Dear Editor,

The media is the mirror through which we can see a nation for what it has become and will be in the future. We cannot underestimate the good that the media can do, but what is "unfortunate" and undeniable is the state of a nation cannot be any different from the state of its own media.

Praise or howl, but we, the media, make the government good or bad — which in turn makes people either hungry and cursed or filled and blessed — and makes the nation move forward or backward, progress or retrogress. The media that doesn't fight for something naturally falls for nothing and, therefore, serves as a bane to the country instead of a blessing.

What's the point of being concerned about world events such as the diabolical Hamas attack on Israel if we cannot even care about our people in our own country and be concerned about what has been happening immediately around us, right before our very eyes? Many may be likened to Hamas attacks — in wickedness and massiveness of destruction.

You don't only report the news and give your views. You relentlessly discern, uncover, denounce, and subdue the devils in the news. And then you just ignore the "old tunes"/scapegoats of goats — for them to continue being goats that rape and pillage the motherland.

We need a crusading media, not a cold, warped, apathetic one — much less at a time when there is a clear, urgent call for the media to stand up to foreign bullying and dare to fight sanctioned corruption and abuses. If the media in China is censored by its government, ours seems to be "self-absorbed," absurdly.

You cannot just sit idly by and watch the motherland beaten black and blue by crooks and thugs and bullied by bullies. Your view (or absence of view) on important, burning issues of the day brings judgment upon yourself, whether or not there is reason for you to stay in the media or resign/be booted out. The same goes for public officials and those in the private sector.

What is your take (if you care) on current events tells your worth or worthlessness as a media practitioner (and media outlet), under whatever "category" in the media you are assigned. Life's problems and realities are never unconnected with any subject under the sun. There is no hermit in the media or that hermit is lost in the jungle.

When was the last time that you spoke, shed light on, and tried to make sense out of the lingering life and death national/local issues in the country such as extrajudicial killing, confidential and intelligence fund, human rights violation, sanctioned deceit, official inanity, plunder, injustice or perverted justice, fake news, social media trolling, scamming, smuggling, hoarding, cartels, environment idiocy, internet pornography, lousy TV programs, frat deaths, gambling, immorality, oppression, perversion, political persecution, political avarice, political "SOP"/bribery, political dynasty, private army, etcetera — all done and committed with bluntness and brazenness (legal and illegal) — in broad daylight.

You cannot be indifferent and simply tell stories and anecdotes from your own cute leisure and travel experience all the time. Stand up for peace, justice, and uprightness. Make your presence known and felt, helpful and meaningful — in a society that is constantly beleaguered by anomalies, wrongdoings, and shenanigans of all sorts. Find a particular opprobrium for yourself to discuss once in a while, on a regular basis. Make a stand. Intervene. Have a say on important, critical issues of the time. In short, be relevant — for Christ's sake..

Reni M. Valenzuela

renivalenzuelaletters@yahoo.com