This is awfully short. However, upon reading this article, it would be very much appreciated should the readers find a sense of sportsmanship and acceptance.
No matter which party you are in the elections, it is really expected of each one to accept the results. The controversy of cheating or vote buying is getting overrated. How many times are you going to blame the other party of vote buying just because they won the elections?
Well give your heads a little upside hit, because clearly all who are guilty of this are incorrigible and demented.
Had your party won, and the other party throws rumors of your party’s vote buying, what would you feel?
Your party has lost. Get over it and move on!
Is it not enough that you saw the MAJORITY of the votes went to the other party? Don’t go claiming that the bigger part of the municipality believes in your candidate. Because seriously? The results say it all. Other than the fact that you claim there was vote buying involved, think about it. Thinkers are doers. Therefore, when you are the one dirtying your mind about it, clearly, you are familiar of doing it. So stop all your whiny and irrelevant comments about how the elections turned out. You can’t do anything about it.
You believe in your candidate just as much as each one believes in theirs. The results are out. The winners are awarded. Instead of being bitter and malicious, try accepting the current reality and get out of your way to help the cause. You are still part of that town. Whether you win or lose, the big picture is the welfare of all who resides in that town and not the pride of your candidate and everyone close to them.
Give your candidate the smallest amount of dignity they have left. Because of your negativity and irrational take on the outcome of the elections, you are the one bringing down the morale of your candidate. It is making their loss harder to bear. May you be a friend, a relative or an immediate family member, just show your support to your candidate by being there. For all you know, from their loss they may gain something out of it. If you continue to look at the negative side of the situation and harp on all the apparent differences and the failure of your candidate in winning the hearts of the people, then you’re not comforting them. You are rubbing rock hard sea salt on the wounds and the abrasions seethe in pain making the scars more visible in the end. Help them overcome the loss by moving forward. Because the anger or animosity you feel for the winning party is not going to help you at all.
Do not wait until other people have moved on with their lives before you see the bigger picture. The election is done. And so should your alliance.
After the elections, there are no more competing sides. There is only one side, and that side will be the only side for the next couple of years or so. If you are not going to get over your loss, then you are not a worthy citizen of your town.
Think about that, and stop your pity party. It’s pathetic.
JMAGS 05-15-10
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Thursday, May 13, 2010
What I Think: A Mass Epiphany: Enlightenment of the Doomed Locals
It has been so long since my hometown experienced such a remarkable event. The aftermath of the election is pretty much still wafting in the air, but the rush of adrenaline for the winners and the deflation of the losers are contagious. Obviously, the supporters of both parties feel the same as the one they support. (It would make a little difference had I referred it as “non-winners”, but it’s grammatically wrong, and sugar coating what is apparent is not an option. The opposite of winners are losers, so why hide it with words?). The apparent victory of the winning party is a success of the whole town. Something like this rarely happens, and I’m glad that my hometown gets the elation of being able to do something right for the town they call home.
Let’s have a flashback on the first “What I Think” article, where I specifically wrote about the opportunists in our town; also known as the sorry excuse for politicians. Honestly, this is a big leap from that hell of a government. Now before the newly elected mayor, councilors and honoraries step into office, a string of goodwill and honest service flashes through the minds of the townsmen, they know they made the right decision. It is a no brainer. If this is not the case, then they wouldn’t have won, right? The people of my hometown have spoken. It is with great pride that I claim to be part of that brilliant lot. They have finally seen what is good for them and who would be capable of giving them the satisfaction and feeling of security.
Elections have always been a battle of who exceeds who, who is better at this, who is better at that. It is an ongoing debate. It may not happen always, but have you heard of the common cliché “the good guys always get it”? Well, if you have, congratulations, you are witnessing a perfect example of it right now. The success of the winning party is appropriate and well deserved.
