As a young Naga and a Christian believer, I feel the need to respond to Mr. John Roughton’s letter that appeared in the local dailies on the 23rd of April ’06, calling for a boycott of an “anti-Christian newspaper in Nagaland” for publishing an article titled ‘The Most Evil People in the World by Doug Soderstrom.
While I understand his concern and reaction to what he has interpreted as an “all-out attack on Christianity” in the above-mentioned article that critiques American excesses in the name of Christianity; I am disturbed by the remedial measures that he has advocated.
I feel that if Mr. Roughton’s intentions are to empower Naga/Northeastern Christians to respond effectively to such views in a way that would defend and reaffirm our faith, there are numerous other constructive ways - such as calling upon Christian scholars and believers to involve in promoting active deliberation and discussion, which can then be disseminated through the media as well as from the pulpits. Will merely banning a paper be in any way different from the actions of fundamentalist Islamists or Hindus elsewhere?
I am dismayed that Mr Roughton’s tirade appears to be directed not so much towards the points contained in the article as against a particular local daily, which leads me to wonder if it is religious faith or American patriotism that has inspired the gentleman’s outburst.
Though I would like to believe that the intentions of a well-respected American guest in Nagaland such as Mr Roughton are honorable; his call for a boycott of the newspaper for carrying the article and to demand an apology from them could well be interpreted as a subtle attempt at neo-colonization through the imposition of one person’s fundamentalist views upon the people of another land.
By all means, let us be alert and aware of various conflicting world-views that sometimes challenge our faith, but let us take these as opportunities to strengthen our beliefs, rather than resorting to instigating measures that deny our people the right and the freedom to address the issue in an informed and constructive manner.
Toshi Longkumer,
Industrial Estate, Dimapur
