The Czechs prosecute political views

[Svitlana Kobets]

Dear SEELANGers,

I would like to thank Jan Culik and Alex Efimenko for their messages and to
express hope that we will continue as a free, as opposed to censored, forum.
First I want to say that we all know that Slavic Studies is a very broad
field therefore not all messages on this list are of interest to all of us.
Yet we all know how to skip unwanted messages and how to use the 'delete'
button. While I read far from everything posted on the list, I was extremely
interested in the information provided by Jan Culik. I believe that that
information was very much "legitimate." How can we dissociate any cultural
studies from politics, especially from the doings in the field of
censorship? I highly disagree with the statement that Culik's posting has
"nothing to do with Czech language or literature." Literature is never
created in social and/or political vacuum. And if a country puts in place a
legislature infringing freedom of expression, this fact is not just
relevant, but very often vital for understanding of literatures and
cultures. The fact that in the context of today's events the issues of Czech
censorship are no longer limited to Slavic Studies is beside the point.

Svitlana Kobets


----- Original Message -----
From: <LEKX at AOL.COM>
To: <SEELANGS at LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU>
Sent: Saturday, November 03, 2001 12:50 PM
Subject: Re: The Czechs prosecute political views


In a message dated 11/3/2001 6:36:49 AM US Mountain Standard Time,
jcu2 at CABLEOL.CO.UK writes:


>
>
> I was bemused to receive a gentle reprimand from Alex Rudd, the
> administrator of this list, who told me that my info about the current
> infringements of freedom of speech in the Czech Republic  does not fall
> within the theme of "Slavonic Languages and Literatures".
>
> Well, where come from (Prague) the issue of literature has always been
> closely connected with the issue of freedom of speech - it is impossible
to
> divide the two. I find it remarkable that some students of Slavonic
> Languages and Literatures might not understand this.
>
> Also, a distrubing whiff of political correctness exudes from Mr. Rudd´s
> note, so I sign off  and leave you to your deliberations.
>
>

I wish to say BRAVO !!  Jan Culik,

Please do not leave this news group, for without people such as you this
list
 isn't worth (as) much. I look to the Internet and news groups like this one
for a better view and understanding not only of Slavic Language and
Literature but the important events in those cultures  and how they pertain
to us.

America has it's own problems with freedom of speach. Our major news  media
exudes in political correction and seems be run by the likes of people such
as Howie Aronson( a commentator on your letter). You remind me of how
important free speach  is here and in the Eastern Block countries.

Alex Efimenko

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