From: "Nainan Desai" <ndesai@tampabay.rr.com>
To: dsrnn@aol.com (Dahyabhai Patel)
Subject: Soul of India rebuttal TV WEDU Channel 3 Tampa, Florida
Date: Tue, 24 Sep 2002 01:29:35 -0400
For the Tampa bay Indian community this was a first, in many respects. It took everyone’s help and support to make this happen, from the high school senior to the senior citizens.
When it became apparent that PBS was not going to withdraw the airing (in spite of numerous phone calls, emails, letters and faxes from all over the country), we focused our efforts on local PBS affiliate station in the same manner. WEDU would not cancel the airing, but two days before the show gave us a rebuttal opportunity – live after the show for ½ hour for the local audience. Initially, we mounted a national search to bring-in experts in the field with experience in public debate forums. Although we were unable to bring in national experts, we benefited immensely by talking to them with their words of wisdom and help with a lot of information - running into hundreds of pages.
Simultaneously, we continued with our plan to carry out our street protest outside the TV station. This was also the first attempt to organize Tampa bay Indian community to bring them together to collectively and publicly oppose PBS - a national institution, and question its credibility. About 60 protesters showed up for the cause.
Our time for preparation was short. At the 11th hour we also learned that WEDU was going to bring a USF professor of geography, a Pakistani muslim. Our team was represented by Nainan Desai, Dr. Chandresh Saraiya, and Dr. G.M.Ramappa (President of Hindu Temple of Florida). The debate was moderated by Rob Lorei of WEDU. Everyone was extremely courteous and professional. Daanish was a pleasant surprise for the most part. The time was too short to cover all the issues related to more than 1000 years of Hindu-Muslim relations and current geo-political situations in Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Kashmir. It was easy to get distracted. But, we covered a lot of ground, and some repetitions for emphasis. We had gone in with the following specific objectives, which we believe we achieved:
1. Question and discredit the veracity of representations in the “Soul of India”. Provide facts and figures to support our basis. Show the imbalance in reporting (neglected Hindu victims and perpetrators of Godhra crime, etc.).
2. Show the real strengths of Hinduism and its virtues.
3. Show how minorities (muslims in particular) have progressed well in India, and hence the “Soul of India” was not the true soul of India, which is far stabler and stronger secular democracy than what was portrayed.
4. Ampathize with all victims, and show how airing of “Soul of India” was actually an attempt to open the wounds within all Indian communities, rather than creating healing and building bridges – a highly irresponsible journalism from PBS.
We learnt a lot:
1. If we are united we can make things happen.
2. We must focus our energies in a systematic manner for the greatest impact.
3. We cannot take for granted that virtues of Hinduism and Indian secular democracy are well known the world over. We will have to stand up for it, be counted, and be seen supporting it.
4. The “Soul of India” is not likely to be the first, nor it will be the last product of the anti-Hindu, anti-India propaganda machine. The opponent lobby is too well organized, financed, and has had a great head start. Now it is time for all the great minds of our people to work together to counter the media and public relations offensive.
5. Train all of our political and religious leaders in media savvy speaking – how to say, and what to say.
6. Need for a pro-active action plan.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. We have a video copy of the panel – rebuttal discussion. We are awaiting a good copy from the TV station.
If you have any suggestions for “where do we go from here”, please email me, so we can work towards a multi-range plan together.
Nainan Desai
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