Dear J,
I'm an international grad student in the School of Film and Animation. I emailed you a while back regarding a film screening that I wanted to organize. I want to share with you a disturbing experience that I had in the process of organizing it.
The film "Cry of the Snow Lion" (http://cryofthesnowlion.com/) is a documentary dealing with the history of the Tibetan oppression, and resistance against Chinese state. My interest in Tibet comes from my numerous interactions with Tibetan refugees living in India, and their strong movement for a Free Tibet. I had been very troubled by the ignorance about Tibet here in this city, especially on the campus. So, I had planned to screen the film on Thursday, April 24th.
A couple of Chinese students emailed me two days before the screening, on April 22nd, asking me to cancel the event. My university email address was printed on the posters that I had used to promote the event on campus. The next day I got a couple of calls from different Chinese students telling me that the film was an insult to all the Chinese students, and accused me of not knowing anything about Tibet. Their tone was condescending, and they kept insisting on meeting me in person. I do not know how they got my phone number. Some of my Indian friends told me about their Chinese friends and classmates talking negatively about me the day before the screening.
Despite the constant harassment I faced from the Chinese students, I decided to go ahead with the screening. A group of Chinese students turned up at the venue an hour before the event was to take place. They asked me if they could stand outside and hand out some printed material about China and Tibet. I told them they were welcome to do that, and also asked them to join us and watch the film. The Chinese students covered the walls outside with posters and stood there almost blocking the entrance to the theatre. Once we started the screening, they gradually started coming in to the theatre and sat through the film.
I had planned to have a discussion after the film. As soon as I started the discussion, the Chinese students became aggressive and started speaking out of turn. One girl came with her laptop and wanted to do a presentation from the Chinese point-of-view. As much as I was willing to give them a chance to voice their opinions, I had to cut short the discussion in the fear of them taking over my event. In the meantime, some Chinese students had cameras and were taking photographs of people without permission.
I tell you this because I am highly disappointed. I came to America to experience the high quality of education and the great diversity that America is known for. I came here to experience greater liberties and freedoms - a better quality of life. In stead, my first attempt at using my freedom of speech was met by a serious effort at censoring me.
Mr. J, I have a great amount of respect for you, and all the efforts that you put into taking care of the international student community. That is the reason I feel comfortable in expressing my grief to you.
I understand that this issue is sensitive, and that there is a large Chinese presence on the campus - but does that mean that the few people who support a free Tibet will have to be silenced? If the Chinese students are jingoistic and intolerant, will they be excused for bullying those who disagree with them in a country like America?
Apart from these serious concerns, I'm afraid of the misuse of the photographs that were taken by the Chinese students at the event. I can provide you some names of the Chinese students who were present at the event.
This experience has been very saddening.
I hope that you will consider my appeal and do everything possible to ensure that my rights are not violated in the future.
Kind Regards,
NC
Edited to add: Oh, how I love writing letters! And look at all the "America is great" crap I had to invoke for getting some sympathy! I could get into trouble for taking the issue further up the hierarchy, but it is the right thing to do, right?
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Letter to the Director of International Student Services
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6 comments:
Good one. Keep us posted on what J says. I'm thinking I'll delete the comment with your email address, ok?
I didn't realize you had already done that :-P
Hmm. Don't be offended, but I'm going to play devil's advocate. Doesn't it seem like you're advocating free speech for yourself while denying it to the Chinese? Especially the part about their photographs. How can you stop them taking photos, and why would you want to? If they want to refer to your event in their own discussions, or even put up posters and flyers, shouldn't they be allowed to? What do you have to hide?
I know very little US law, but from what I gather the First Amendment only renders void *legislation* that curtails freedom of speech. It has no application to private action. And hence you cannot claim the right to express your views to the exclusion of other pertinent views on the same subject.
Also, what exactly do you want this director to do for you? Did your film screening have the sanction of the college administration? If not, how can you blame him for what you see as disruptions to it?
Please understand-- I'm not trying to be contrary or mean or unsupportive; this is just how we're trained to look at things. I'm basically reading your letter as if it were a plaint filed in court, hehe. And this is how I would read your letter if I were your administrator. Can you defend yourself?
AB: The comment still turns up in the google search. Could you try deleting it permanently??
Aditya: Don't you have exams or something??
Kidding :) Let me try defending myself.
Firstly, I did let the Chinese put up posters and come in to the event and talk. My event was aimed at making people aware of the Tibetan side of the story, yet I let the Chinese come in and present their side. How could I let them take over the event, when their only objective was to prove that Tibet has always been a part of China. They have a right to present their view - by organizing their OWN event!
I'm worried about the photographs because I have been told very seriously to worry about them. A student in America was involved in anti-China activities. His photos were sent to the Chinese state - and then on the student's family was threatened! More importantly, you do need permission before taking photographs here. And the people taking photos had no reason to do that - they were not the organizers, and did not represent the univ magazine or anything.
The event was organized with the approval of my department. I don't expect any action from the director. I'm just curious to see how he reacts to the situation. Also, I want the event to be in the records - just in case something happens again.
That's all I have to say. Did I win or lose?
Well done! You won on the basis of your last argument alone :)
yayy! :)
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