THE SOUND OF FREEDOM

THE SOUND OF FREEDOM

I think freedom also needs some limitations. In the implementation of the freedom of speech, the freedom to shout at the top of one’s voice and to magnify no matter how much the freedom to sing and deliver speeches has been somehow abused.

One Monday morning while eating my breakfast I heard a greatly magnified voice of a religious Pastor coming from the covered court of the Municipal compound as a prelude to the singing of the National Anthem for the Flag Raising ceremony. At the same time, from the Private school at our neighborhood a male voice was loudly reciting the “Panatang Makabayan” just after the Flag ceremony. In time with the two loud sounds was the a bit off-tune singing of the “Ama Namin” by the Parish Priest coming from the Church directly in front of our house.

It regularly happens every Monday morning when the three sectors of society – the Government, The Church and The School are all performing their patriotic and spiritual duties – to the deafness of a big number of people in the community who also need some privacy for their own purpose.

Not long after, the deafening sound of the ambulance siren floated on air though there was no traffic or obstacle along the way. It was only because the ambulance was free to do such abuse. And for that freedom all dogs in the vicinity started barking at the top of their voices followed by the noises made by other disturb animals around.

When all those sounds are temporarily at rest, the more irritating noises coming from the tricycle and their drivers reign freely. Freedom is good but too much of it or simply abusing it is definitely uncalled for. There ought to be a law and there ought to be responsible law-makers to implement it.

At night said sounds are doubly magnified by the sounds of videoke, karaoke and other ‘unoke’ tunes coming from all directions to the detriment of the humble ears of the poor citizens who are merely obeying the law and forcing oneself to appreciate the true meaning of freedom.

After having been bombarded by the execution of such destructive kind of freedom for a long time, one’s hearing finally surrenders and the person is branded as “bingi” (with impaired hearing). And if one’s family name happens to sound something like Aviñante, one is eventually called Binginyante.

Same confusion and negative side effects happen too as a result of the questionable lawfulness or lousy implementation of freedom. Sometimes life could be more enjoyable if freedom is curtailed or at least minimized.