On 12 March 2015, the “Hate Speech” Monologues took place at CEU for the third time. Professor Peter Molnar explained the purpose and rationale behind the performance: ‘When in 2013, I initiated and started to direct the “Hate Speech” Monologues at CEU, I hoped for what the wonderful casts and audiences had done already three times: Students, building on their fascinatingly diverse experiences, have been telling stories, mostly their own ones, about prejudices and hatred.’
Long and detailed preparations of motivated students and Peter Molnar culminated in a one-hour performance with a variety of pieces such as: personal experience with ‘hate speech’, especially anti-Roma speech (including in the CEU environment); illustrations of the consequences of prejudices in several countries (e.g. Romania or Russia); reflections on why people hate and what can both individuals and communities do against it.
According to Molnar, ‘This year a record number of 22 students performed. The Auditorium was full, both in numbers and energy. Everybody present was participant in self-reflection, with many laughs with a valid reason and other forms of conversation between the performers and audience. Together, we demonstrated that art, especially participatory art is a most powerful response to "hate speech". I believe that it is stronger than all emotional manipulations of "hate speech".’
In the end of the performance, each participant said one key message. Here are some of them:
Anna Robinson (Gender Studies): Ignorance is not bliss.
Anna Vellikok (Political Science): We can change it.
Asli Karaca (Doctoral School): Not backward because of appearance.
Atanas Stoyanov (Public Policy): Dignity for all.
Aušra Gedminaitė (Legal Studies): “Hey, babe! You are sexy, I would bang you!”... Compliments...You have to like compliments...
Aysenur Korkmaz (Nationalism Studies): Teach yourselves not to hate.
Camille Hesterberg (Public Policy): “My short skirt is not an invitation.”
Elvis Shakjiri (Legal Studies): Living as a Roma in Europe is very hard BUT not everyone can be a Roma.
Gul-i-Hina Shahzad (Political Science): "Humanity transcends all religions."
John McLean (Public Policy): Hate is a way to avoid the problems of being human.
Kazi Mohammad Mahbobor Rahman (Public Policy): “Hate the hate, love all.”
Konstantin Tebenev (Gender Studies): Think critically about what you read and watch; words kill.
Laszlo Jakab (Public Policy): I am not an issue.
Max Steuer (IRES): Hate speech is simply foolish.
Noelia Lupiañez Fernandez (Roma Graduate Preparation Program): Make sure that you have a healthy self-esteem.
Peter Molnar (Center for EU Enlargement Studies): Does the first letter of human mean hate?
Senada Sali (IRES): Is CEU indeed an open society?
Thank you all and hope to see you again next year!
Video from the performance will be available soon, don’t forget to check http://on.fb.me/1BGJuHy for photos as well.
Max Steuer
IRES, Slovakia
IRES, Slovakia
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