Western or Eastern?

By AF Rahman, On e-mail
6 January 2005, 18:00 PM
. PHOTO: AFP
I am delighted to read the 'worried teenager's "Western Influence" letter in your column (DS 3 Jan.) which encourages me to let all your readers know that even at the advent of the heterogeneous culture of the 21st century, there are yet left some children who treasure family values of the past and abhor the onslaught of the alien culture! To stop moral degeneration and degradation of our values and save the youngsters from derailment we must stop the infiltration and invasion (of satellite channels) by pornographic films, tantalising hot-pant shows and undesirable obscene vivid acts of plays (which are being shown even in the evening instead of dead of night). Some channels, I understand from friends, show films early in the morning with all vivid actions, to the detriment of young minds.

The unruly behaviour in society, as observed by my young teenaged friend, is solely due to unethical films and obscene shows as shown very often on the TV from across the border. Amazingly, our own present-day culture is polluting our serene eastern culture and ruining our age-old traditions. I must assert that the 'young generation' cannot choose as the writer wanted them to, as they are not capable of differentiating between good and bad and here the seniors have a definitive role to play to guide the young ones. The government machinery has the strongest and decisive part to play . It must formulate laws to regulate the screening of films for public view.

The part-picture as displayed with bikini is the popular one at the beaches, there is nothing wrong in it. But if it comes to the stage and over-run any film shows; that's not acceptable. And definitely picturisation of pillow plays or compromising situations tells upon civility, vanity and taste and cannot at all be acceptable. Good news surfaced the other day, never mind how much delayed, our government is perhaps drafting proposals to regulate the airing of satellite programmes.

If it's really happening, I must congratulate the authorities.