Something Worth Trying

Earlier today, the Ateneo de Manila Facebook page put up an invite for a noise barrage, to be held later today along Katipunan. I shared it on my own FB page, then went back to work. By mid-afternoon, I revisited the page, and saw it flooded with posts criticizing Ateneo for, well, putting up an invite to it. The call to silence and apathy appalled me, and I proceeded to engage the posters (at least one of them an obvious pro-Corona, pro-GMA troll).

In the span of perhaps half an hour, the original invite was taken down. I then called out the page admin on their own wall, which apparently isn’t public. They replied. I’m posting the exhange below, with minor edits for typos on my end.

(My status update calling them out): Ateneo de Manila University deleted the picture on the noise barrage later. Admin, please do not alienate your students/alumni who actually care about the truth more than they do about UAAP baseball and voleyball scores. Put the pic back up and let public discourse on this issue ensue.

(Their comment on my post): 

Ateneo de Manila University: Hello, Mikael. 

The picture and post that we removed pertains to an activity of the Simbahang Lingkod ng Bayan. The activity is not an official university activity, and does not reflect an official position taken by the University.

We initially agreed to assist the SLB in getting word out, notwithstanding a policy of not posting or allowing the posting of any content that may be construed or misconstrued as partisan political statements or activities.

After evaluating the reactions to the post, some of which included valid vehement objections we initially released another post that clarified that the activity was an SLB activity, not an Ateneo activity.

The Ateneo has not declared an official position regarding the impeachment of Chief Justice Renato Corona.

Since the clarification was met with similar reactions, we have decided that it will be more prudent and fair to take the post down.

The University respects the right of members of the community to participate in peaceful gatherings and to engage in discourse regarding political issues that the nation is facing. Engagement is encouraged.

However, we must be clear about the fact that until an official university position is taken, we must be careful to respect the right of all members of the community to discern and act on their own, and avoid any actions that may be mistaken as an action on the part of the university when there is none as of the moment.

We thank you for your comment and feedback.

(Me again:)

Just as there were valid objections, there was also valid debate taking place, and valid praise for Ateneo for posting the invite. Fact is, you put it up; objections came in and it stayed up. When discourse began taking place, you put it down. How should one take that?

We Ateneans have been criticized for a seeming policy of conflict avoidance. At times, this has been called apathy. That is understandable. But never have we stifled debate on issues.

I understand where you’re coming from, and in fact don’t expect you to put the picture back up. However, your reaction— taking the picture down— strikes me as one driven by panic rather than sobriety. You could’ve kept it up and released a statement saying that you haven’t yet taken a stand. You chose to bring it down, which can be interpreted than something worse as an “official stand.” It can be interpreted as the castration of an institution; a stand for silence. Worst, I guess: a stand condoning the stifling of truth in the impeachment trial. I hope, as an Atenean, for both our sakes, that this is not spun the wrong way.

(And finally, them:)

Thank you for your feedback, Mikael. We will take this into consideration the next time something like this happens.

*

So there. I’d have wanted to call them out some more. Ask for balls. Pero ano pa ba ang mararating nu’n.