Extension of classroom discussion

[metal56]

For teachers who have been discussing events regarding the recent furore over certain cartoons, here's an interesting bit of news from Spain. I've used it this week in class as a primer for studying comparative forms and comparing and for widening discussion on "the rights to freedom of expression".


<<While the world is focused upon the actions of Muslims who attempted to suppress "freedom of speech", groups of Catholics and the extreme right have recently tried to do the same in Madrid. Being a relatively small action, it seems to have gone unnoticed in the international press."

Roughly translated, the first paragraph of the linked article is as follows:

Employees of the Alfil Theatre in the Spanish capital found an explosive artifact only three metres from the dressing room of comedian Leo Bassi, whose work "The Revelation" has caused protest and brought death threats from conservative Catholic groups and the extreme right.

Atacan La Revelación


Empleados del teatro Alfil, de la capital española, encontraron un artefacto explosivo a sólo tres metros del camerino del comediante italiano Leo Bassi, cuya obra "La Revelación" ha ocasionado protestas y amenazas de grupos católicos conservadores y de extrema derecha.



http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/spanish/misc/n ... 766912.stm

I can't find an English version, but I'm sure that myself and others here could help those who do not speak Spanish and would like to know more.

One more translated passage, rough, but here:

"The Secretary General of AES, Rafael Lopez-Dieguez, said that Bassi "exceeds the limits of the freedom of expression", and described the spectacle as "ridicule and mockery towards the Catholics". "