We are all well aware that there are unspeakable atrocities happening all round the world, every day. Violations of human rights, dictatorships, the continued existence of Simon Cowell, etc etc. I am continually horrified by the forced marriages in Asia, anti-homosexuality laws in some parts of Africa and all the other injustices that Amnesty International are doing their best to raise awareness of.
However, I will admit that one such story yesterday, while it's not as earth-shatteringly horrible as other examples of prejudice, it particularly made my blood boil.
*cue the beginning of a Gbird rant. Sorry.*
Over in Aceh, Indonesia, 65 punk rock fans were arrested by armed police at a show. Purely for being punks. These kids were dragged off, had their hair completely shaved, piercings removed and any 'offensive' jewellery removed. They were then thrown into a pool for 'spiritual cleansing' and made to complete a ten day military discipline program plus religious classes.
I'm just going to pause for a second to hold back the torrent of rage that is about to flow forth.
Apparently, this province of Indonesia is governed by stringent Muslim law, which was all the justification the police needed to arrest these people.
RIGHT. This is one of the reasons I no longer have any kind of religious belief. As far as I'm concerned, religion is fine and dandy for those who want spiritual guidance, something to believe in which makes them feel they are not alone, something which gives them rules in order to structure their lives by. What is clearly not fine is when people impose their beliefs on others, or even use it as a tool to repress others. In this case, so-called religious law is being used as an excuse for abuse. Abuse of the simple human right to wear whatever the hell you like, to listen to music that inspires you. If these punks were not harming anyone, were not in any way being abusive to others, then there is no justification for the way they are treated in Indonesia.
However, I will admit that one such story yesterday, while it's not as earth-shatteringly horrible as other examples of prejudice, it particularly made my blood boil.
*cue the beginning of a Gbird rant. Sorry.*
Over in Aceh, Indonesia, 65 punk rock fans were arrested by armed police at a show. Purely for being punks. These kids were dragged off, had their hair completely shaved, piercings removed and any 'offensive' jewellery removed. They were then thrown into a pool for 'spiritual cleansing' and made to complete a ten day military discipline program plus religious classes.
I'm just going to pause for a second to hold back the torrent of rage that is about to flow forth.
Apparently, this province of Indonesia is governed by stringent Muslim law, which was all the justification the police needed to arrest these people.
RIGHT. This is one of the reasons I no longer have any kind of religious belief. As far as I'm concerned, religion is fine and dandy for those who want spiritual guidance, something to believe in which makes them feel they are not alone, something which gives them rules in order to structure their lives by. What is clearly not fine is when people impose their beliefs on others, or even use it as a tool to repress others. In this case, so-called religious law is being used as an excuse for abuse. Abuse of the simple human right to wear whatever the hell you like, to listen to music that inspires you. If these punks were not harming anyone, were not in any way being abusive to others, then there is no justification for the way they are treated in Indonesia.
These people are not criminals. I don't care what Muslim law says. If someone is a Muslim and they chose not to listen to punk rock, then that is fine by me. They simply CANNOT then tell others that they are not allowed to be punks. We live in an officially Christian country, but the UK doesn't force every non-Christian to abide by the 10 commandments. Too often, throughout history, religion has been the cause of some of the worst atrocities against our fellow human. I'm not even going to start listing every war that was sparked by religious tension. Mainly because that would cover the majority of wars which have ever happened.
This subject is obviously extremely contentious, so I'll be clear: Islam, Judaism, Christianity, Buddhism - I have no issue with religion as such. But faith aside, I strongly believe that no-one has the right to suppress other people's self expression (unless that expression is physically/mentally harmful to others - I'm not saying being a Nazi is in any way justifiable).
Punk rock is a subject close to my heart, as is the issue of being able to demonstrate your personality and passions via your appearance. The Indonesian police need to leave these tattooed kids well alone. Their mohawks and nose-rings are part of who they are, and removing them is a violation of their rights as a human. It's also fucking pointless - if they really are punks, do these police genuinely believe that a buzzcut and a bath is going to cleanse their blackened souls? Of course it won't. They'll endure the program through gritted teeth, go home after the 10 days, and listen to their music again. You can force someone to change how they look, but you can't alter what's inside.
#nowplaying Refused: New Noise
GL
This subject is obviously extremely contentious, so I'll be clear: Islam, Judaism, Christianity, Buddhism - I have no issue with religion as such. But faith aside, I strongly believe that no-one has the right to suppress other people's self expression (unless that expression is physically/mentally harmful to others - I'm not saying being a Nazi is in any way justifiable).
Punk rock is a subject close to my heart, as is the issue of being able to demonstrate your personality and passions via your appearance. The Indonesian police need to leave these tattooed kids well alone. Their mohawks and nose-rings are part of who they are, and removing them is a violation of their rights as a human. It's also fucking pointless - if they really are punks, do these police genuinely believe that a buzzcut and a bath is going to cleanse their blackened souls? Of course it won't. They'll endure the program through gritted teeth, go home after the 10 days, and listen to their music again. You can force someone to change how they look, but you can't alter what's inside.
#nowplaying Refused: New Noise
GL
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