting women".
You definitely have not read the article. From what I've read, if it is insulting at all, it is only insulting to the sexist so-called "macho-males" that the article ridicules.
I'm surprised Fr Bugeja did not get the point...or did he?
Maybe...cut his head off too?!
"The Maltese people will have none of this base editorship. Really this new generation is stooping so low just to be funny or hoping that the papers will make heroes out of their stupidity."
Who on earth are you to judge? The god of literature and purity?
"But it is subject to not offending public morals or any body".
The approval of rape, genocide, slavery and incest in the Old Testament offends my morals. Yet, I don't see it banned.
To which I add:
the Nadur carnival case, the censorship of Teletubi (not that this was quality...), the censorship of vital parts of blog contributions by the newspapers, the censorship of new right parties, the taboo around divorce/abortion/amniocentesis/contraception/gays/non-Christians...
VOILA! When shall we be introducing the BURKA and the LONG BEARDS?
“University students are the 'creme de la creme' of Maltese society”, so said Timothy Gauci!
Is this a joke?
“Crème de la crème”, some may be!
But the majority?
Very much to be desired!
JC.
This is the crux of the problem. Everyone thinks he's intelligent in this lovely country of ours, so everyone feels he should exhibit his intelligence while disregarding what everyone thinks.
Really, if we're adult enough to call ourselves mature, then explain to me how the author was unable to convey his message without using "intelligent" vocabulary? To be honest, I'm not referring to the article in Ir-Realta in particular but it seems to be the general trend nowadays in a lot of what the Maltese publish: pure rubbish.
Before expecting an intelligent reaction, please write something intelligent... otherwise you're just asking for trouble.
If you dont like it dont read it.If you like it good luck to you.
Grow up people this is 2009 not 1909, no wonder the church is loosing so many worshipers.
Saviour Borg: "It is very much clear that you did not read this thing"...
As I stated in my comment, I read this 'thing', and no, I am not left-wing. So why I am still defending this article? Am I an anarchist? A ħamallu? Someone who enjoys reading writing which then 'stirs up' controversy? No -- and this is not a matter of the year being that of 2009, this is about that fundamental right of freedom of speech and expression, and how it is so easily revoked in this country.
Savior Borg: "offending ones morals." -- speak for yourself and other like-minded folk. I do not enjoy the kind of writing in which the said article was written, so this is not someone defending something he likes -- no.
This country is full of mini-torquemadas with little guillotine minds.
How can you portray a people, warts and all, if even our highest educational institution believes in censorship and that the warts must be painted over. Dickens would not have existed and neither would Balzac (to name a few...)
Keep it up father, the more of this crap the Church produces the more we would be pleased to see our youth shifting from the traditional political and religious fundamentalism to what should be morally correct or incorrect.
And I thought it was the year 2009! Apparently not. The Inquisitiion is alive and well................ in the island of hypocrisy, double-standards, and mind-boggling inconsistencies.
It is very much clear that you did not read this thing(does not deserve to be called a newspaper) otherwise your comment would be much different.
Freedom of speech gives rights to a person to speak up his/her ideas, however, that does not mean you can insult anyone just for the sake of it, publishing dagha and offending ones morals. We all know, the prime minister cannot say during a mass meeting, we will murder all PL Supporters because it is the right thing for the country. (The prime minister might argue, hey Freedom of Speech and I can say whatever I want.) Hence, NO, you cannot publish whatever you want, even though we have Freedom of Speech.
The article was pointless, describing in colorful detail a sexual act, writing several swear words and dagha in the process.
Furthermore, the publication clearly broke the law, so please, anyone defending this thing, give me a break.
And even if so, was newspaper staff asked to collect and take back their newspapers before they were taken away and dumped?
I myself believe that regardless of the good intentions, the article was written in a rough-manner, that's why I didn't give it to my little sister to read!! However, i did keep it as a matter of fact so that I could discuss it with the appropriate audience.
Finally, I would like to support the advice being proposed by many others here and urge the staff to continue working online!
to all you left wingers-freedom of speech does not imply a complete anarchy where everyone does and writes whatever he wishes, offending everyone without any control. That is what I call a time warp as it is the scenario which prevailed thousands of years ago, not today.
The laws of Malta and the Constitution do provide for freedom of speech as a basic and fundamental human right-yes you are right. But it is subject to not offending public morals or any body. This is the part which you conveniently like to leave out but which can be clearly read in Article 41 (2)(a) of the Constitution.
There is no need to offend people, to use obscene words and to offend public morals when writing an article. Imagine if every journal adopts the same ways!! God forbid
Well done once again Fr. Bugeja
This is the 21st century Fr.Bugeja, with 21st century ideas and 21st century ways of expressing yourself.
If this is a scandal.. I wonder what Fr.Bugeja would call the reals candals which the church commits.
THE SAGA GOES ON. I'M ASHAMED!
Any news, even bad news, is good news.
Without this ban, nobody would have ever heard of ''Ir-Realtà''. Now every body is asking for a copy.
SHAME ON OUR REGIME !!
How Orwellian is Malta becoming ! Whatever happened to : If you don't like it, don't read it or don't watch it ?
Does anyone know if it is posted online?
It's interesting to note how in almost 50 years of independent statehood we're still where we started when it comes to human rights and civil liberties.
If Fr Buttigieg (or the Rector, or the Police, or whoever) didn't like the article, it was his fundamental right to either burn it on his barbeque, or to write an article of his own liking lambasting Mr Vella Gera's if necessary. Free expression does not mean protecting only what we like to hear, but to be tolerant of that which we don't like; of speech that challenges us; of speech that tests the limits. To protect Enid Blyton and her Famous Five is effectively to protect nothing at all.
It's times like this that the authorities render it embarrassing to be called Maltese.
"I didn't get involved much."
That's a bit like saying "Hey, I didn't blow up the building, I merely lit the fuse"
Is this publication available online in any form? Let us be the judge of what is obscene and what is not.
They cannot even imagine the damage they are doing to their organisation. University students are the 'creme de la creme' of Maltese society so at least I think they should be exposed to any sort of literature and then decide for themselves. Should we now remove sensual or erotic poetry from the Maltese literature because the church does not like it.
Not to mention the fact that the Police Force has become a tool in the hands of the Church - sort of an inquisition. This country has to be careful as fundamental rights are being stepped on constantly with the approval of all in power.
Solidarity to the Author and Editor of this student newspaper!
Of course, the poor chaplain didn't get involved too much...he was just the one who set it off. I've come to think that it's almost a quasi-good outcome, this censorship moodiness that has started to take hold over the island recently, it is bringing the issue forward, and showing that despite a large gap of centuries, many of us are still yearning to be controlled by a post-diluvian way of conducting and viewing everything, which can only lead to more flooding.
I have read these 'obscenities' -- well, what can I say, 'tis is Catholic~Melita after all.
Bir tas-skieken, anyone?