Freedom’s limits

Is there a limit to the freedom of expression or is it really absolute? The question is relevant today.  The Cultural Center of the Philippines recently closed an exhibit that featured a supposed artwork depicting the face of Jesus Christ with a phallus   while tabloids have been printing stories with explicitly described sexual acts. Defenders said these works were basically products of their creators’ free exercise of self-expression.

But can anyone write, print or exhibit anything that he wants because after all it is allowed under the  freedom of expression? I remember being told by one political science professor that freedom is not absolute. It must be accompanied by much responsibility. For as long no one gets hurt in the exercise of one’s right then doing something is  okay but once such an exercise hurts others  limits have to be placed. I think this is a matter of common sense, but we tend to be abusive in the exercise of our rights because of our lack of knowledge about the impact of our actions.

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What would drive people to write or display something that hurts the sensibilities of others? Probably too much belief in themselves and forgetfulness about God.

This amnesia about God ails our society and that is why some people do crazy things. A son kills his own mother. Illegal drugs proliferate. Many are involved  in the drug trade using poverty as an excuse. Men molest women. Children commit many violations and  become a pest to our community.

Some social scientists have studied the reasons behind these realities  but for me the only explanation is that many of us have forgotten our God.

Fr. Ramon Mores of the Sacred Heart Parish keeps   reminding us about God. We  idolize  Western culture but it has often been a  bad influence on our people. Our people, rich and poor, have abused our natural resources. Because of money, we have become so  materialistic and forgotten the values that were once impressed upon us. There is really a need for many of us to go back to God.

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I am so impressed by the New York city government’s preparation for hurricane Irene. Even before the hurricane made landfall, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg ordered residents especially in low-lying areas to evacuate and stopped nearly all  activities in New York City with the closure of subways, airports and others to prepare for disaster.  It is a neat lesson for us Filipinos to learn and apply.  But in our country it is easier said than done.

Experience has shown that Filipinos, instead of seeking safety, disregard it to the extent that lives are lost. When asked to evacuate, our people usually resist fearing that their property would be looted. Ironically, the government faces its greatest difficulty when   asking people to  vacate properties that they illegally possessed. We always have to demolish with a court order and even with one, people fight against demolition crews, again arguing that they are poor and  mistreated by our community.

Well in the first place why did they occupy properties  owned by another or put up houses beside or on top of  rivers when they know that it is not allowed? And why did the government tolerate illegal settlers? Is it because these settlers are a rich source of votes? I hope political will shall be exercised by our local government officials to put order in our chaotic city already and that some politicians would allow our local government leaders  to do the job they failed to do when they were in office.

It’s about time we  stop spoiling the illegal settlers just to get their votes. That’s a wrong way of governance.