by PU
Blogging Responsibly
Some of the blogger who was interviewed in abs cbn news channel’s Media Focus hosted by CheChe Lazaro. The site even posted the comment below in that particular article:
The blogospehere had been quite succesful in allowing everyone to express their views. Freedom comes responsibility. Unfortunately, there were a number of pinoy bloggers or commentators that encouraged hatred and have taken it to the next level. Violent reactions is the last thing you want in this situation. To those who had been proactive, and have taken appropriate medium (sent email of concern to the editor of the paper, blogged about it/posted comments or any other measures considered appropriate) a big thank you to all. You are what this country needs.
Proact don’t React. Easier said than done, I know, but that’s what we need to do.
Here’s a glimpse of what’s it’s all about:
Part 1
Blogging is absolutely no doubt a means to express one’s views. it let’s us show our agreement or disapproval on any particular issues. This is good as it only represent that freedom of expression exist. However, whether you’re a writer or a commentator, everyone must be responsible. As a blogger, the contents of your site only reflects the kind of person you are. In the case of the Manila Standard Today Management team and it’s editors who published the article, it’s clear that there was a failure to identify the potential to cause an offense and indeed identify that it was offensive. What the columnist had written may be considered a clear social discrimination by many, for which anyone have the right to express their disagreement on. A democratic society is one that allows freedom of speech in such a way that is socially, morally and legally acceptable. Posting serious attacks/threats against her and her life is equally unacceptable. Would you not consider that an exagerrated reaction? I personally feel that what she had written is appaling and unforgivable but I wouldn’t resort to some extreme measures for expressing my disapproval.The ability to allow/moderate postings relies purely from the owner/administrator of the blog itself. The issue at hand on this regard is, would that be considered censorship? One may ask the other question, is allowing such postings socially and morally acceptable or would that be considered a violation of her human rights? This falls true to the management and editors of the magazine. They are equally liable to that offense and should both make an apology to the public.
From watching the video, CheChe Lazaro’s tone and gestures somewhat relay the impression that she did not favour those personal attacks against the writer. The intent on this article is to gain further insight on how we can blog more responsibly as well as more productive for a better Philippines. It is not in anyway, to provoke further hatred of any kind.
More Video:
Part2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
Related posts:
The whole tone of the show was wrong from the very beginning, but since the show focuses on the media aspect of it all, they never truly went to the meat of the entire controversy, and that was the discriminatory article itself.
It’s interesting to note, that the website being flashed on screen was Tingog.com, and many comments flashed were that of the extreme name-calling type of comments. But not once did they show any quotes of the actual articles coming from Tingog.com. Had they done so, they would have encountered numerous arguments pointing to the inherent defects in Malu’s article, and the subsequent lack of moral authority with regards to atually publishing her garbage.
While I respect Che Che Lazaro because of her well established career, clearly the show did not do justice to all sides of the issue. And it was clear from the very beginning where they wanted to head with this issue, and not with Malu’s article, but with the few percentages of comment reactions on the blogs.
I was disappointed to say the least. The woman publisher in some instance seemed to be a PR person for Malu.
For the love of God, it’s called EMPATHY.
let’s use it.
But in some of the exchanges, Lorraine just could not see the harm of the article, chuckled, and brushed it aside as simply politically incorrect.
@ Nick – nice of you to drop by and share your thoughts. I completely agree with you. I may not have that thought very clearly. Watching the first video, it’s quite obvious that Benj and Josel had been repeatedly questioned on the lynch mob and hatred blogging/commenting issue. However, my views on everything still remains unchanged.