The Language Of Public Discussion
Dr. Charles Sarvan
I found the response to the letter by Rev. Emmanuel, titled ‘An open letter to the Queen’ (Colombo Telegraph, 4th October) unsurprising and yet most disappointing. This is not an attempt to defend the Reverend: I presume he can do that himself should he so wish, but to use it as an example, and comment on the language of public discussion.
Several years ago, while teaching at a university in a Moslem country, I invited students to imagine the following. The door to our lecture-room is suddenly opened; a stranger walks in and announces that Islam is a false religion. What, I asked my students, would your reaction be? The first would be one of incredulity and bewilderment: Here we are, happily discussing a literary text, this stranger walks in, and gratuitously insults our religion, Islam. Why? Shock and surprise are followed by pain and hurt. These are quickly succeeded and replaced by an anger that boils into rage. In the next phase, the man is verbally abused; most likely, despite my remonstrations, physically assaulted. Finally, he is reported to the university authority or to the government; duly penalised and deported.
Having agreed on the likelihood of this sequence, I asked my students: The man asserted that Islam is a false religion. Does any of the above disprove him? No. It will only show that you were shocked, hurt and then incensed. Your fury was satisfied by the punishment meted out to the rude and foolish stranger, but the man will leave the country still with the opinion that Islam is a false religion but now with the added conviction that its adherents have a ready propensity to verbal and physical violence. What, therefore, should have been your reaction? The answer: Enter into a discussion with the man, ask him the grounds for his claim, and try to prove his thesis erroneous. John Milton, is his Areopagitica, published in November 1644, argues that even as physical exercise helps to keep the body fit, so opposition and dissenting opinion can have a positive effect. At the very least, in meeting counter-arguments, we clarify and strengthen our thoughts and beliefs to ourselves. As Husserl observed, our words take us by surprise and teach (show) us what we think. Opposition is to be welcomed.
