Of Social Networks, Ladies, and Gentlemen

I chose to publish this article simply because I feel so strongly about it.

SCENARIO I

I am staring at a post on Facebook as I was writing this article.  It is a message from a certain woman, representing her sex. Her message is for THE few good men. She knows that these men exist.  Her message, which to me, is a plea and a challenge at the same time opens with  “Take the lead. Be in charge. Be courageous.” She goes on to say “Take on after the bravest Man who ever lived and follow His ways.” What kept me staring at the post was the next statement. “Come on and be worthy of our submission” The post ended by a collective signature saying “Love, Few Good Eves”

Being a part of the opposite sex, it breaks my heart to even hear or read something like this from women. This does not only break my heart but it also crushes my soul to the point that I even question myself. “Have we been so careless on how we treat women that it has come to this?”

SCENARIO II

A little over a year ago, I followed a certain celebrity on Twitter.  I regret doing that now. I don’t want to attack him as a person so I’ll just call him “Ramon”. Why you ask? Well he’s a great comedian and his play on words are really exceptional. Recently though, he tweeted “May dalawang klase ng babae sa mundo: yung malandi..at yung mas malandi <3″ (‘There are two kinds of women in the world: the flirt.. and the bigger flirt [heart sign]‘)

I replied “@ramonXXXXXXX so alin dyan ang nanay mo?” (‘So where does your mother fall in that category?’)
“try to treat women with respect you idiot..”  I said in the same tweet.

I have two sisters younger than me. I certainly wont categorize any of them as being a flirt. Let alone allow anyone to call them that word. The women that I have respect for, ran through my head as I thought about his statement.

Why Mr. Anderson? Why? Why do men go this low in disrespecting women?

SCENARIO III

I am not about to take the moral high ground and tell people that I have not disrespected women even once in my life. That would be a preposterous claim on my part. I too have offended women in the past. I have been counseled one-too-many times about this that it has already been hardwired to my neurons. That is why I’d like to take this opportunity to express my thoughts to my audience especially to the female ones.

To all women that I have wronged,  disrespected and put in awkward situations, whether in thought, in speech or deed, knowingly or unknowingly, whether online or offline, I am truly sorry for doing that. You should be treated better. You do not deserve being disrespected. Again I apologize. I’ve learned a few lessons and I still am learning.

To the men, who are reading this… just read the Bible verses below

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1 Timothy 5:1-3 [NIV]
¹ Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, ² older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity. ³ Give proper recognition to those widows who are really in need.

Philippians 4:8 [NIV]
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or praiseworthy — think about such things.