Council of honor condemns homophobic speech in Media
27/09/2007
Submitted by
PR Department of MASSO
After MASSO's reaction and afterwards its joint reaction and request with the NGO HOPS to the Council of honor of Journalists Association of Macedonia, the Council of honor condemns the homophobic rethorics utilised in the column Faggotology, assigned by Dragan P. Latas in the daily newspaper Vecer.
In addition please read first MASSOs reaction and afterward the official reply of the Council of honor, after the request was sent.
1. MASSO s REACTION
To: The office of the editor of Vecher
RE: REACTION to the article Faggotology by Dragan P. Latas
The Macedonian Association for Free Sexual Orientation – MASSO, sternly reacts to the article titled Faggotolgy published on 10.09.2007 (Monday) in the daily newspaper Vecher and signed by Dragan P. Latas as a radically non-democratic, unscrupulous and fascist expression of an indecent political (party) and rhetorical manipulation and impropriety, dissemination of hate speech and instigating homophobia.
Mr. Dragan P. Latas in a number of occasions, manipulating his position of power, which is afforded to him by his work with the media, presents himself in the Macedonian media with retrograde homophobic statements and discriminatory rhetoric, which would not be allowed and would be strongly sanctioned in any democratic and tolerant country. In accordance with this, on IDAHO which was marked by MASSO on May 17th under the motto Homophobia is Gay, Mr. Latas was named the most homophobic person in the country.
MASSO wonders how long we will bear witness to societal tolerance of statements which are the most appalling expressions of violence, exclusion and subjective attitudes of backlash to anything which is different, pluralistic and multifaceted, which are characteristics of modern democratic projects and countries? How long will editorial decisions rest on the principle of sensationalism as the sole precondition to achieve sales and profits and political and party showdowns which abuse the vulnerable position of a myriad of marginalized groups of citizens in the country, thus initiating and consolidating the violence with which these citizens live everyday.
The statement of Mr. Latas is surprisingly ironic “And faggots are nothing else but people who commune with those like themselves. A closed circle. They are afraid of those who are different.” The only fear which can be detected in this statement can solely be ascribed to its author and no one else. A clear example of seclusion and isolation and fear of those who are different. An abjectivity towards anything which seemingly stirs even the strongest delineations of our order and identity. Let us remind ourselves of the paranoid end of the mouse in Kafka’s Burrow.
We see differences among men, as we do among women. If Mr. Latas with his own perception cannot detect the differences between people of the same sex, we are left with nothing else but to reiterate that one falls in love with one’s personality, and not one’s genitalia or biological sex. Love is love.
Based on what we stated earlier, MASSO asks of Mr. Dragan P. Latas and the office of the editor of Vecher to publicly distance themselves from the abovementioned text and apologize to the LGBT community in the country and to all citizens who understand the feeling of being humane and democratic as an undeniable principle of one’s own ethics and existence. Otherwise, MASSO foresees legal lawsuits on the basis of discrimination and the dissemination of hate speech by both of the named subjects.
2. OFFICIAL REPLY FROM THE COUNCIL OF HONOR
To
Macedonian Association for Free Sexual Orientation – MASSO and HOPS - Healthy Options Project
Dear all,
The council of honor at the Association of Journalists of Macedonia, discussed your request at its session held on 21.09.2007, and has reached the following
CONCLUSION
Dragan Pavlovic-Latas’ article published on 10.09.2007 in Vecer titled Faggotology is in breach of a number of articles of the code of journalists as well as the basic postulate for ethical conduct of journalists which asks of them to “defend human rights, dignity and freedom and to respect the pluralism of ideas and attitudes”.
The article in which marginalized groups, such as homosexuals, are mocked is contrary to article 10 of the code of ethics which asks of the journalist “not to instigate discrimination on any basis (national, religious, racial, sex, social background, language, sexual orientation, political affiliation…).
The council of honor at AJM distances itself from this text reminding once again that the basic standards of the profession as well as the key ethical postulates such as advocacy for human rights and freedoms, nurturing the spirit of tolerance and fighting discrimination of any kind are the foundations of professional and responsible journalism.
