BY RENA MANOGUID
ELECTION day is not far away, and freedom of speech could not be more crucial. We are all aware that we are entitled to speak our minds, and we constantly hear it said that this right is the foundation of democracy. But come on: just because we are entitled to speak does not mean we necessarily should.
Everyone has an opinion—on social media, in the news, in our conversations—that is being shared and talked about, especially on the verge of election topics. But there’s a problem: We’re confusing free speech with reckless speech. The freedom to speak is essential, but it’s not an excuse for spreading misinformation, stirring up hatred, or intentionally misleading others.
Let’s be honest, we are living in an era when the truth is distorted to serve someone’s purposes, and words are employed to manipulate instead of inform. With social media, words move faster than ever before, and once they’re out, they can be difficult to retract.
With disinformation spreading like wildfire, we need to be a lot more thoughtful about how we use our words.
But here’s the catch: Freedom of speech does not equal freedom from responsibility. We do have the right to speak, of course, but we also have a duty to speak responsibly. This includes pausing to reflect before we speak, making sure what we say is the truth, and being considerate in our interactions. We can confront each other, debate, and even disagree, but we need to do it in a manner that elevates, not tears apart.
As citizens, we can influence the future through our words. But shouting out our views is not enough. If we want to bring about genuine change, we need to speak with integrity and honesty, not to be heard but to be listened to. If we truly care about the future of our country, we must keep in mind that speech must be employed to inform, not to mislead.
We can argue, we can disagree, but we must ever be searching for the truth and not just upholding our preconceptions. The freedom to speak is valuable, yet it carries a responsibility to act responsibly in terms of what we say.
Thus, as we approach this election, let’s use our voice to build and not tear down. Let’s speak up for truth, for respect, for progress—because that’s the way democracy is really made strong.
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Rena Manoguid is a political science student of the University of Cebu-Main. The piece is written as part of the course requirement for their Introduction to Journalism class.
