From: dharlem-AT-pipeline.com
Date: Tue, 06 Oct 1998 14:27:10 -0400
Subject: Re: To Enrica...Re: Taslima Nasreen and her head


Dear Manjusree,
You have such hostility toward all things western- why then are you in
Cambridge?
Meg

At 12:58 PM 10/6/98 -0700, you wrote:
>Dear Enrica,
>
>Yes, I know that Ms. Nasreen is supported by the west...which neither
>knows nor cares to know much more about the east than those images that
>aspire to western means and ends.
>
>My argument is only that women must unite, and patriarchal symbols are
>an *obstacle* to such unity.  I see what you mean about the use of
>language as a "symbol."  However, language is not, to my understanding,
>an "icon" -- to which status the west and western/westernized feminists
>have raised Ms. Nasreen, to her own detriment.
>
>Furthermore, my question is what is Ms. Nasreen's purpose...to be an
>icon or to help women unite?  Are non-western women headed for more
>"divide/conquer" fiascos of western origin?  "Divide/conquer" leads to
>more bloodshed...it is a patriarchal tool for ultimate self-destruction. 
>What brand of feminism is this that we must raise up icons all the
>time...don't we have any confidence in our beliefs...in ourselves?  Are
>most women throw-aways and the rest extraordinary exceptions of symbolic
>proportions???  I'm sorry, I don't buy that.  The sad truth is, from my
>observation, that an educated elite group of South Asian women are
>marching ahead leaving most of their sisters behind in the dust, and
>racing towards westernized forms of self-glorification.  This is
>embarrassing at best.  I fervently pray that we can save Taslima
>Nasreen, the *human being*.  I cannot, on principle, support the icon.
>
>The recent communication I've had from Bangladesh tells me English
>newspapers don't have the story...but bangla papers may...I'm still
>researching this.
>
>Best regards,
>
>-Manjusree
>Cambridge MA 
>USA  
>
>
>Enrica Garzilli wrote:
>> 
>> Dear Manjusree, I am a pragmatic woman.
>> Taslima is already there. We cannot conceptualize and impose our
>> thinking and our thought on people. If THEY regard her as a symbol and
>> this is useful to the cause, why not? The important matter is not the
>> person, Taslima. She comes much much later. The important matter is
>> people, means and results.
>> We have much better -- incomparable in fact -- writers, and much
>> "better" symbols. But Taslima is famous in the West as well in the East.
>> She is a recognized sybol. And it is a matter of fact that people, all
>> of us, need symbols. Also you, in your mail, use as a symbol a jargoon
>> that is not easily understandable to us, not English mother tongue
>> speakers. You are using language as a symbol, as a castal communication
>> and means of recogniction.
>> That's all. And she is well supported by feminist groups here in Europe,
>> and by PEN, etc.
>> She perhaps uses us to become famous, why not to "use" her?
>> 
>> Enrica
>> 
>> iview-AT-technologist.com wrote:
>> >
>> > Symbolism is a patriarchal conceptualization of an exaggerated and
>> > self-delusional image of itself.  I think that Ms. Nasreen has
>> > out-patriarched the patriarchy.
>> >
>> > However, if indeed women, in our struggles, require a symbol of a woman
>> > fighting for the rights of all women, we already have Behula...to whom
>> > Dr. Rinita Mazumdar's poem has done elegant justice.
>> >
>> > -Manjusree
>> >
>> > Enrica Garzilli wrote:
>> > >
>> > > iview-AT-technologist.com wrote:
>> > > >
>> > > > Partha,
>> > > >
>> > > > I oppose Ms. Nasreen's tactics...anyone who leaves out her sisters is
>> > > > suspect in my eyes.  Secondly, she has my support if in fact she
speaks
>> > > > also for her sisters who have equally opposed fundamentalists.  I
didn't
>> > > > find that evident in her letter to the world's myriad and complex
>> > > > Governments to save her.  I pray they can.  She seems mightily
>> > > > self-righteous about visiting her ailing mother in Bangladesh.  Such
>> > > > dramatics don't impress me.
