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The Post Newspapers Responds To Critics Over Published Nude Photos ‘Those criticising us are wasting their time & they are not serious people to be taken serious’
Since our publication of pictures from Kalingalinga’s Mayela Nightclub on December 27, 2012, so many comments have been made. Some have gone all out to attack us, insult us and abuse us in all sorts of ways. It’s tempting to throw up one’s hands in exasperation. There is an interesting conundrum going on over this issue.
We have carefully listened to everything that has been said. We have truthfully and deeply meditated over this issue without any dogmas and with broadmindedness, listening to everyone, without thinking that we are the owners of the absolute truth, wisdom.
We respect the views that have been expressed on those pictures. But we don’t agree with them. Some things need sober and deeper reflection. It’s not just a question of being able to condemn or denounce something. This is the easiest thing for anyone to do – there is nothing difficult about denouncing or condemning anything.
We are not a reckless newspaper. We care about our country and our people and we have always defended their rights and freedoms. But we also have a duty to reflect to our people the state of their nation. We are a mirror. If you don’t like the image of yourself in the mirror, don’t break the mirror. Simply change your image.
The pictures that we had published were not arranged by us, nobody was asked by us to pose for a picture. It wasn’t The Sun page 3 type of picture where one is asked to pose and then the newspaper publishes. What we published is the image of what goes on in our public places today.
The young men and women in those pictures come from your homes; they are your sons and daughters. And that’s how they behave in public after they leave your homes. They are not sons and daughters of The Post; none of those people is an employee of The Post or a son or daughter of the editors and reporters of The Post. They are your sons and daughters. They come from your homes. They are a product of your own hands.
Our photographers did not enter any private place to take those pictures; they were in a public place, open to everyone. And in that place even under-18s were there.
If you have failed to control your children, to discipline your children, to bring up your children in a certain way, it is certainly not our fault. If you have a problem with those pictures, the solution is not to attack us, to denounce us, to try and discredit us. The solution lies in changing the behaviour of your children. If you have failed to inculcate a certain type of morality in your children, it is not the fault of The Post.
Some have even gone to suggest that we published nude pictures. This is not true. The simple Oxford Dictionary definition of nude is “…not wearing any clothes”. Everyone in those pictures was wearing clothes.
This issue is a complex one. And if one is not careful, they can find themselves running in circles, in contradictions and hypocrisy. We see highly dignified people in this country officiating at beauty contests where the competing girls are in bikinis, underpants. We also see respected citizens officiating at contests of bodybuilders wearing only underpants.
And the Zambian media often publishes those pictures. Nobody raises issues. Why?
We have looked at the issue from a legal, political and religious angle. From the legal point of view, we don’t think we have violated any law of this country.
If we have violated any law, we ask the authorities to effect an arrest on the editor of The Post and accordingly prosecute him for the offence. From the political angle, of course, there are always people who wait anxiously to find anything they can attack The Post on, and they jumped on this issue in desperation to harangue The Post. We are used to this type of thing. We know there are vultures, hyenas waiting for us to fall and feast on us. Their time hasn’t come. They will not make much political capital against us out of those pictures.
And from the religious angle, we have considered the Gospel accounts. And we can clearly see that Jesus’ spirituality wasn’t one of withdrawal from the world, of moving away from everyday life in order to better serve God, of denying everyday realities. In John 17:15, Jesus asked his Father to keep his disciples from evil without taking them out of the world.
Jesus’ entire existence was one of immersion in the ideological conflict, in the arena where different concepts and options for or against the oppressed were discussed. Nor was Jesus’ spirituality that of moralism. That is the spirituality of the Pharisees, who turn their moral virtues into a sort of conquest of sanctity.
Many Christians have been trained along these lines and lose strength in their faith because they don’t manage to adjust to the pharisaical moralism they seek. God seems to live on the top of a mountain, and spirituality is taught as a manual for mountain climbing to be used by Christians interested in scaling its steep slopes. Since we are of a fragile nature, we begin our climb over and over again – it is the constant repetition of the Sisyphus legend, rolling the stone uphill.
Now, then, one of the best examples of Jesus’ non-moralism is the story of his encounter with the Samaritan woman. From the point of view of the morals prevailing in those times, she was an outcast – for being a woman, a Samaritan, and a concubine. It was to that woman, however, that Jesus first revealed the messianic nature of his mission.
