In the press, Thio Li-Ann has spoken about one hate mail she has
received, regarding someone who wanted to 'defile her grave'.
*********************
From her Parliamentary Speech:
"This August, I had my own experience with this sort of hysterical
attack. I received an email from someone I never met, full of vile
and obscene invective which I shall not repeat, accusing me of
hatemongering. It cursed me and expressed the wish to defile my grave
on the day 377A was repealed.
I believe in free debate but this oversteps the line. I was
distressed, disgusted, upset enough to file a police report. Does a
normal person go up to a stranger to express such irrational hatred?"
From The New Paper:
'I have already been insulted and received hate mail, even harassment.
'But should we be a nation of cowed individuals, subjugated by fear
of being called hateful names?
[...]
Since her speech on Monday, she has been called terms
like 'homophobic', 'unenlightened' and 'prejudiced' on the Internet.
Some called her a 'fundamentalist'.
Many other profanies, vulgarities and four-letter words were hurled
at her because of her stand.
Prof Thio said: 'One person expressed the wish to defile my grave on
the day 377A was repealed. And I am conveying the sense of it in the
most polite way I know how.
'I don't believe in repeating obscenities.'
From TODAY:
Professor Thio herself was "shell-shocked" and made a police report
after receiving an abusive email in August from an unnamed stranger
who threatened to defile her grave on the day Section 377A was
repealed.
"If it was just a rude letter, I'd let it slip. But this really
overstepped things," the law lecturer told Today.
*********************
Some of you might be curious to know what was this mail that
was "full of vile and obscene invective", with "obscenities" she
could not repeat, that she had to censor by "conveying the sense of
it in the most polite way I know how".
I reproduce it here for you. I know what that email is because I
wrote it. And contrary to the TODAY report that said it was by 'an
unnamed stranger', I actually signed off with my name, and sent it
from my yahoo email account (the one I'm using here). This is the
email. It consists of four lines:
*********************
Date: Sun, 12 Oct 2007 05:03 +0800 (CST)
From: "Alfian Bin Sa'at" <>
Subject: a valentine
To:
Sunday, Aug 12, 5.03am
Subject: a valentine
Dear Dr Thio,
This is a personal note to you.
I think you are absolutely fucked up.
As long as you exist, with your hatemongering and your vicious
crusades against sexual minorities, I will never leave Singapore. I
hope I outlive you long enough to see the repeal of 377A and on that
day I will piss on your grave.
With love,
Alfian.
*********************
Thio Li-Ann has filed a police report, accusing me of 'Intentional
Harassment'. On 26 October, I sat for a two-hour investigation at the
Tanglin Division Police Station at Kampong Java Road. The
Invesigating Officer was a very friendly and helpful man. Those of
you with uniform fantasies, please restrain from asking me if he was
attractive, because I will not entertain that query. Anyway, he
wasn't in uniform. In my statement, I reported the following.
1) The mail was shot off one night after clubbing with friends (hence
the time). Before that, on the cab ride home, I had been told that
Thio was the 'member of the public' who called the police, resulting
in the cancellation of the 'Pink Picnic'. The officer asked me how I
felt when I wrote that letter and I said 'aggrieved, wounded and
helpless'. And then taking a cue from her Parliamentary speech, I
added, 'distressed, disgusted and upset'.
2) I had sent only that one email to her, which I did not think
satisfies the criteria of repetition and persistence that would
constitute 'harassment'.
3) The phrase 'fucked up', to my understanding,
meant 'dysfunctional'. I said I did not consider the term abusive.
4) I had not threatened her with bodily harm.
5) In fact I had not made any threats to her at all, unless she
thinks being a fellow citizen with me in Singapore constitutes a
threat.
6) As for 'cursing' her with death by talking about outliving her, I
said I was merely pointing out the obvious fact of her mortality. I
also said that since I was younger than her, I would naturally expect
her to die earlier, barring any misfortune. The sympathetic policeman
offered to change the word 'die' to 'pass on' in my statement.
7) On the part about pissing on her grave, I said that gesture was
meant to celebrate the repeal of 377A. I also said that a few lawyers
had told me it was not illegal to piss on graves.
As the interview went on, the incredulity of it all I think struck
the policeman. I told him that if what I sent her constituted
harassment, then it would set an impossible precedent. Anyone who has
received any message through whatever form of communication
causing 'emotional distress' can file a police report
alleging 'intentional harassment'.
I asked the policeman why he was even acting on her complaint, and
whether he had more urgent cases to attend to. I told him she was
wasting taxpayers' money and state resources. I said this was
precisely the kind of 'bully-boy tactics' that she spoke of in her
Parliamentary speech. I also said I considered her calling the
authorities about the 'Pink Picnic' to be an example of harassment,
and that I felt harassed listening to her Parliamentary speech.
I ended the statement by saying that I hoped she was aware that many
of her actions have affected and hurt other people. I said I did not
discount the possibility of her receiving other hate mail, but acting
on me specifically as I was a strategic target, having written plays
with gay themes.
I am posting the 'hate mail' here, knowing full well that there will
be those who will chide me for my hot-bloodedness and impulsiveness.
I apologise to those who think that my 'uncivil' four-liner has
somewhat sabotaged the repeal-377A cause. But I think the exposure of
this woman's pettiness, tendencies towards exaggeration, as well as
her wanton abuse of the legal system, far outweights the flak I will
inevitably receive.
Alfian. : )
*Note - Post copied from ChrisLoup