i was reading the papers and i don't know to laugh or to cry or to be shocked. the thing about the vetting of horror books really amazes me. now, my main question is - how to tell what stories makes kids have nightmares? there is absolutely no proof to the minister or whoever-said-that-crap's statement. jeez. who comes up with scripts like that?
give em some credit lah. i think kids of any age can differentiate between reality and fiction. we ALL grew up listening to true-blue malaysian ghost stories. the ones about going to cemetaries to get 4D numbers, the banana tree spirits, and the ever-popular back-seat rider ghost. it is really part of our culture, and even being Asian. going the 'developed' way does not mean putting aside all our culture, customs, and oral traditions. we can't be just another steel-and-glass country, or we're just shallowly protesting the process of globalisation.
in the same way, we should ban parents too. cos i know i've had more than a few parent-induced nightmares. i think my parents have caused me more nightmares than any book or movie i've ever read or seen. and i've seen some pretty good shit in my time! hey, no doubt, after watching The Eye i had trouble with the shadows for a while (
ssshhhh... don't tell anyone, ok...) but that was that. no traumatic dreams.
and for sure no book i've ever read has given me any scary visions. damn where do these govt chaps get their facts from? time and time again, pure unadulterated bullshit will come out. it's time, my dear propaganda machines, to get your facts right, or risk appearing bloody stupid. oh, they don't need much help in that department. such ridiculous value judgements - reading horror = bad dreams. yo ho ho. in which case i'd be a deranged SM serial-killer freak who eats babies for breakfast, since i've been on a steady diet of horror and violence. hmmm... nipple clips, anyone?
psssst... can someone pls tell the govt chappies that, with the Internet, censorship is obsolete? and those VCD sellers too help somewhat with the liberation of our minds from the Thought Police. it's so funny. in our country - we shouldn't have sex, horror, or violence, but just open the papers - that's all it's filled with! latest being Prince Charles' bisexuality (big deal) (hey, SEX); the bombings in Saudi Arabia (HORROR & VIOLENCE). point proven?
