This post is to disagree with Abe Olandres on the issue of blogging as a privilege and not a right.
Blogging is a natural extension of what is stated in Article III Section 4 of the Philippine Constitution, and I quote:
No law shall be passed abridging the freedom of speech, of expression, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble and petition the government for redress of grievances.
That article is entitled “Bill of Rights”. That section was placed there in posterity so that no one will ever tell somebody what he can say, when he can say what he wants, and how he wants to say it. No one is given the privilege of exercising free speech at the detriment of the others.
The UN Declaration of Human Rights (of which the Philippines is a signatory) guarantees the freedom of expression in Article 19:
Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.
Abe’s arguments are best rebutted by Willy Prilles of Naga, and I quote him:
Yes, the lack of internet access, time and facility for language are formidable barriers to blogging today. But their existence does not make blogging less of a right that every citizen should have the freedom to enjoy — or decide not to enjoy at all.
In the same manner that simply because the Philippine blogging community today is a mostly elitist segment of society at large should deter ordinary citizens from wanting their voice to be heard and demanding their own seat on the table — in cyberspace. To the contrary, it is our challenge to tear down these barriers, or at least die trying.
Yes, blogging in the Philippines is limited at the moment. Blogging requires time, and time requires an Internet connection being available all the time. But this constraint can be overcome. Blogging is not always typing at the keyboard; one can write his/her thoughts on paper, rewrite, compile, and post them when the connection is possible. Blogging does not require that you blog every hour and every day. Blogging only requires that you post at some semblance of regularity.
Yes, blogging requires good language skills. What better way to hone that skill than blogging?
If blogging is not for everyone, then freedom of speech is not for everyone, too. So why bother with a Constitution? Besides, those who advance this line of argument only emphasizes the fact that we live in a class-based society.
Blogging is for everyone, but not everyone is born to blog. There lies the difference. I think.
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I understand where Abe is coming from. Fresh from the success of the Philippine Blog Awards, there are some quarters who are somehow unhappy with the event. That is to be expected. Only that some have overreacted. Sometimes being pissed off drives someone to say something irrational. All we can do is be magnanimous and graceful both at the same time.
Apologies have been issued, and it’s time to bury the hatchet, and enter the holidays with peace of mind.
Amen to that. If I may add, there are more Pinoy bloggers than we may think. Plus, there are even more Pinoy readers out there that we don’t know. Therefore, it debunks the claim that blogging is for the affluent and experts in the English Language. Commenters on our blogs could be considered bloggers too.
Blogging is a right in the sense that anyone is allowed to do it, and no person can stop them. However, it becomes a privilege because not all Filipinos have the proper resources to blog.
Privilege: benefit enjoyed only by a person beyond the advantages of most
Saying that blogging is a privilege doesn’t necessarily mean or imply that it isn’t a right. It’s just that in the Philippine setting where the lower class is the majority, only a sad few really have the privilege of blogging.
My two cents. 🙂
perhaps it would be more accurate if we said that to express oneself freely via one’s blog is a right, while we recognize that here in las islas filipinas the fact that we’re not all jacked in makes blogging the privilege that it is?
given that there are supposedly 10M internet users in our country, with our 85M population, for one pinoy to enjoy something that eight others do not… it’s like food is a right, but not everybody gets to eat well.
(not that i’m making blogging out to be inherently elitist — i believe that the blogosphere and cyberspace are the among the few truly democratic spaces left.)
we should support that $100 PC project, among other things, to help in getting everyone access, turning what is now a privilege to a right one can choose to exercise.
I honestly don’t know what to make of your last paragraph. Would you mind elaborating?
“Blogging is for everyone, but not everyone is born to blog. There lies the difference. I think.”
That’s the whole point. All of us have the right to become talk show hosts or radio commentators if we wanted to, right? I understand that we have the right to free speech, but it’s the path you choose that determines how you should be heard. Blogging isn’t for everyone like you said. So why force it on everybody?
Oops. I meant:
Not everyone is born to blog like you said. So why force it on everybody?
Remember, we are born with rights. If you say that not everyone is born to blog, then I don’t get the point of this post.
Ok, here we go.
Hi, Shari, Jester, I agree. I should have pointed that out. No contest.
Hi, Benj, it’s about the “controversies” after the Phil. Blog Awards.
Hi, Andrew, I think I have not implied forcing blogging to everyone. What I am saying that anyone should not be denied that right. Invoking “blogging as privilege” implies denial of that right. Even if the infrastructure is not there, the right of free speech in whatever form cannot be denied.
When I say not everyone is born to blog, what I mean is that everyone can be a doctor but when you do not have the aptitude you cannot be one. But that doesn’t make being a doctor as a privilege.
The issue here, guys and gals, is that the statement “Blogging is a privilege and not a right”. Read Jester’s and Shari’s comments, and Willy Prilles’ blog post. My contention is that blogging is a right. The current limitations may impede the exercise of that right, but it doesn’t mean blogging is no longer a right but a privilege.
Driving is a priviledge because your driver’s license belong to an issuing body for revocation or suspension if the terms of using that license is violated; so is gun ownership, business ownership, broadcast operation etc.
The participation in any sports tournament is a priviledge because there is always a ruling body that can disqualify a sportsman, even though licenses are not required in a lot of tournaments.
Blogging is my right, as well as my neighbor who couldnt’ afford a computer and a connection but goes to the cyber cafe. I dont read his comments and am not impressed by his intellectual capabilities but how can I stop him. Its not like we have a cyber police.
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