Censorship...

I feel there may be some who may think that what I choose to illustrate with regards to the rise of Fundamentalism and compare it to fascism that I may be exaggerating. I say to them that I know a cross section of this society and there is great deal of unrest. I experience and talk to people from all walks every day and our divides are great. Perhaps there are a section of people who are not exposed to the levels of disenfranchisement and the deep resentment it has caused. Of course there are people who are managing to work through our divisions and I say more power to them. It is important, however, to remember certain touch stones in history that have given rise to fundamentalism and those that are currently happening. Nazi Germany is one where it was a dis-empowered and impoverished people that brought in the rise of Adolf Hitler although we have seen this successively happen through out the world and on every continent after world war Two. It is foolish for people in the Bahamas to think that such inequalities in wealth will not bring about a violent and extreme backlash in this society. It is also perfect fodder as history has shown for extreme fundamentalism. The recent attempt of the Christian council to censor Kareem Mortimer film 'Children of God' at the Bahamas international film festival due to its gay content is an example of how this can affect artists and free speech. I suspect I will have some problem with my play 'Rise'. It is something that I am patently aware of and am prepared to challenge within our Democracy. I intend to open my mouth and speak...It may seem silly for some what I say who may not have the vision to see what is happening but freedom of speech is a fundamental right which I hold sacrosanct. In 1859 'On Liberty', an essay by the philosopher John Stuart Mill, argues for toleration and individuality. 'If any opinion is compelled to silence, that opinion may, for aught we can certainly know, be true. To deny this is to assume our own infallibility.'