And interesting dialogue took place between them: “The woman said to him, ‘Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirsty, nor come here to draw.’
“Jesus said to her, ‘Go, call your husband, and come here.’ The woman answered him, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, ‘You are right in saying, “I have no husband”; for you have had five husbands, and he whom you now have is not your husband; this you said truly.”
The woman said to him, “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshipped on this mountain; and you say that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.” Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father…But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth” (John 4:15-23).
At no time did Jesus recriminate her for having had six men in her life. He was interested in verifying that she was real. She didn’t lie, didn’t take a pharisaical position; therefore, she was able to adore “in spirit and truth,” in a subjective opening to God and in an objective commitment to the truth. Thus, Jesus showed that Christian life wasn’t a movement of man toward God; before that, there is God’s love directed toward man.
God loves us irremediably. It only remains for us to know if we are more or less open to that love, for every love relationship demands reciprocity and entails absolute freedom. Christian morality, then, doesn’t stem from our pharisaical intention of being sinless; it is a consequence of our love relationship with God, as love imposes fidelity in a couple.
There is hypocrisy in this issue. Some of the people who are on record complaining are of very low moral levels. Some of them are people whose sexual conduct is far from what they are trying to portray. Some of them are men and women who undress for very young girls and boys to have sex with them. What morality are they trying to preach?
We have also looked at the way our ancestors used to dress not very long ago. These people would arrest them today if they were to come back and dress the way they used to. Our museums have pictures of how our people used to dress from the early 1900 to the late 1950s. We can publish these pictures and hear what these so-called moralists would say.
Clearly, this is not a simple issue. It is a very complex matter that calls for sober reflection and meditation and not emotional outbursts.
If some people are really obsessed with what is going on, what has been depicted in those pictures, let them swing into action and stop it in our nightclubs and other public places. Trying to nail The Post to the cross over showing them what is going on will not stop that type of conduct.
It is interesting that some of these characters are not even concerned about those who were in the pictures, but they have directed their anger solely at The Post. They are wasting their time and they are not serious people to be taken serious.
If they are serious people, let them go to Kalingalinga every Friday and preach the morality they claim to possess and change things to suit their desires. Stopping the media from informing the nation about the nature of their society will not change what they don’t like. The problem is not The Post publishing those pictures. The problem lies with what goes on. If you don’t like those pictures, go and change things in Kalingalinga and other places where such things take place.
The Post Newspapers
Posted by
bholey
January 8, 2013 at 10:27 am
hav jst ready yo response ba post,u fred $yo felow post member ar doin a gud job.ths is jst a wake up cal 2 da parents to teach their children gud morals not jst being their to coment folishnes,take it real pipo.lets us work 2getha $ teach dem acordingly.supose jesus was on earth do u think he culd go to these places so caled nite clubs? pip[o think twise b4 u critisise! Go post Go Fred! bravo ba meembe and da post!
mufela
January 8, 2013 at 10:33 am
Why trouble yoself,he who doesn’t want to read the paper let him not,these things are even in the vetican
Air Mukwai_
January 8, 2013 at 12:57 pm
Yes, I do agree with you. Even in the Christian Nation where pastors concentrate preaching on rebased umutulo .
mwana mulozi
January 8, 2013 at 1:15 pm
pipo are really snakes,when post showed us tht picture u complained bout it nw tht post is hittin you on yo dull heads u praising the post…zabukuba!mcuuuuuuu
profet
January 8, 2013 at 1:29 pm
The reporters/photographers lurk near the stage to photograph innocent women. Why would one only want to go behind somebody? this is evil and the post must not support this. Its different from when the person undresses willinglly. this dress simply went up probably there was blowing air. Reporters must stop lurking otherwise the patrons will stop patronising. the proprietors’ must stop camera men from going near the stage. period.
profet
January 8, 2013 at 1:33 pm
the photgrapher and the publishers mens rea is full of malice. it takes for photogrhper to lurk to take that snap and not transparently.
isaac
January 8, 2013 at 2:13 pm
Journalism is like soldiers in wars, where there are gun shots and grenades is where a journalist will go and cover the events. Do not blame the Post they are just doing their journalistic work. Blame the ladies.
Southern watchman
January 8, 2013 at 1:46 pm
LIGHT AND DARKNESS CANNOT AGREE. EVIL PEOPLE WILL NEVER ACCEPT THAT THEY ARE ON THE WRONG SIDE BECAUSE THERE MINDS ARE DARKENED DUE TO STUBBORNNESS OF THEIR HEARTS. THEY BELONG TO THE DEVIL AND VERY SOON THEY WILL BE DESTROYED BY THE LORD. OUR GOD IS A CONSUMING FIRE.
