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On the few occasions that my blood pressure allows me to watch
televised Senate hearings I pause and wonder who it is that they
refer to when they say “the honorable gentleman/lady;” and
visibly cringe when I see some of the respondents.
From a communication perspective, televised
Senate hearings should be rated “R.” They should carry a warning
not because of violence or sexual content, but how offensive they
can be to one’s sensibilities and how detrimental it can be to
children.
Our bastardization of the English language does
not stop at wrong pronunciation and enunciation (accent included)
but extends to giving new meanings to words, e.g., salvage, and it
seems, honorable, gentlemen/lady.
While we are proud of our English proficiency,
not all of us speak perfect English. We understand it better than we
can speak it. Unless we are willing to be cut to size by native
English speakers (even Americans, Australians and English have
different accents) because we speak it differently, we should also
be open to foreigners struggling to say “Magandang umaga” as a
sign of respect, effort, and consideration. It is called cultural
sensitivity. It is called respect. It is called the pot calling the
kettle black.
Rudely interrupting a guest that you have
invited while speaking is also something that children should not
learn. We can have a perfectly valid reason for wanting a discourse
shortened, but there is a way of doing so without being
rude—unless we follow Robert’s Rules of DISOrder.
Our honorable gentlemen/ladies occupy positions
of power and authority (not respect—that is earned) and should
serve as good role models, especially to the young. Children will
likely wonder if this is acceptable behavior when the cameras are
“on,” what happens when no one is watching?
During Hillary Clinton’s much lauded exit
speech, she mentioned that there were parents who brought their
children to the campaign sorties to show them—“see, you can be
what you want to be.” I wonder how many parents would bring their
children to watch Senate hearings and say “ my son/daughter, that
is how I want you to be?”
We have a right to information. Televising
Senate hearings afford us that right. During televised Senate
hearings, they wear their designer suits and haute couture dresses
that we know do not come from their earnings as public servants.
They probably also show their best behavior! After all, the cameras
are “on.”
Communication has three basic objectives: to
inform, to instruct, and to elicit action. Televised Senate hearings
not just inform us about what the current issues are but also inform
us of how people we have elected are able or unable to carry out the
mandate that we have given them. Moreover, televised Senate hearings
should spur us into action, to take a stand on issues, be vigilant,
and exercise our rights as citizens. It should also spur as to make
better choices come next election—hopefully future Senate hearings
will be less offensive and more palatable.
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The author is Managing Director of ExeQ
Consulting Service. She is a faculty member and a DBA candidate at
the De La Salle University-Manila College of Business and Economics
Ramon V. del Rosario Sr. Graduate School of Business. She welcomes
comments at gettque@yahoo.com.
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