Looking back at the preceding officials, I took a shot at walking down memory lane. I tripped into the memory of a day I would never forget. It was the day before the elections a couple of years back. My aunt and I decided to hit the mall to cool down as the summer heat was really taking its toll. As we window shopped and talk about the most random things we could think about, right there in front of us was the whole family of one of the candidates for mayor. The look on their faces was priceless. It was as if they were a whole bunch of deer at the middle of the interstate caught in headlights. It was hilarious as it was disappointing. It would have been nice if they had stopped for a friendly chat or a nice warm smile. After all they would be doing that for the next couple of years if they’re chicken won. But what we didn’t expect was actually getting a cold shoulder and a quick run to the exit, their whole bunch of shopping bags bouncing as they brisk walked through the mall. If I was to have the little ‘first family’ of my town turn around and avoid me, boy I don’t know what the hell they are thinking running for office and trying to take control of the whole town. Seriously, they would have spared a moment for their townsmen, they had time to shop, haven’t they, and a simple smile or a sincere wave was a tedious thing to do?
But that’s not the point. That was just an icebreaker to what’s about to come forth.
Caucus. Ever been to one? I bet. You should have, if you want to know what these candidates plan to do about your municipality or if you want to get a heads up of what to expect. Black propagandas, direct criticisms and indirect insults are going to be revealed from these things. Even vote buying, if you’re lucky…NOT! A bit pessimistic and subjective, I know. But these caucuses are the most knowledgeable and informative events you could participate in, believe it or not. If you want to know the real score about who’s running for what, and why in the world they want to do that, caucuses is your best bet. Major revelations of negative activities, pre planned personal agendas, and fraudulent data of receipts where the town’s funds are ‘supposedly’ applied to.
It’s sad. People look up to these people because they believe that they can do something right. But what it has done to our poor hometown is increase the amount of criticisms and being stereotyped into this town of idiotic, walking imbeciles who just let these lame ass politicians take advantage of what is rightfully ours, and a chance at being acknowledged as one of the more popular and respected towns around.
Thankfully we don’t have to suffer that anymore. Well,aside from the fact that the poll watchers were paid a few days before election which I don’t really know whose idea it was from. Because it is a perfect epitome of vote buying, the poll watchers could say; “well, I already got paid, why would I spend my day braving the scorching heat and watching people get their thumbs dirtied, if I could just spend the money and treat myself to a wonderful day at a cooler, less crowded place”. Seriously, I don’t know what they are thinking. Paying poll watchers days before the election, huh, one would think if it even has a reason as to why that is so, or is it just to prove that “Hey we got money, you know who to vote, but considering we are in that topic, here’s a little more, would you mind watching the polls as well?” Think about it. It is undoubtedly downright and inexplicably insufferable.
On a lighter note, it is a relief that finally the people of our wonderful hometown are obviously enlightened. They saw what was good for them, they decided on that, and now I believe that this is a start of a magnificent and progressive move for our town. The winning party in the election is a group of men that have seen the goo the former government caused the whole municipality, the unseen and hidden damages they have brought the town into. Finally here is a group of people whom the whole town trusts enough to thrust into those positions. Seeing as the elections revealed a landslide result, I’d say that the winning party has proven themselves worthy of the job.
The effort of the whole party that won is exhilarating. These people have lives, they have personal interests and personal dilemmas in life, yet they go out of their way to cater to the needs of the people. The work they put into their campaign, the time they sacrificed for the benefit of others is humbling. I guess you could say it is all part of the package they have to go through to be able to get to where they are right now. But boy, if you ask me, it is all worth it.
My hometown is a beautiful place. People are nice in their own way. Yeah, gossipmongers here and there, but is there really a town that’s free from those? Personally, I believe that each municipality, each town, each province, city or state has their own identity and distinct characteristics, even flaws. However, if we strive and continue to look at the positive things and the benefits of making the right decision, no flaw or imperfection can stop camaraderie, determination and unity from one’s own free will from succeeding.
Now, after the great epiphany my fellowmen has obviously experienced, I am one of the thousands that believes that this new set of public officials is going to work. It is going to work out, because the townsmen believe in them, I believe in them. And the ultimate, most important thing is, they believe in themselves. It could’ve been worse, they could have dropped out somewhere along the way or they could have chosen not to run in the first place. But they did, and that has made all the difference.
