On the need to call out
Are Legazpi Thomasians reviving campus whispers?
Years have already passed when campus whispers section was taken out from the Prism for students not to use the school publication as a medium for them to accomplish petty vendettas against other students, but it seems as though due to the needfulness thereof, students start creating a new way to do such, and this time on Twitter.
Twitter has always been a popular go-to site for students to vent out their stress or promote creativity. It’s never to burst one’s bubble but this social media platform is also dangerous. There was quite a ruckus among Legazpi Thomasians just recently, caused by an infamous gossip account named @USTL_Thoughts. It’s one thing to immaturely harass someone on social media, it’s quite another to use the name of a highly respected institution to send out these rude statements. You cower behind a screen, behind a name making you deem it to go against the very core values it stands for. It’s inconsiderate to not even think that these actions would reflect poorly on the school and produce a bad image. While gossip accounts are merely medium for people to publicize their petty hatred, the fact that someone would actually even dare to make an account like that is tactless.
Even though the account owner didn’t singlehandedly write these somewhat bland tweets that obviously make students feel victimized, they still consented for it to circulate around Twitter. This situation isn’t about two lesser evils. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist for one to figure out that no one would have to bluntly send hate if there wasn’t a way for them to do it. This account does nothing but encourage people to humiliate others in the most unnerving manner. Innocence is a word used loosely by everyone, but just because you didn’t bully anyone directly doesn’t mean you get to leave with a clean slate.
Campus whispers had once caused dispute among students brought by spreading rumors about someone they hated. This section made a lot of students feel that they turned out to be the monsters people extremely loathe that it even came to the point where parents would complain at the principal’s office because their child was published in the section. The same way as how campus whispers had caused damage to the students’ feelings, creating a Twitter account and making a way for students to publish their hate comments would just cause as much or even more damage.
USTL Thoughts has become a medium for students to publicize their distaste against someone by directly messaging the account with their only intention to harass other students, thus, remaining anonymous. Legazpi Thomasians began to have an outrage all over the Twitter timeline expressing their resentment over the tweets that were shared by the said account. In a Twitter post, USTL Thoughts said that they’re not the one behind those tweets. A grade 10 student, Blessie Arellano, quoted the tweet saying “You choose the content you post. You may not be behind these tweets but you chose to publish stuff that can harm another person.”
In another post, USTL Thoughts asked for an apology from those who were hurt by their tweets (who were submitted by some students) and that their only intention for doing such is to “help”. Senior High Student Government President, Joshua Lositaño, made a Twitter post saying that it’s a sign of immaturity. “If you really want to help, you will make a way for them to communicate FACE to FACE,” he said.
What’s saddening about the students is how there were some who stated that you shouldn’t be affected that much and rant about how harmful the tweet was if it wasn’t meant for you. This mentality further perpetuates the neutrality in issues where there are people being harmed and the best thing to do is to stay silent when you’re not the one being victimized. Students should not be held back from voicing out their thoughts regarding this controversy for this is about them and choosing not to stand up in stopping this thing will drive more students to be victims of cyber-bullying, even if the intention was to help. Now the question that lurks behind is, are we going further beyond what seems a Legazpi Thomasian?
Cyber-bullying should never be taken lightly. The fact that there are a dozen students who were left with a red sign saying ‘I was harassed’ is not okay. To even deliberately have the audacity to call creating a gossip account ‘helping’ and to say that it’s a job for them to publicize one’s dirt on another is honestly injudicious. It doesn’t contribute any ounce of goodness to this already chaotic world. Deleting content isn’t even good enough to start with. Apologize wholeheartedly, not condescendingly. To the account owner and those who messaged the account, your ego and pride should be the least of your problems when there are those who were hurt already. To those who were sabotaged by cowards behind a screen, remember that it won’t amount to anything if you don’t let it. Unkind words may be hurled at you, but that is why antonyms exist. Surprise these tormentors, prove them wrong about whatever they said about you.
