Violence

http://pakteahouse.net/2015/07/21/nilofers-corner-violence/

I hate violence. Lord since when have I started using language and tone which is violent to describe my aversion to violence? Something has happened in the past 10 years, to me, in Pakistan. There has been too much violence. This is from someone who is blessed and safe. And yet the environment of uncertainty constant violence physical and cultural is everywhere. Conversations justify violence. Actions ignore violence our conscience have become numb. Is this a self-preservation mode we have turned on? I don’t know is this an excuse to justify the growth and apathy by so many of the violence all around us?

So easily television anchors demand scream and write ‘hang this one kill this one eliminate that one’. Killing comes so easily. Where did the value of life disappear? Does any faith if that is the currency of value these days, not value life? Reality check. No one actually reads or is knowledge literate. Having so many souls in each family probably numbs one and valuing each and every precious soul becomes a challenge. Perhaps the justification of so many collateral fatalities.

Violence doesn’t only come physically here. ‘she is not like that’ what does that mean? ‘But you know they don’t believe in….’ I hate…’ where is all this going? Violence. Justified.

This isn’t the Pakistan I remember. Truly. Yes I don’t remember as a child what Zia ul Haq was doing to women, politicians, laws and culture.

My Pakistan was swimming in Islamabad club with friends after school. I didn’t know the answer of whether I was a Sunni or a Shia when asked by my Islamiat teacher. We walked or cycled to friend’s homes without a care in the world. There were no guards in any homes. MY only fear was please please I hope my sleepover friends haven’t chosen a horror movie. Hate them!

Atticus Fitich

http://pakteahouse.net/2015/07/21/nilofers-corner-atticus-fitch/

To Kill a Mocking Bird by Harper Lee without a doubt is a book that moved me along with millions across the globe and remains more than a book, the book was an experience, which had tremendous influence on how I looked at people, class, culture & history. Deeply moving. No matter how often I re read it, or watch Gregory Peck’s movie or see an adaptation Play it brings me to tears. Many books have, such as many other novels, Gorky Park (Martin Cruz Smith), Anna Karenina (Leo Tolstoy)

, War & Peace (Leo Tolstoy), A Hundred Years of Solitude (Gabriel Garcia Marquez), Love in the Time of Cholera (Marquez), 1984, (George Orwell), Lord of the Flies (William Golding) & I would include A Suitable Boy (Vickram Seth) to this list, these were more than just books, the stories & characters reached out and pulled me into their world, their mind, heart, pain and joy their experiences were real because they understood. Together we stood.

The recent controversial release of Harper Lee’s Go Set a Watchman is a travesty. Why? Because this book was a draft of the classic to Kill a Mocking Bird and should have remained as such. Harper Lee now over 90 years old probably is in no position (even if she wanted to) to challenge this violation. How many authors would like their drafts of their final published work to be shared with world? Furthermore having created characters, which have resonated across the world to flagrantly undermine that for what? Publicity? Money? Certainly not benefiting the author Lee, in her twilight years did she deserve this? Does she have any control over what her publishers and managers are doing to her legacy? Has anyone investigated who is benefiting from this stunt?

As far as I am concerned Harper Lee wanted Atticus Fitch to be as he is in To Kill a Mockingbird, if she wanted us to see him in any other light she would have published her draft –but she didn’t for whatever reason & that is how it should have remained. Literally.