To my fellowmen in that small town, kudos to you for doing the right thing! May this be an inspiration for us to strive harder in assisting these newly elected officials in bringing our town to its best term yet.
JMAGS 05-12-2010
Let’s have a flashback on the first “What I Think” article, where I specifically wrote about the opportunists in our town; also known as the sorry excuse for politicians. Honestly, this is a big leap from that hell of a government. Now before the newly elected mayor, councilors and honoraries step into office, a string of goodwill and honest service flashes through the minds of the townsmen, they know they made the right decision. It is a no brainer. If this is not the case, then they wouldn’t have won, right? The people of my hometown have spoken. It is with great pride that I claim to be part of that brilliant lot. They have finally seen what is good for them and who would be capable of giving them the satisfaction and feeling of security.
Elections have always been a battle of who exceeds who, who is better at this, who is better at that. It is an ongoing debate. It may not happen always, but have you heard of the common cliché “the good guys always get it”? Well, if you have, congratulations, you are witnessing a perfect example of it right now. The success of the winning party is appropriate and well deserved.
Looking back at the preceding officials, I took a shot at walking down memory lane. I tripped into the memory of a day I would never forget. It was the day before the elections a couple of years back. My aunt and I decided to hit the mall to cool down as the summer heat was really taking its toll. As we window shopped and talk about the most random things we could think about, right there in front of us was the whole family of one of the candidates for mayor. The look on their faces was priceless. It was as if they were a whole bunch of deer at the middle of the interstate caught in headlights. It was hilarious as it was disappointing. It would have been nice if they had stopped for a friendly chat or a nice warm smile. After all they would be doing that for the next couple of years if they’re chicken won. But what we didn’t expect was actually getting a cold shoulder and a quick run to the exit, their whole bunch of shopping bags bouncing as they brisk walked through the mall. If I was to have the little ‘first family’ of my town turn around and avoid me, boy I don’t know what the hell they are thinking running for office and trying to take control of the whole town. Seriously, they would have spared a moment for their townsmen, they had time to shop, haven’t they, and a simple smile or a sincere wave was a tedious thing to do?
But that’s not the point. That was just an icebreaker to what’s about to come forth.
Caucus. Ever been to one? I bet. You should have, if you want to know what these candidates plan to do about your municipality or if you want to get a heads up of what to expect. Black propagandas, direct criticisms and indirect insults are going to be revealed from these things. Even vote buying, if you’re lucky…NOT! A bit pessimistic and subjective, I know. But these caucuses are the most knowledgeable and informative events you could participate in, believe it or not. If you want to know the real score about who’s running for what, and why in the world they want to do that, caucuses is your best bet. Major revelations of negative activities, pre planned personal agendas, and fraudulent data of receipts where the town’s funds are ‘supposedly’ applied to.
It’s sad. People look up to these people because they believe that they can do something right. But what it has done to our poor hometown is increase the amount of criticisms and being stereotyped into this town of idiotic, walking imbeciles who just let these lame ass politicians take advantage of what is rightfully ours, and a chance at being acknowledged as one of the more popular and respected towns around.
Thankfully we don’t have to suffer that anymore. Well,aside from the fact that the poll watchers were paid a few days before election which I don’t really know whose idea it was from. Because it is a perfect epitome of vote buying, the poll watchers could say; “well, I already got paid, why would I spend my day braving the scorching heat and watching people get their thumbs dirtied, if I could just spend the money and treat myself to a wonderful day at a cooler, less crowded place”. Seriously, I don’t know what they are thinking. Paying poll watchers days before the election, huh, one would think if it even has a reason as to why that is so, or is it just to prove that “Hey we got money, you know who to vote, but considering we are in that topic, here’s a little more, would you mind watching the polls as well?” Think about it. It is undoubtedly downright and inexplicably insufferable.
On a lighter note, it is a relief that finally the people of our wonderful hometown are obviously enlightened. They saw what was good for them, they decided on that, and now I believe that this is a start of a magnificent and progressive move for our town. The winning party in the election is a group of men that have seen the goo the former government caused the whole municipality, the unseen and hidden damages they have brought the town into. Finally here is a group of people whom the whole town trusts enough to thrust into those positions. Seeing as the elections revealed a landslide result, I’d say that the winning party has proven themselves worthy of the job.
