The Besz Dispenser - This Week's Rant

For the week of October 23rd, 1998

Public Opinion

First, I'd like to comment on the comments I received on my last column. I can't comment on them, since there wasn't any comments at all. This could mean one of four things:

1.) I am such a kick-ass writer and my opinion was so perfectly argued that no one can possibly complain, and I have convinced all of you that my opinion is right. This one is highly unlikely, so maybe;
2.) You have no clue who to write to or how to get it in. This is also a little improbable since we have about 50 email accounts here (mine is mabesz@imprint.uwaterloo.ca) (ed. this email no longer exists, please do not send mail there) and a big sign outside of our door. So, perhaps;
3.) My readers are apathetic to anything I say. This is probably the biggest probable reason, beaten out only by;
4.) I have no readers. This option is a little depressing. But, hey! Can't have everything in life, now can we?

So, if you have anything to say to me (just show me that you're breathing out there) write to me. Email address is above. And now that this pathetic display is done with, on to this week's column.

How to get people to do what you want, tip 13

Reading through The Globe and Mail (nothing against The Record, The Globe was just in front of me at the time), I came upon this one article about a play in Manhattan called Corpus Christi, a play which many think portrays Jesus as a homosexual who sleeps with his followers. Needless to say, religious groups boycotted and barricaded the street in front of the play. That got free speech activists on the street boycotting the religious groups' boycott of the show. Prayers, hymns, chants and death threats all can be heard on that block and will be heard on that block until the show ends.

Now, I don't know about any of you, but if I heard people saying that the show is wrong and immoral I'd be the first in line to see what the fuss is about. I could care less what religious groups could say about the show (to clarify here: I do believe in Jesus, but I don't follow any church), I want to see the problem with it. It's like looking at an accident on the freeway. You don't want anyone to be hurt, but you want to see blood anyway. Good story for the kiddies.

Does no one understand it's a play? Art? Fiction? Many say the Bible is fiction too, along with Jesus. That's why there are other religions. One man is quoted in the article as saying that the show's creators "don't have a degree of sensitivity toward Christians. [They've] got hate in [their] hearts." Buddy, hate has nothing to do with it. I wish he could understand that he was the only one hating here, and that Christians have little to no sensitivity towards any religion. Last year I picked up a booklet on how Allah is a lie. They hand this out on the street in front of mosques, I'm sure. Is that sensitive?

My point is this: if you don't like the opinion, don't look at it. Ignore it. Be a good person and let people live their life. Because yelling loudly only draws people to the fire, and then you've lost the battle because of yourself, not anything else. It's theatre. A valid form of art or expression of ideas. Learn to live with it.

Go Back to the Main Page