Mr wise
January 8, 2013 at 2:55 pm
This is advanced defiance to decent dress code or maybe she was tired of enticing men no interest now she sought of seducing them.
observer#10
January 8, 2013 at 3:22 pm
You people why do you like attacking Janet C, in almost all cases she is provoct, tries to defend her self you all start attacking! musiyeni mukazi ala!
Mutototo 2
January 8, 2013 at 3:37 pm
Dull bloggers & post followers, if a parent is committing adultery, should it be brought out to the kids at home? Some of these things need not further analysis, just simple logic-those things happen & it’s a fact, but, to be viewed by kids-it’s wrong!
High Above
January 8, 2013 at 6:09 pm
When a newspaper knows it is not selling it turns to the proven strategy: SEX SELLS! So all this press freedom crap they are pontificating about doesnt exist. Ask the devil the reason for his existence and he will give you a billion ‘good’ reasons
all stylez
January 8, 2013 at 6:19 pm
ichinyo bakamba
Umusambashi
January 9, 2013 at 1:32 am
Post somethng abt homosexuals n those who r bisexual…..come on….surprisd u quote th Holy Word,while Lucifer does th same evn bettr…plz show us wht our dotas n sons r busy doing as homosexuals n bisexuals at thz very clubs…aftr all…only a devil’ haven wld harbour such…thn u cn preach away….nonsense…wht u ve writtn cn onlly hold water if u abhor to it….failure to whch,its jst water under th bridge
Blessed
January 9, 2013 at 8:57 am
The Post Sons and Daughters are Saints……wow
Chipwiti
January 9, 2013 at 9:02 am
The work of the media is tell and show people whats going on in this world,its not right to blame post when our society is rotten and stinking, lets train our childen to grow up with good morals.
CALLED WISE
January 9, 2013 at 9:27 am
*’ANY DRESS TO A WOMEN IS A CONFESSED DESIRE 2B DRESSED AND UNCONFESSED DESIRE 2B UNDRESSED’
*IF WAT PIPO SAY ABOUT U IS TRUE,CHANGE N IF IT’S LIE,JUST LAUGH’
Kwathu
January 9, 2013 at 9:42 am
It’s a very long reaction from the Post and because of the language used, very defensive and inflammatory to the soul; I have found it hard to read to the end. The truth of the matter is very clear, Fred Membe’s agenda for this country is not good at all. He will never rest in promoting anything that defies the way of God. And the marriage of convenience the PF entered into with the Post will heavily cost this nation.
It is clear Membe is annoyed with the minster for referring to Zambia as a Christian nation something with help out outside sponsors he has been fighting against, he stands for secularism.
I agree with Membe there is so much evil going all around the corners of Zambia and that it’s true these children are coming from our homes and mine inclusive. But I know that Membe is aware that it takes a village to bring up a child and what children see in the news papers in part forms these characteristics. We should not be choosing which evil to fight, the way the post have stood up in fighting Dr. Chiluba’s corruption, they can do well to mount a similar pressure of government and all stakeholders in fighting these immoral issues that have evaded our nation and they have rightly noted these include body building contests, beauty contests, and big brother etc.
Kwathu
January 9, 2013 at 10:16 am
May I add another small comment. It’s unfortunate that Membe quotes the Oxford dictionary to teach us what nudity is. I think this chap is dull or blinded by his desire for a secular zambia. Words draw their meaning from the cultural context in which they are used, that is why same words can mean different different things in different places. In the academic world they talk of operational definitions and in law every word is explained as what it exactly means. If Zambian people are saying those pictures are of nude people, it is total foolishness for Membe to argue based on the oxford dictionary. That is how Zambians have perceived his pictures and that is what nudity mean to them. Please take your foolishness somewhere else.
bholey
January 9, 2013 at 11:03 am
some tymes its dificult to agree dat u ar wrong,ma frend ar u in support of wat is hapening in thiz so caled nite clubs? i thing u ar so comfortable of wat is goin on in thiz places bcause u ar also a culprit u ar found their n u ar jst scared coz next tym it wil b on u,we shal c yo nudity,bre serious u young man. Go Meembe!Go Post!
kazeze
January 9, 2013 at 11:43 am
“Our people”. What a ****** phrase!!! So even a publication such as The Post tabloid can refer to Zambians as “our people”? What crap!!!!
