Children are watching: Accountability on trial
The impeachment trial has taken over the public consciousness, broadcast on our screens multiple days a week. Headlines and sound bites influence the battle for public opinion. It is quite apparent that all parties—the prosecution, the defense, and the senator-judges—have their own audience in mind. Some responses are meant purely for their political base to echo in social media spaces. Others purposefully address the Filipino public and not just constrain themselves to the preferences of the senator-judges. Much has been said about whether the trial is being “too judicialized” or is being too technical. Some have expressed concern about whether the average Filipino citizen would find these arguments relevant.
I wonder if people are realizing that children are watching the trial, too. This is an important opportunity for them to learn about trust and accountability. The question is, will the trial teach them the right things or the wrong things?
Children need to learn that their actions have consequences. When my son throws his toy out the window, that toy is gone, and he can no longer play with it. When he throws the remote at the television, the screen gets broken, and he can no longer watch his favorite shows. (Yes, he’s in the throwing stage.) Every action has a natural consequence. We step on someone’s toes; that someone gets hurt. We cry, and someone (hopefully) asks us if we’re okay.
This is an essential concept not only for survival (we learn not to approach animals that can bite us) but also for living in a society (we learn not to make insults lest nobody wants to talk to us anymore). If we experience the consequence immediately, we learn right away whether the behavior is worth doing or not. However, when consequences get put off or delayed, we lull ourselves into thinking that our actions are acceptable. And when the consequences inevitably happen, we forget that they were borne out of our own actions and misattribute them to other things, usually blaming someone else.
Children need to learn how to be accountable for their actions. This means taking responsibility for the consequences and following through with repair. When they step on someone’s toes, even by accident, they need to understand that they have caused physical pain. As such, they need to acknowledge the harm (apologize) and offer repair (check if they need assistance).
The impeachment trial is a chance for children to see accountability at work. They can learn that words matter and hold weight. They learn that how we express ourselves, especially if we use violent rhetoric, has consequences not just for ourselves but for others. If someone takes our rhetoric seriously (especially since we said “no joke, no joke”), we need to be accountable for that and make an effort to reassure others that we wish no actual harm. We need to acknowledge that our threats—even when done in the heat of the moment—caused others to feel unsafe and make reparations. The intent behind an action does not undo how it hurt others. Vice President Sara Duterte could have modeled accountability even as she does her best to defend and explain herself. Even as she denies that the words she used constitute a grave threat, she can still demonstrate that she can be responsible for the chilling effect of her words. She can willingly submit herself to questions, especially as she deems her words and actions justifiable.
In this way, we can teach children that being accountable does not mean that we lose or that we are weak. Accountability is the practice of the brave. It requires a strong sense of integrity and humility. We should instill in children that accountability need not be shameful; it can be an opportunity for growth and maturation. A sense of accountability unlocks readiness for later milestones in life: building a career, raising a family, running for public office.
The impeachment trial, being a political process, is also an opportunity to showcase the relationship between power and accountability. Power, when unchecked, can give us resources to escape from accountability. It takes power to hinder (or fast-track) investigations and exploit connections and favors to one’s advantage. Hopefully, we can show that even unchecked power will have its inevitable consequences. We can also show how important it is to have accountability mechanisms in place to ensure that no power runs amok for too long. This benefits both sides: due process for the accused and transparency mechanisms for the people.
The impeachment trial, regardless of conviction, has a golden opportunity to demonstrate the epitome of modern democratic ideals: accountability, transparency, due process, and public trust. Let’s make sure that the children who are watching come away from it inspired rather than disheartened.
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aatuazon@up.edu.ph
