[UAAP] Ending the Controversy
Ahh, the controversy is dying down now. And we all return to our real lives. I finally have a moment to take a breath and compose my thoughts...
I was surprised at how much response that one post received. Both sides - the angry, the sorry, and the lawyerly. I suppose I should "end" this controversy (at least on my site) with how I feel one month after this whole fiasco.
I agree with many people that one act should not be used to generalize what Ateneans are like. Honestly, neither should the responses in an angry moment be used to generalize what LaSallians are like. However, I do believe that, while one test of character is how you behave when you lose (or are powerless), a bigger test of character is how you behave when you win (or wield power over others). It's just a game, but it ripples so widely in our real lives.
I also feel very strongly that, while one person's act does not define a community, how that community responds or reacts does reflect who or what the community is / stands for. Do we accept it, do we try to hide it away, do we make excuses, do we reprimand or hold people accountable, or do we condone? Make no mistake, doing nothing is condoning. Giving no assurance that it will never again happen - nothing.
I believe that community leaders do not lose accountability for single person's acts. They have a responsibility to ensure that the very-public activities that they conduct, whether they are organized by a Freshman or by a Department Head -- they have a responsibility to ensure that these activities reflect the culture and values that they want to stand for. They can't hide behind a curtain and say it's not their fault, and gladly point the finger somewhere else and pretend that that is that. People need to get their just desserts - whether they are praise or punishment. And if the leadership does not punish, they are condoning.
Also, while this responsibility is with the leadership and organizations on the most part, every single individual does have the responsibility to actively protect their values. If not, then we misunderstand how important those values are to you. Or, then you agree with what you see.
Based on what I saw this year, if something like this ever happens again, then the ADMU community and leaders will shake their heads and say "Oops." This is an Ateneo that I do not recognize.
The Ateneans I know are action-oriented, value-driven folk. On the night of the bonfire, the Ateneans I used to know would have tapped an organizer on the shoulder and said... That's going to far. They would have continued tapping shoulders until something was done.
These are the Ateneans I know. These are the Ateneans I want to see in Araneta coliseum, and have silly Blue vs. Green asaran sessions with. The ones leading the way and helping their community become even stronger and more value-driven than ever.
I still hope that I see more of the old Ateneo. I still hope for a truly respectable rival this Season 72.
That's my two cents. I know that La Salle is not spotless in its record, but I've seen the effort to correct, and to prevent. I've seen the sincerity, not just through the act, but the public owning-up. After a mistake, you can only hold your head up high if you feel that you've sufficiently made up for it, with all sincerity and with every possible means available. That's why we held our head high when the Archers took the court to start our 2007 season.
I was surprised at how much response that one post received. Both sides - the angry, the sorry, and the lawyerly. I suppose I should "end" this controversy (at least on my site) with how I feel one month after this whole fiasco.
I agree with many people that one act should not be used to generalize what Ateneans are like. Honestly, neither should the responses in an angry moment be used to generalize what LaSallians are like. However, I do believe that, while one test of character is how you behave when you lose (or are powerless), a bigger test of character is how you behave when you win (or wield power over others). It's just a game, but it ripples so widely in our real lives.
I also feel very strongly that, while one person's act does not define a community, how that community responds or reacts does reflect who or what the community is / stands for. Do we accept it, do we try to hide it away, do we make excuses, do we reprimand or hold people accountable, or do we condone? Make no mistake, doing nothing is condoning. Giving no assurance that it will never again happen - nothing.
I believe that community leaders do not lose accountability for single person's acts. They have a responsibility to ensure that the very-public activities that they conduct, whether they are organized by a Freshman or by a Department Head -- they have a responsibility to ensure that these activities reflect the culture and values that they want to stand for. They can't hide behind a curtain and say it's not their fault, and gladly point the finger somewhere else and pretend that that is that. People need to get their just desserts - whether they are praise or punishment. And if the leadership does not punish, they are condoning.
Also, while this responsibility is with the leadership and organizations on the most part, every single individual does have the responsibility to actively protect their values. If not, then we misunderstand how important those values are to you. Or, then you agree with what you see.
Based on what I saw this year, if something like this ever happens again, then the ADMU community and leaders will shake their heads and say "Oops." This is an Ateneo that I do not recognize.
The Ateneans I know are action-oriented, value-driven folk. On the night of the bonfire, the Ateneans I used to know would have tapped an organizer on the shoulder and said... That's going to far. They would have continued tapping shoulders until something was done.
These are the Ateneans I know. These are the Ateneans I want to see in Araneta coliseum, and have silly Blue vs. Green asaran sessions with. The ones leading the way and helping their community become even stronger and more value-driven than ever.
I still hope that I see more of the old Ateneo. I still hope for a truly respectable rival this Season 72.
That's my two cents. I know that La Salle is not spotless in its record, but I've seen the effort to correct, and to prevent. I've seen the sincerity, not just through the act, but the public owning-up. After a mistake, you can only hold your head up high if you feel that you've sufficiently made up for it, with all sincerity and with every possible means available. That's why we held our head high when the Archers took the court to start our 2007 season.