>> > > >
>> > > > I really don't see your point about international support for her and
>> > > > her being exempt...I never suggested she is exexmpt from receiving
world
>> > > > support to save her.  I simply don't support her sensationalist
tactics
>> > > > that seem to catapult her to center stage.  Of course I oppose
>> > > > fundamentalists, fanatics, fascists yadda, yadda, yadda...and if
as you
>> > > > say we don't get "befooled...by...bigots," that's news to me!
>> > > >
>> > > > -Manjusree
>> > > >
>> > > > Partha Banerjee wrote:
>> > > > >
>> > > > > I have my own reservations about Taslima, her sensationalism
(and bad
>> > > > > writing), and all. However, that does not exempt her from
getting our
>> > > > > support from an international arena. This is all we can do to
support her
>> > > > > voice of dissent and oppose barbarism practised by
fundamentalists and
>> > > > > fanatics and fascists. We do it in Bangladesh, we do it in
India, we do it
>> > > > > in USA. And we don't get befooled by double standards and
>> > > > > confusion-creating tactics of the bigots.
>> > > > > __________
>> > > > >
>> > > > > >Partha,
>> > > > > ...
>> > > > > >I feel that Taslima Nasreen should not have left her bangladeshi
>> > > > > >sister writers in the dust in her own climb towards
international fame
>> > > > > >and acclaim...she seems to have a tendency to turn to those who
support
>> > > > > >sensationalism vs those who support universal human rights.
>> > > > > >
>> > > > > >Lest anyone misundertand me and think me cold-blooded and
heartless, I'm
>> > > > > >actually moved by Ms. Nasreen's plea to other Governments, and
I hope
>> > > > > >the outrageous death threat against her cannot be carried out.
The
>> > > > > >thought occurs to me, nevertheless, that perhaps she might also
turn to
>> > > > > >her sister writers who have not only made greater contributions to
>> > > > > >bangla literature, but have struggled even harder in protesting
>> > > > > >oppression and abuse of Islamic women without leaving
Bangladesh.  I
>> > > > > >don't presume to know statistics but base my comments on
recollections
>> > > > > >of my readings by literary analysts and exchanges with other
writers.  I
>> > > > > >pray for her life and her mother's good health.
>> > > > > >
>> > > > > >Best regards,
>> > > > > >
>> > > > > >-Manjusree
>> > >
>> > > I have interviewd her and had the opportunity to talk to her for quite
>> > > some time informally.
>> > > I asked her about her relationship with feminist groups in Bangladesh
>> > > and India. She told me that many of them wanted to use her name to have
>> > > publicity, to become famous. That's very possible.
>> > > However, I also had the impression of a certain ambiguity from her
and a
>> > > certain will to be "the first", to be the heroine of the situation (I
>> > > have written all that in the report of the JSAWS, and her lecture, and
>> > > reported the recorded  reaction of people present.)
>> > > Like a hero, she wants to be isolated and alone. She wants to fight by
>> > > herself. For sure she is very childish... (besides the opportunity
to be
>> > > alone in terms of results)
>> > > However, she is a symbol. That is important, not HER private figure and
>> > > personality. Sho cares of her in person?
>> > > The importance is in people who fights not in her name but taking her
>> > > name as a symbol of funfamentalists' oppression and prevarication.
>> > > WHat do you think about it?
>> > >
>> > > Enrica
>> > > --
>> > > Dr. Enrica Garzilli                 University of Perugia (ITALY)
>> > > Istituto di Linguistica                      Piazza Morlacchi, 11
>> > > 06123 Perugia                  Tel./Fax: +39-75-585 3755 (office)
>> > > Editor-in-Chief,
>> > > Intl. Journ. of Tantric Studies, Journal of S. Asia Women Studies
>> > > htpp://www.asiatica.org/
>> > > *****************************************************************
>> 
>> --
>> Dr. Enrica Garzilli                 University of Perugia (ITALY)
>> Istituto di Linguistica                      Piazza Morlacchi, 11
>> 06123 Perugia                  Tel./Fax: +39-75-585 3755 (office)
>> Editor-in-Chief,
>> Intl. Journ. of Tantric Studies, Journal of S. Asia Women Studies
>> htpp://www.asiatica.org/
>> *****************************************************************
>