Skopje, 21.09.2007 Council of Honor
at the Association of Journalists
of Macedonia
After the response was received the Council of honor promised to desseminate their reaction in the Media. The same was done by MASSO. What is left is to wait if this positive spot shall be ethically and properly adressed by the Media.
In addition please read first MASSOs reaction and afterward the official reply of the Council of honor, after the request was sent.
1. MASSO s REACTION
To: The office of the editor of Vecher
RE: REACTION to the article Faggotology by Dragan P. Latas
The Macedonian Association for Free Sexual Orientation – MASSO, sternly reacts to the article titled Faggotolgy published on 10.09.2007 (Monday) in the daily newspaper Vecher and signed by Dragan P. Latas as a radically non-democratic, unscrupulous and fascist expression of an indecent political (party) and rhetorical manipulation and impropriety, dissemination of hate speech and instigating homophobia.
Mr. Dragan P. Latas in a number of occasions, manipulating his position of power, which is afforded to him by his work with the media, presents himself in the Macedonian media with retrograde homophobic statements and discriminatory rhetoric, which would not be allowed and would be strongly sanctioned in any democratic and tolerant country. In accordance with this, on IDAHO which was marked by MASSO on May 17th under the motto Homophobia is Gay, Mr. Latas was named the most homophobic person in the country.
MASSO wonders how long we will bear witness to societal tolerance of statements which are the most appalling expressions of violence, exclusion and subjective attitudes of backlash to anything which is different, pluralistic and multifaceted, which are characteristics of modern democratic projects and countries? How long will editorial decisions rest on the principle of sensationalism as the sole precondition to achieve sales and profits and political and party showdowns which abuse the vulnerable position of a myriad of marginalized groups of citizens in the country, thus initiating and consolidating the violence with which these citizens live everyday.
The statement of Mr. Latas is surprisingly ironic “And faggots are nothing else but people who commune with those like themselves. A closed circle. They are afraid of those who are different.” The only fear which can be detected in this statement can solely be ascribed to its author and no one else. A clear example of seclusion and isolation and fear of those who are different. An abjectivity towards anything which seemingly stirs even the strongest delineations of our order and identity. Let us remind ourselves of the paranoid end of the mouse in Kafka’s Burrow.
We see differences among men, as we do among women. If Mr. Latas with his own perception cannot detect the differences between people of the same sex, we are left with nothing else but to reiterate that one falls in love with one’s personality, and not one’s genitalia or biological sex. Love is love.
Based on what we stated earlier, MASSO asks of Mr. Dragan P. Latas and the office of the editor of Vecher to publicly distance themselves from the abovementioned text and apologize to the LGBT community in the country and to all citizens who understand the feeling of being humane and democratic as an undeniable principle of one’s own ethics and existence. Otherwise, MASSO foresees legal lawsuits on the basis of discrimination and the dissemination of hate speech by both of the named subjects.
2. OFFICIAL REPLY FROM THE COUNCIL OF HONOR
To
Macedonian Association for Free Sexual Orientation – MASSO and HOPS - Healthy Options Project
Dear all,
The council of honor at the Association of Journalists of Macedonia, discussed your request at its session held on 21.09.2007, and has reached the following
CONCLUSION
Dragan Pavlovic-Latas’ article published on 10.09.2007 in Vecer titled Faggotology is in breach of a number of articles of the code of journalists as well as the basic postulate for ethical conduct of journalists which asks of them to “defend human rights, dignity and freedom and to respect the pluralism of ideas and attitudes”.
The article in which marginalized groups, such as homosexuals, are mocked is contrary to article 10 of the code of ethics which asks of the journalist “not to instigate discrimination on any basis (national, religious, racial, sex, social background, language, sexual orientation, political affiliation…).
The council of honor at AJM distances itself from this text reminding once again that the basic standards of the profession as well as the key ethical postulates such as advocacy for human rights and freedoms, nurturing the spirit of tolerance and fighting discrimination of any kind are the foundations of professional and responsible journalism.
Skopje, 21.09.2007 Council of Honor
at the Association of Journalists
of Macedonia
After the response was received the Council of honor promised to desseminate their reaction in the Media. The same was done by MASSO. What is left is to wait if this positive spot shall be ethically and properly adressed by the Media.
