July 27, 2007

I attended my first rally last week.

New York City is trying to implement a ridiculous set of laws that will require two or more people using a camera for more than 30 minutes to apply for a permit beforehand (10 minutes if you use a tripod), and have $1million in liability insurance (more details here).

If this were Singapore, we would probably shrug and say, mana oo pian? Fortunately, this isn’t and activists quickly mobilized and organized a rally. The grounds of disdain: that this is a direct violation of the First Amendment. The What? Yeah, they’re protected by these 45 words, 5 basic freedoms that every human being arguably should have the right to. Freedom of religion, speech, press, to peacefully assemble and to complain to the government. By the way, only the religion one exists in Singapore.

Back at the rally the First Amendment was recited generously, touted as the only permit filmmaker’s and photographer’s would ever need to shoot on the streets. Independent filmmakers, lawyers gave speeches and even street performer and activist Reverend Billy made an appearance with a rousing sermon complete with gospel choir adaptation first amendment song. Picture NY, an impromptu group set up to organize this rally, led the charge with Bolex camera placards and dished out little slips of paper with the First on it.

How did I feel? I was roused. I felt free. I felt that sensation of triumph, hope and even pride, the kind that makes tears well up in your eyes. At the same time I felt a sense of dread - I’m not American, and I am not protected by these same rules the minutes I step off American soil and back home. Still, it was extremely refreshing, and came at a very apt time when just 3 days before I was provoked into a large argument about why the Singapore Government is not doing a good job even though they have provided all of us with food and shelter (better than Africa right..).

Often in Singapore we are led to believe that demonstrations and rallies are inefficient and detrimental to the advancement of society. We view them as a sign of laziness (don’t want to work hard), disrespect towards establishment and somehow always compare them to be Tiananmen 89. There was none of that here. I felt friendship, community, care, concern. Not defiance.

PictureNY Website / Sign the E-Petition

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Re: first amendment rally a.k.a 40 years behind

July 30, 2007

Conversation with an American:
American: we got protesting out of our system in the 60s and now it seems so dated
Singaporean: well how do you deal with crazy people making crazy laws?
A: you just trust that other americans will stand up and do something about that shit
A: in the meantime, you just bitch about things that you don’t like over drinks and roll your eyes at everyone
S: i guess we are just 40 years behind you guys
S: except there is no ‘first amendment’ to shout

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Re: Re: first amendment rally

Aug 3, 2007

Who said all this was futile? Citizen action rocks! We spoke, they listened!
Today the MOFTB announced that they will withdraw the proposed regulations and redraft these permit laws! Yay!! We can shoot again!

Stat: The petition that PictureNY organized garnered 31600 signatures in 1 week.

MOFTB official statement / NYT Article City Blog Room / NY Daily Editorial