The Piano

Mr. Wacker writes from New York (Film censorship, July 18, 1994) in response to my letter (same title, July 13, 1994) concerning that lousy piece of propaganda on behalf of adulterers and whoremongers, The Piano.

He advocates the complete legalization of pornography in Indonesia and the disbanding of the Film Censorship Board (BSF). To be quite honest I find this laughable. Is he aware of the difference in cultures?

The vast majority of Indonesians live a rural life in which they adhere to traditional and conservative values. Outside of the shopping malls of Jakarta and a couple of other big cities, it is extremely unusual to see a man and a woman walking together hand in hand.

To legalize pornography would be to spit in the face of what many plain and decent living people hold in esteem.

Mr. Wacker asks the question "What makes censors better judges than us?" and in doing so fudges the issue which is this: all societies live by rules, and these rules must be implemented and maintained. Censorship is a job and someone's got to do it. Censors are elected by the ruling bodies. To say that Western countries don't have censorship is untrue.

To make the anarchic recommendations that Mr. Wacker has proposed for Indonesia smacks of the naivety that runs like a river through the U.S. culture. Further, to recommend a ban on censorship here is a form of censorship in itself. Why censor those who respect traditional values and who don't want the flood gates of filth opened up to radically change their own children and create a generation gap?

Think again Mr. Wacker and take heed of this advice, "Hold steady thy pen 'till thou hadst considered more carefully!" (William Blake, 1775. English poet, mystic and artisan).

I.S. NORTH

Jakarta