The effort of the whole party that won is exhilarating. These people have lives, they have personal interests and personal dilemmas in life, yet they go out of their way to cater to the needs of the people. The work they put into their campaign, the time they sacrificed for the benefit of others is humbling. I guess you could say it is all part of the package they have to go through to be able to get to where they are right now. But boy, if you ask me, it is all worth it.
My hometown is a beautiful place. People are nice in their own way. Yeah, gossipmongers here and there, but is there really a town that’s free from those? Personally, I believe that each municipality, each town, each province, city or state has their own identity and distinct characteristics, even flaws. However, if we strive and continue to look at the positive things and the benefits of making the right decision, no flaw or imperfection can stop camaraderie, determination and unity from one’s own free will from succeeding.
Now, after the great epiphany my fellowmen has obviously experienced, I am one of the thousands that believes that this new set of public officials is going to work. It is going to work out, because the townsmen believe in them, I believe in them. And the ultimate, most important thing is, they believe in themselves. It could’ve been worse, they could have dropped out somewhere along the way or they could have chosen not to run in the first place. But they did, and that has made all the difference.
To my fellowmen in that small town, kudos to you for doing the right thing! May this be an inspiration for us to strive harder in assisting these newly elected officials in bringing our town to its best term yet.
JMAGS 05-12-2010
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Que Je Pense...Une Nuit dans Le Cirque
What I Think… A night in Le Cirque
Just this past week, news of her latest trip to the U.S has been the primary headline of the nation’s newspapers and tabloids. It’s not actually a surprise, is it? I mean, she is after all the President, it’s just normal to have her trip covered by the news; It is just really laughable, to say the least, she knows that her trip would be documented in some way, and any stunt that she would pull would be critiqued. But no, she just didn’t pull up a stunt, she did it in style. Dining at the far- famed Le Cirque French Restaurant, she knew how to defame herself well; years in office might really have made a number on her; it taught her well.
For someone who can afford to dine in such an opulent establishment, one should really be successful in their professions, or if not, then probably they are heirs and heiresses to the different business tycoons that have their own little kingdoms and empires. Sure, she’s the president of the Philippines, but she’s no Oprah, the salary she gets in one month, is just about the same price as one bottle of the Krug champagne they splurged on that night, and they had 11 bottles. Amazing, right? NOT! It’s outrageous.
And it is not even comforting to know that it was just a ‘gift’ or a ‘treat’ from a fellow Filipino, how could she have enjoyed all the French dishes the menu had, while her people, who she promised to take good care of, are back in the Philippines, parched and starving, and oh, didn’t I mention, at about the same time she was sipping that sweet, crisp and clean, mellow taste of her champagne, the Philippines were still mourning over the loss of an important figure of the country. She sent her condolences, alright, while sitting at a plush couch somewhere in Atlanta. It is really embarrassing to be associated with such a hypocrite. She just can’t let a perfectly good opportunity to bump elbows with Donald Trump, didn’t she? She had to take a chance, probably she’ll see The Donald in the restaurant, and they can compare notes as to whose ego is bigger.
And probably she sits at her office, perfectly contented at what happened that night; did she even remember her promise? “I took office with a mandate to carry out a plan for the nation, since that time, I’ve focused in making the tough but necessary decisions to make up for years of economic neglect.”
Hate to take her words against her, but really? Was she able to carry this out? IS she concerned solely on the economic aspect of the country? Is that why she reiterates it as much as she can? Maybe she thinks just because she made the economy of the country her priority, doesn’t mean she can mess up and slack off in everything else.
