More than 10,000 people have taken part in an anti-pornography rally in the Indonesian capital, Jakarta. They were supporting a bill before parliament which would include a ban on public kissing and erotic dancing.
The bill would make organising erotic dancing punishable by up to 10 years in prison and public kissing on the mouth punishable by five years or a fine.
The recent launch of an Indonesian version of Playboy sparked protests, forcing the magazine’s suspension.
Searching for coverage early this morning — out of about 100 articles, it’s evident that there are only two sources so far: AFP and AP. I haven’t seen a byline for the AFP article; but, they’re the source that says there were about 10,000 [or more] protestors.
The AP article is bylined Niniek Karmini — and quotes the organizers on numbers — saying there were from 100,000 to a million! Quite a distinction.
I wonder if either of them actually had a stringer on site who knows how to count numbers at a demonstration?
In my country you can get arrested for kissing in public. I think it needs to be more than a goodbye smooch but it definitely happens.
In the last country I lived in, unmarried couples were arrested for sitting together in cars!
To count number in a static demonstration you need either an aerial picture or a way to measure how long the thing is (in square yards), then you sample different parts to approximate average density. You know what? Nobody does it. Most of the time people make a guestimate and run with it… Highly inaccurate. Most claims of millions don’t get into one hundred thousand. Basically, they are just saying: “There was a lot of people”.
Actually, Alfredo — back in the day, one of the functions I performed at large and small demonstrations, in motion or not, was delivering accurate approximations of numbers. I won’t bore you with techniques; but, you can rock within 10% or so, pretty consistently.
One of the reasons we always laughed at the “official” numbers offered up by the Heat or a “spokesman” — was that real accuracy is a legitimate factor in how effective organizing, etc., goes. I don’t doubt the Establishment had the real numbers delivered to their shiny desks the same day. They just never wanted them to be public.
Their country, their decision. These people are very concerned about immoral Western ethos penetrating their culture. As a nation we have got to stop projecting our Constitution and laws on the world at large. It’s not the only way, it’s our way. Ever stop to wonder how Adams, Jefferson, and Washington would vote on some of these issues?
It’s weird to find large demonstrations in “support” of something…it’s always fishy.
And if anyone has been to Indonesia the liklihood of any of this passing is nil. It’s a culture that loves the dancing girls! This is obvious Arab influence that will be quashed.
Their loss, nothing like a good snogging before/during/after a good shag.
#5 John…..Indonesia is the largest Muslim country in the world, 100,000 or even a million really wouldn’t surprise me. The goverment is shaky, so very keen on keeping power, this bill will pass.
We do have an isolated view of democracy sometimes in this country…….we love it and want it for everyone, except when they actually vote and the results aren’t what we hoped for. ie: the Palistinians.
We sometimes forget, living in our high tech glitzy world, that the vast majority of the people on earth are illiterate, and fundlementalist in their beliefs(of all religions), there are still millions who are Animists, as well as other very basic religions. They see what the west offers as an affront to their beliefs or just plain as a threat to their cultures.
Most of these countries in the third world were held together by dictatorships, either military, or civilian, once those have passed on, the introduction of democracy to cultures like that can be quite a shock and very destructive. The only hope is that it can last long enough to get settled in, but this rarely happens…..look at Russia, or Pakistan, or the Phillipines. Iran has far more democracy than it had under the Shah, but it’s still run by the Mullahs.
Thank God! 🙂
Geez. All this talk about numbers, and the important point is missed.
How do we get a copy of the Indonesian Playboy!? It’s all about the information, Marty!
They feel strongly about kissing in public as we are about fornicating in public. Yes, they are less open than us, but we are less open to higher Mind. It’s all relative.
I’m based in Jakarta at the moement and these guys demonstrate a lot, at least once a week outside my hotel. I’ve been snapping photos of them here: http://www.biggreenbag.com/
loved the pics jd….must be like living across the street from the capitol mall during loony season.
Yep! the are an easily riled lot! Generally the demonstrations are about porn but sometimes they are about workers rights. I susect that they may protest at having nothing to protest at if it arised.