Over the years, I have received complaints about my column from the minister of information (about an Arts Fest article), from LTA and from one Jay Chou fan.Today, I got complaints from Adam Lambert fans. I consider this a step up.
Whatever happened to love and acceptance?
The New Paper received these two long e-mails regarding my Outlaws Of Love column. (I'm kinda disappointed Ikea didn't complain about my meatballs column.)
Dear Sir/Madam:
I am writing in with regard to the article titled "Let's Make Some Noise, You Outlaws Of Love". This article is written by S M Ong on Page 35 of The New Paper on 10 March 2013, Sunday.
I am extremely disturbed and disappointed by how the writer, S M Ong, wrote this article.
Not only do the article shows the writer's insensitivity, it also shows immense disrespect towards Adam Lambert and his song, Outlaws Of Love.
Firstly, i would like to know if the writer, S M Ong, did research on the meaning behind the song Outlaws Of Love before writing and publishing this article?
Let me enlighten you with the real meaning behind Outlaws Of Love.
Adam Lambert is trying to express his frustration on the issue of homophobia. Outlaws Of Love expresses Adam's sadness that we are probably not able to change homophobes' minds.
Outlaws Of Love is also about Adam's feelings and personal experience on being part of a Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT) community that is a little outcasted.
This totally does not have any relation with having illegal sex on the staircase.
Just because the song is OUTLAWS of love, the writer, S M Ong, assumed that the song is about the crime that love brings about, like having illegal sex on the staircase?
I am sorry but the song Outlaws Of Love have absolutely nothing to do with having illegal sex on the staircase.
Secondly, i would like an explanation on why this article has been allowed to be published in the first place.
Even when it is allowed to be published, why is it under the Humour and Act Blur section? I dont see anything funny about this article at all. This is not a laughing matter.
Lastly, I would like an article explaining the real meaning of Outlaws Of Love to be together with an apology to be published as soon as possible. Hope to hear from you soon.
Thank you for your kind attention.
Sincerely,
Sihui
To whomever this may concern,
I have all along found The New Paper a factual and informative newspaper, which was why I was taken aback and disappointed when I came across an article by S M Ong titled 'Let's make some noise, you outlaws of love' in the 10 March 2013 issue of The New Paper regarding singer Adam Lambert's song, Outlaws Of Love.
I had been confused and disappointed when reading it, as the article seemed to have no purpose whatsoever, and appeared to have been written just for the sake of publishing something.
I would like to address the way there is no link between any of the points brought up, and why the song in question is brought up in this redundant article.
Also, I'd like to question the research and professionalism put into the writing of this piece.
What is the point of the whole paper? What is the use of the examples brought up?
Is it talking about the NC16 advisory rating on Adam Lambert's concert? In that case why does the next paragraph suddenly jump to the 'promotion of the gay lifestyle' that media claims he has?
Or is it about 'married 30something' female teachers engaging in sexual acts with minors?
What is the relevance of bringing up the comfort and 'ergonomic advantages' of sexual activities in HDB staircases and the author's 'own experiments'?
A good half of the article appears to be touching on underage sexual activities between adults, namely teachers, and their students, and I fail to see how these unfortunate incidents in Singapore has any relevance of this to American singer Adam Lambert.
Also, what is S M Ong trying to say when he writes 'while a couple may fear being caught having sex in the stairwell (though that may be part of the thrill), it would be far more traumatising for me to chance upon you having sex in the stairwell (especially if I don't have a camera phone with me)'?
Is he trying to promote exhibitionism?
Following that, he mentions that if people have sex public areas, they shouldn't be too loud, but loud enough that passerby can hear 'so that I can at least rush home and get a camera'.
Is he implying that instead of reporting these sexual acts to the authorities, people should instead stand by and film them?
What is the message he is trying to bring across to readers during this article?
The only link between the entire writeup seems to be the song Outlaws Of Love, and were the writer S M Ong to have done his research, it would have been easy to find the meaning of the song.
Outlaws Of Love, in fact, is a song about the trouble the Lesbian, Gay, Transgendered and Bisexual (LGBT) community has to face on a daily basis, and has been commented on by music critics as Outlaws of Love by Adam Lambert comes with a tone of pain.
The pain of having experienced rejection for something that he did not choose. The pain of not being treated equal in something so essential as loving another human being'.
This article came across as an childish and homophobic jab at this song.
In short, this seems like a haphazardly thrown together article that does not make sense whatsoever, with lack of professionalism and research, as well as blatant disrespect towards singer Adam Lambert.
In addition, there is a show of immaturity in the disturbingly perverse snide comments on the authors part.
By linking these stories that has a blatantly different meaning altogether to his aforementioned songs has shown lack of research as well as a lack of proper content to write about.
This writeup has caused my otherwise high regard of The New Paper to drop several notches, and I hope that such a unprofessional article with lack of links, research and form would not appear in your paper again.
Regards,
Charmaine
And here is my "redundant", "haphazardly thrown together", "unprofessional", "childish and homophobic" article, promoting exhibitionism.
Love and acceptance, as always.
EARLIER: Outlaws of love: Adam Lambert, teachers and sex in the stairwell