Chisenga
January 9, 2013 at 1:06 pm
ALL OF US ARE GILTY. THOSE WHO PUBLISH NUDE PHOTOS ARE GUILTY. THOSE WHO DANCE NUDE ARE GUILTY. THOSE WHO SEND THEIR CHILDREN TO NITE CLUBS ARE GUILTY. ALL OF US THEREFORE MUST REPENT AND STOP DOING WRONG THINGS.
bholey
January 9, 2013 at 1:10 pm
hey guys can sme 1 cme in da open $ define wat a tabloid means!post members ar their to do wat is on da ground,u shud face da realities,its hapenig rite their in nite clubs.pipo do u want da post to start reporting wat z nt on da ground? let themn do their work dey jst report wat z hapenig.that woman ws there & she did wat she wantd to do!s********t Men!
bholey
January 9, 2013 at 1:13 pm
i think sme1 is guilty bcoz he or she knows da company.
bholey
January 9, 2013 at 1:14 pm
umutototo wa mu ma nite clubs wa ba gwira, Okay!
THIS FRED MMEMBE MUST B AN *****
January 9, 2013 at 2:27 pm
I only read this article now on Tumfweko. But really someone in his normal senses can’t compare my ancestors’ dress of 100 years ago to now. Why were they dressed like that is the question for brainless people like fred to answer before plunging into moral issues that he knows nothing about. The dress then can’t be used to assess today’s morals.
Air Mukwai_
January 9, 2013 at 2:50 pm
OMG, you have heard of IMIBINDE, a piece of animal skin covering only the delta part and a string passing in between the contours. Hence the modern ladies underware called G-String emanated from there. Breasts were not covered this is also exhibited during Gwala ceremony where ladies dance with uncovered deflated boobs in public. This is their culture they are keeping from generation to generation.
Jihad
January 9, 2013 at 6:26 pm
Read and comprehend before responding.
Air Mukwai_
January 9, 2013 at 10:13 pm
Ba guy. Read between the lines and it’s summing up on periodic fashions which can be recycled. Ulemina amate before you start ukusabaila.
I BURIED IT ALL!!
January 9, 2013 at 3:48 pm
then we need to have a PG RATING ON THESE PAPERS, if that’s what you mean being free to publicise because also morals of children are being eroded when they get to see these pictures. we should just refrain from buying the Friday’s edition simple.
khwedzedze
January 9, 2013 at 4:55 pm
Only a pervert can reason like this! Such warped thinking can only come from the perverts at the Post! There is the story of the “peeping” child who was cursed by his father for poking fun at his nude father who had inadvertently exposed his genitalia in a drunken stupor! Was that Noah’s son, I wonder? Anyways, Fred and gang will always find some justification for their warped logic! If there is any hypocrisy here, it’s coming from the post perverts. We know your sales are flagging, but surely you can find a better way of selling your newspaper? Abash moral degradation and profiteering from such! There is what is called moral suasion? Sadly, both the cream and scum float! It’s the ability to distinguish between the two that counts!
Jihad
January 9, 2013 at 6:25 pm
Ala! Ala! That is exactly what is wrong with Religious scriptures. Anyone can use them to support their stance because they are subject to millions of interpretations.
young blood
January 9, 2013 at 5:11 pm
Jesus said ” what is for God is for God and what is devils is for devil, mmembe Kindly stop using my fathers words to please/protect yourself, my father is too!!!!! you hear tooooooooooo!!!!!!!! holy,too intelligent for you and your ****** paper. God our father, the almighty one, the beginning and the end does not and I repeat DOES NOT TAKE PLEASURE in sin, a sinner is not a christian, and a christian is not a sinner, who told you that we need you and your minions to go to bars/night clubs display such ****** pictures in public. The bible says ” DO NOT WALK IN THE PATH OR EVEN SIT IN THE SITS OF THE SCORNFUL you my friend, are playing with fire.tell who ever quoted the scripture to refrain from doing so, the devil had a chance to repent his time ran out, it up to you repent and turn from you evil ways, heaven is waiting for you, the money you have wont count when The Good LORD comes.
