Word Power

Charlie Hebdo once said, "The pen is mightier than the

sword." In the literal sense, the comparison may seem absurd, as
the sword and similar such deadly weapons are no doubt more
formidable, more dangerous, and could cause a lot more damage.
We only need to look back and retrace our history to be reminded
that kingdoms and empires were built and conquered, religious
conversions were carried out, and battles and wars were won,
with the use of the sword - or force.

But what did Charles Hebdo really mean by his conviction

that the pen could carry as much weight? Well, the quote is
obviously a metaphor. Yes, the pen is just a writing implement.
But more than that, it is a weapon for anyone who is eager to put
his thoughts into words. It is what a news writer uses to report the
truth to the reading public. It is a journalist's tool to express her
opinions and convey what she thinks is moral and right.

Words have power and as such are also capable of causing

change - either on a personal level or on a much wider scale. For
instance, a lifelong commitment forged between two lovelorn
individuals may have most likely started with an innocent love
letter. A business deal worth millions - even billions - of dollars
must be made official and binding with the signing of a contract.
The relative peace among nations nowadays is due to all the
treatises most nations subscribe to, and if we think about it, these
treatises are mere written agreements, although their abstract
significance is what really counts.
 Surallah Central Elementary School and SPED Center is
currently promoting the importance of writing with the theme:
"Empowering Communities through Campus Journalism."
Students are encouraged to express their thoughts in writing in
the style that they choose. Activities such as this not only help
improve the students' writing capabilities but also encourage free
thinking.

Students who can write and express themselves clearly can,

needless to say, capture a wider audience base that will listen to
them and be influenced by their ideas. And since the students
enjoy their basic freedom of speech and expression, they can
generate ideas that are rich in substance and are therefore, useful
to community development.

If both the objectives of promoting writing excellence

through journalism and producing rich and useful ideas through
free thinking are achieved, then indeed journalism is the key to
community empowerment.

So the next time you use that pen - or should you prefer a
keyboard in this day and age, please remember that the words you
write could affect you or your reader in such a profound way as to
trigger change.