I did not report artists to the police for ‘mere jokes’ | Gordon Manché

Much has been said lately on social media and some national television outlets, about what some very misinformed people have been falsely accusing me about.

I am referring to the so-called trivial reports I made at the police station against certain ‘artists’ who have, without any doubt, greatly abused their role of a true genuine artist.

These certain so-called ‘artists’ and ‘comedians’ have taken the liberty to spew abusive hate speech, publicly calling for violence against myself and the renowned Evangelical Charismatic Church congregation.

Countless serious allegations were made about me and our church family, which are simply lies and false. I have been accused of being a ‘menace’ to freedom of speech by individuals who themselves hold a clear agenda to silence true freedom of speech!

Since the church was founded in 2006, I have never filed any report to the police against satire, arts or jokes made against me for quite a few years. Countless drama, skits, jokes, memes, songs etc have been done about me which I did not report. Intelligent and mature people know that cheap dirty talk, blasphemous and vile words are not art.

It seems that a small circle of people considers swearing, using vile language, insulting people by their names, hatefully attacking and ridiculing the Christian faith, God and Jesus Christ Himself as a form of ‘art’! Go figure? (Belief in God and Jesus Christ is the held belief of the great majority in our nation).

This is an insult to art and genuine artists! I spent years as a professional artist in Malta, UK and USA and I scoff at such cheap and low life definitions of this so called ‘art’.

The police took the reports seriously because they saw them for what they really are – threats and not just jokes. I commend the police force for their hard work to preserve peace and protection of citizens, which is often taken for granted. God richly bless you and your families!

What has actually been reported were not actually the jokes, but “threats and insults with the specific intent to stir up hate and violence against a specific group of people”, especially Christians who take their faith seriously.

As the Senior Pastor of River of Love Christian congregation, I have the duty to protect the numerous families, youths and children which assemble weekly at our church against threats - especially against threats to life – which these so-called ‘artists’ hide and disguise themselves behind their ‘jokes’.

Who is going to answer and be held accountable if a tragedy – incited by these same types of hate speech and threats – happens?

Will Matt Bonanno, Daniel Xuereb and Sean Buhagiar be held responsible? Or maybe even ministers Byron Camilleri and Owen Bonnici themselves?

As a citizen, I have done nothing else but exercise my God-given right on behalf of and for the protection of others! This is godly and a Christian duty!

The Minister for Home Affairs, Security, Reform and Equality Byron Camilleri, felt comfortable to label me an “extremist”. I wish he would be able to truly give ear to the many of the Maltese voters who feel hurt, sidelined and ignored by his statement. He should know that his reaction adds insult to injury to many who feel abused by such things!

The Catholic Church as well as the Evangelical Church in Malta share the same view on sexuality and marriage in their doctrines, and the Constitution of Malta protects such teaching through the freedom of speech and freedom of belief.

We have heard that Minister Camilleri wants to protect the freedom of thought and freedom of artists. Are we to take this to be understood that the minister is more interested in artists’ freedom than the freedom of others to freely hold and express opinions and beliefs? Above all, should artists be more privileged in light of the right to protection of life, which is why the reports were instituted in the first place?

I have laughed at caricatures of my person in the past, and will continue to do so, but why should anyone have to be bullied to tolerate such hate speech – even directed towards specific persons. My fellow brother-in-Christ, Rev. Matthew Grech is being prosecuted for speaking up about his spiritual journey. Does the minister care about Matthew’s freedom of speech?

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to understand that this law is being amended to only side with the people ‘they want’ while shutting up the ‘freedom of speech’ of others.

I would have expected that the newspapers who have reported all sorts of things on me, would have had the decency to contact me to express my point of view on the matter. I believe that journalists should be objective and they have a duty to report the facts and the truth with impartiality to their readers. But it is clear that there is bias and a hidden agenda on all of this.

These so-called satirists need to look into the consequences of their actions and refrain once and for all from continuing to shower insults, threats and hate speech. The fact that satirists are not regulated, does not mean that they have no boundaries on what they say.

I am an artist myself and I say, “Yes to art”, but thank God that many people and honourable artists with common sense, are aware that using vile language, swearing, attacking, bullying, insulting, blaspheming and, above all – using threatening words – know that this is not art.

Poor art, how you have been abused!