Jihad
January 9, 2013 at 6:23 pm
Imwe naimwe stop threatening people with God’s doctrines!
clockdial
January 9, 2013 at 5:28 pm
The statement, “you become what you think about”, reminds
us that our thoughts affect who we are, and it points out
the connection between what we think and what we become.
This understanding is both enhanced and magnified once combined
with The Law of Exposure.
The Law of Exposure tells us that our minds think about what
it is most exposed too.Indecent exposure is the deliberate exposure in public or in view of the general public by a person of a portion or portions of his or her body, in circumstances where the exposure is contrary to local moral or other standards of appropriate behavior. Social and community attitudes to the exposing of various body parts and laws covering what is referred to as indecent exposure vary significantly in different countries. It ranges from prohibition of exposure of genital areas, buttocks and female breasts. In some Islamic countries[which?] the exposure of any part of the female body is considered indecent. Some countries[which?] do not have indecent exposure laws.
The applicable standard of decency is generally that of the local community, which is sometimes codified in law, but may also be based in religion, morality, or, in some justifications, on the basis of “necessary to public order.”[1] Indecent exposure sometimes refers to exhibitionism or to nudity in public and does not require any other sexual act to be performed. If sexual acts are performed, with or without an element of nudity, this can be considered public indecency, which may be a more serious criminal offense. In some countries, exposure of the body in breach of community standards of modesty is also considered to be public indecency.
The legal and community standards of what states of undress constitute indecent exposure vary considerably, and depend on the context in which the exposure takes place. These standards have also varied over time, making the definition of indecent exposure itself a complex topic.
Mmembe's Father
January 9, 2013 at 6:20 pm
Thats why Mr Zambia contestants are not naked as the stoopid Post puts it! Neither are the 20th Century ancestors they are referring to.
This is great thinking unlike the stewpid selfserving address The Post subjects us to in its obstinate bid to show off about its journalistic stance. Journalism? when we all know they are politicians. Thank you
Michael Chilufya Mumembe
January 9, 2013 at 5:32 pm
Ok, these are pictures of what goes on in the nightclubs; Can Membe send these pictures to her mother or her aunt Inonge Wina? Does one have to show the vagina or the penis to the son or daughter to express the reality that it’s the thing behind the son’s or daughter’s existence? Is this what the Post is telling us? I think even Dr Kaseba will not take these insults to the Zambian people by The Post Newspaper. If the Post think it will continue publishing such nonsense in the name of exposing the promiscuity in the Zambian society, then they should rate their newspaper as an X newspaper with PG 18 so that our children are not exposed to such things. The other day, I found the photo-cut of that picture among school going children. This is OK for The Post. Sakeni warned against such things, so he is wasting his time and so is the govt. INSULTING ALL ZAMBIANS MINUS THE FAMILIES OF THE POST WORKERS! KWENA, you are well protected. Satan bless you.
Mmembe's Father
January 9, 2013 at 6:12 pm
Washeba imbushi ishi!
Nja ya mwahae aina lubilo
January 9, 2013 at 9:16 pm
Good comment from the post,keep it up..
Ichipondo
January 9, 2013 at 9:24 pm
But I have one question bachimbwi,what was Daliso looking at with his eye balls almost poping out of the sockets like a cartoon?
maniac
January 10, 2013 at 5:39 am
M’membe nau lasa apa pena!
Tekabolapanshi
January 10, 2013 at 8:58 am
Zambians are just dull and backward….even a simple photograph causes havoc, these guys are merely reporting what they see so why do you over analyze things like you are educated?……it’s sick and it’s worrying!! jumping up and down with your senseless comments, i really feel embarassed when i read blogger comments on this site…….any way i can’t blame you for your basic education and danda heads.
MOJO
January 10, 2013 at 9:01 am
Indecent exposure is a criminal offence,but the Zambian law hasn’t defined what constitute indecent exposure.Sylvia Masebo should tone down on her dressing especially during official events.
bholey
January 10, 2013 at 10:20 am
meembe cikali ba guy.let him do his job wel.wawawawa! kuti mii! dalisoul wanted 2 c 4 himself never wanted 2 b told.musiyeni meembe na bantu bake bali cee!
Hope
January 10, 2013 at 12:14 pm
Mwana Mulozi spot on hypocrites dull blind followers the same idiots who were throwing stones on the gay post are now the ones supporting this ****** dull article how passive can you get shout the hell up if you have nothing to say tossed to and fro but post gay doctrines there’s nothing smart about this article his defending himself trying to sound intelligent idiotic crap