Opinion

Editorial

Tanga rin kami

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In 2010, The GUIDON became the subject of Matanglawin’s lampoon issue, Tanganglawin. Perhaps, the criticism stems from a perception then (and maybe even now) that we are soft and shallow when it comes to covering issues in and out of the campus.

Whatever the reason may be, this is Matanglawin’s right as a journalistic publication. We believe that this right must be protected and upheld pursuant to our Constitution and the laws of our land. The lampoon also reminds us that we are not perfect, and like everyone else, we are valid subjects of criticism.

All of us have our own imperfections—or to put it in Matanglawin’s terms, katangahan. Satire reminds us of this and serves as a reflection of reality. Comedy is the medium that attracts people to come and take a look at the mirror. At first, we laugh at what the mirror shows us, but then we realize that it is actually our own reflection that we are laughing at.

Aside from national politics, a long-running subject of Tanganglawin’s satire is the Artenista, code for Atenean elitism. As what Matanglawin wrote, “satire is not that far from the truth.”

Satire as a form of discourse is certainly welcome in our democracy. It allows for our society to be more critical and self-reflexive. Freedom of speech and the free exchange of ideas, opinions, and criticism without fear of backlash and retribution is the bedrock of a democratic society.

It is in this spirit that we condemn Mocha Uson’s irresponsible posting of Matanglawin Editor-in-Chief Rambo Talabong’s profile on her Facebook page in relation to the Tanganglawin issue this year.

As colleagues in journalism, we find this action alarming and dangerous. Uson should have thought about the implications of her act. She has unnecessarily exposed Talabong to cyberbullying by posting his personal details, therefore opening the possibility of endangering him and his rights.

Uson knows very well that several journalists, public personalities, and ordinary citizens have already been intimidated and threatened by trolls and fanatics just because of contrarian statements or opinions.

Equally alarming is the prevailing level of discourse in social media—the very subject of Tanganglawin’s lampoon issue. Vicious name-calling and attacks from both sides of the debate have created a vitriolic environment that is unhealthy for constructive discourse that is vital to democracy. This has led some people to tune out and disengage. In the words of a popular local matinee idol, “shut up na lang.”

But we cannot just simply “shut up.” The stakes are too high for critical voices to be silenced.

Thus, we call on everyone to fight this intimidation online and offline.

We call on everyone to post and critique responsibly on social media and on other media platforms.

We call on citizens to call out people or entities that have weaponized technology to threaten people and to spread malicious or false information.

We call on everyone to go beyond their screens and engage their fellow Filipinos in actual encounters and conversation.

We call on everyone to eschew personality-driven, ad hominem attacks and to just stick with the issues.

Uson, herself a subject to unfair slut-shaming from some quarters, echoes this sentiment. And we could not agree with her more.

In an October 12 post, she wrote, “[n]gunit kung talagang ‘matalino’ at ‘disente’ kayo huwag ang PAGKATAO ng DUTERTE SUPPORTERS ang atakihin niyo kundi yung argumento o ang isyu. (If you are really ‘intelligent’ and ‘decent,’ don’t attack the personality of Duterte supporters. Attack their arguments or the issue itself).”

It is our hope that Uson, along with all Filipinos, will follow her own advice.

All of us have our faults—mga katangahan—that we can improve on, and the beauty of democracy is that we can call each other out, talk about these issues, and change things together. We cannot let fear or intimidation stop this.