“New community anthem”

Jahan Divecha’s suggestion that a great song We are the Champions be adopted as a new community anthem (Readers’ Forum, Parsiana, October 2003), although a nice thought, is one I’m sure will never be adopted. I get the impression that, amongst the Parsis, though not openly hated, there is an almost "hostile indifference” towards Freddy Mercury (Farok Bulsara). It was as if he had never existed and this despite the fact that one of his songs was voted (by the British public) the second greatest song ever in the history of popular music and despite the fact that Freddy was voted, at the turn of the century, the 58th (I think!) greatest Briton of all time! Awesome, both these achievements, I am sure most fair-minded people will agree.

Bulsara: pop personality

Why was he rejected? His life­style? Perhaps. But then genius, always, but always is flawed and especially as regards entertainers. The fact that he never acknowledged his Zoroastrian roots? Perhaps. But for a pop personality (any personality) to acknowledge a religion (any religion) would be akin to professional suicide. The fact that he did not leave any of his not inconsiderable wealth to Zoroastrian charities? (And here I stand corrected, as, for all I know he may well have done so.) But, perhaps he ought to have. Overriding all these criticisms is an individual’s freedom of choice and quite frankly, all Freddy did was exercise this freedom!

JIMMY MAROLIA

Buckinghamshire, UK