Disabusing Some 2007 Notions

The year 2007 is over, but before we "move on" to a new one, I would like to touch on some events and notions of this year that, thanks to the media, have been blown to ridiculous proportions.

First up is the media circus swarming over the death Marianet Amper in Davao City. They say, based on a note she left plus a cursory examination of the household, it's the poverty that had drove the poor girl to suicide. Perfect! The news producers must have thought while leaning back on their plush seats to process the situation. This angle should be hyped up because it is such a "convenient truth" for profit, if not for power.

Later on, when the discussion among ivory towers died down a bit, the infamous mayor of Davao, perhaps more as a defense of his economic handling of the city and a defense of political allies, launched an investigation to see if Marianet has been a victim of an abusive father. Some evidence actually pointed to this angle, but, oh, this would ruin the sensational alignment of an innocent death, poverty, hopelessness, corrupt administration and farcical economic gains! An alignment that could finally provide the spark to topple the said corrupt administration and prove once again the awesome power of the Philippine Free Press and avenge the murders inflicted upon their kind.

Don't expect the issue to be given its proper conclusion, though. Later still, the mutiny at the Manila Peninsula, the spark for a power grab, have fizzled out and some media personalities have been detained for processing. "Processing?" The government should never have the monopoly of double-talk! Forget Marianet, this is a personal attack against media!

Too bad they haven't even considered my theory that what have driven the girl to suicide are the earworm voices of Sean Kingston and JoJo warbling the lyrics below to a pleasant beat and chord progression that is familiar to everyone since Ben E. King:

You're way too beautiful girl
That's why it'll never work
You have me suicidal, suicidal
When you say it's over
Damn all these beautiful girls
They only wanna do you dirt
They'll have you suicidal, suicidal
When they say it's over

I'm way to cool for ya boy.
That's why it'll never work.
I'll have you suicidal,suicidal.
When I say its over.
Damn all these beautiful girls.
We're only gonna do ya dirt.
We'll have you suicidal, suicidal.
When we say it's over.

-oOo-

Speaking of the Manila Peninsula stand off, there is this particular defense for media's actuations before, during and after the incident at the Pen. Most pundits have been debating about the right to information vs. the duty of the police and police overkill vs. police SOP among other things, but there was one statement that gave most some pause: if none of the media people stayed put, Trillanes, Lim and company might have been killed. Most have apparently accepted this as a valid line of thinking. Indeed, in exploring this idea one might assert that if there was complete media coverage of Ninoy's arrival back in 1983, he would never have been killed.

This, however, is an oversimplification because it does not take other factors into consideration. Consequently, it requires a lot of assumptions, which could be telling. First it already assumes that someone is out to kill somebody. Otherwise, it assumes that the mutineers will shoot it out to the death. Still otherwise, it assumes a poorly trained and undisciplined SWAT team. Bottom line, there appears to be a distrust to the authorities (may they be de facto or de juris, with or without moral ascendancy), or an effort to create mistrust, or, further still, pandering to a possibly distrustful public. Perhaps it is but natural for media to be critical of the authorities; therefore, this is acceptable.

Other assumptions would be that the killing would take place inside the hotel under their watchful eyes. This one is dismaying, because it lacks imagination. Rather, it somehow reeks of naive self-importance: the mere presence of media can decide who lives and who dies. They should have considered that media can be used and have been used to broadcast murder and that their complete coverage would be rendered powerless in saving lives, instead creating a more potent "chilling effect." Oh sure, the killer may--repeat, may be caught on camera, but they are assuming the murderer will allow him/herself to be identified, an assumption that could cost the very lives of the media people. Ah, but they are willing to die for the right of the public to information, aren't they?

It would have been better for all if they railed against the curfew. Maybe, a legal attack wouldn't prosper since the administration has done its homework and has conjured a legal block, fair or otherwise. But the opposition could have injected more malice to this overreaction. In the end, the media preferred discussing about themselves. In addition, compared to the stand-off and the curfew, the media aspect has more gray areas and touches on their area of expertise; thus, it has more fodder for further analysis.

-oOo-

In the end, I'd like to share what I've written in the Philstar Feedback Section (subsequently deleted by the moderator, I wonder why) back when the debates were raging about the media handling of the Manila Peninsula stand-off:

Philippine media is like a pendulum swinging from authoritarian control to anarchy. Marcos started this pendulum's swing by holding the bob to the side of state control, and when his iron grip was forced to let go, the bob swung wildly to the opposite side. Shall the media then slowly swing back to being nothing more than a government propaganda arm? Who could be the great leader whose hand shall still this swinging and restore the bob to its stability at the center?

-oOo-

Now for some lighter stuff. There is a decor hanging on our Christmas tree that appears not so "Chistmassy." For me, it looks more like a key chain. Then the thought hit me: why not hang on the Christmas tree key chains that can pass as Christmas decor? I'm thinking of the shiny "gold" and "silver" metallic kinds, but of course any key chain may do. It can earn your tree a second look from visitors. At the very least, you save on buying additional Christmas trinkets and at the same time find a way to put those key chains received every Christmas into good use.

(Disclaimer: To those who have given me key chains, be assured that this sentimental chap has remembered and will remember the good memories associated with the gifts. It's just that there are not that many bag zippers and sets of keys where I can adorn with your key chains, so they stay in storage until the ones currently in use get worn out.)

Now if you see this phenomenon next year, bear in mind that you read it first here in Highway Drift.

-oOo-

I've written before about the pathetic excuse for carolers exhaling sounds that could hardly bring anyone the tiniest bit of Christmas cheer. Fortunately for this Christmas season, I've encountered none from their kind. Some singers in fact deviated from the tiresome medley of Ang Pasko ay Sumapit, Jingle Bells and We Wish You a Merry Christmas, and this I've much appreciated. Also, there are still jeepney carolers, but this time, they thump their tin can drums with a more coherent rhythm and none wish for the death of stingy people.

One caroling tactic I've noticed this Christmas is the Stake Out Caroling. That is, the singers stay by an empty house and spring into action when the homeowner comes. Of course the unwitting recipient of Holiday songs no longer has the option of ignoring the carolers. At least they're not staking out to rob someone.

A prosperous new year to all!