If she did make tough and necessary decisions; I know, probably dining in a luxurious restaurant, won’t be a tough one, hell, if anyone would have had that chance, we all know that the offer wouldn’t have stood long. But then, was it necessary? For someone to accept a $20000 dinner, boy, that’s not a joke, even if it was a ‘gift’ or a ‘treat’ of a fellow Filipino, it is still not an excuse. While she savored Wild Golden Osetra Caviar, that costs about $285 an oz, didn’t she think of how many Filipino families could benefit that amount of money that can buy about 2 months worth of food and real necessities; So, they are laughing and talking about what crap they bring to society, talking about what ‘developments’ they are trying to accomplish, and while enjoying her appetizers of Wild Burgundy Escargot or Torchon of Foie Gras, did she even try to remember that while her plate costs about $50, a good amount of her countrymen back in the Philippines, would give anything and everything they have, if they would be able to get a hold of even 50 Php. But even those thoughts wouldn’t have stopped her, would it?
For her it’s just a simple gathering, a night where she can enjoy the company of her ‘so called friends’ which is better known as her ‘suck-up minions’. Geez, she’s not even worth it. People actually look up to her as some kind of an angel incarnate, just because she relieved us of a corrupt administration, but look where it brought us? It’s true, what they say, that; “small is terrible”. And she is one perfect example of that.
Well, it’s a good thing though that not all politicians are blind-sided in this whole debacle, some of them are sensible enough to realize how pompous and mercenary this whole thing is. So, she should really have enjoyed her Paupiette of Black Cod, or her Dover Sole, because, she’s really going to need to remember the taste of that one, rather than the taste, the people are going to offer her. That one’s not going to be mild, and gentle to swallow, everyone knows that this controversy would take months before mellowing down.
We all just hope that she really learns a lesson from all the stunts that she pulls, because the next time she gets a COMELEC official on speed dial, I don’t know if the Filipinos would be as forgiving. I know, that her colleagues in office are not as patient, and she has more than 3 impeachment attempts to prove that, she might want to consider that, just because she had suck up ambitious politicians who had joined her in her extravagant dinner, that’s not really an assurance that they would back her up in her sticky situations, what would she do then? Bribe them with Crème Brulee Le Cirque and Lemon Meringue Pie?
Geez, give yourselves a break Filipinos!
Don’t just sit there and let these people manipulate your country! Man up!
And in the next elections, let’s do ourselves a favor and actually vote for someone who is well deserving of that role.
JMags 08-12-09
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
What I Think... Bringing out a little Cory from everyone...
What I Think…
Bringing Out A Little Cory in Everyone
It’s amusing how I write an article about politics and then the next day, the best president Philippines ever had passes away. Ironic? Yeah, I think so too.
I am guessing by now, the death of Former President Corazon Aquino would be known worldwide, how couldn’t it be, the world loses yet again one of the best politicians who ever walked the face of this planet, a big loss? Definitely. She was named the “Saint of People Power”, if that’s not big, then I don’t know what is.
For a self-proclaimed plain housewife that she was, she made a kick ass job into becoming the President of the Philippines. Up until her husband, Benigno ‘Ninoy’ Aquino’s death, she had no political background; and who would say she wanted it? But for the sake of her husband’s compassion for the people and his desire to bring democracy and stability back into our country, and for the undying love he showed to all Filipinos, she determinedly paved our way back to our former glory, she did what has to be done, she never hid and cowered from the pressures of the situation, but she faced them head on, by constant vigilance, faith in God, and faith in each and every Filipino, she led us to the transition back to democracy.
Nobody said it would be easy. And for a woman who only dreamed of becoming a math teacher or a language interpreter, being a president was surely out of the question. Nevertheless, under no circumstances did she allow that to hinder herself from achieving what her husband spent his life fighting for. For a mourning widow, she sure didn’t let her adversaries faze her; she never gave them the satisfaction by backing down and giving up. The simple, modest and uncomplicated person that she was, it wouldn’t be a surprise if she desired to avenge her husband’s murder. After all, Ninoy was a great man, he fought for the right causes and gave the most rational reasons, he died claiming that the “Filipinos are worth dying for’, any wife, who would have that for a husband would surely see what a wonderful man they have married, and Cory was that lucky woman and probably that was one of her reasons for sustaining the goal of Ninoy. Her newfound courage and resolution was beyond any man’s expectations. Who would’ve expected her to continue Ninoy’s fight for justice? No one. But she came through.
Cory’s faith in God, her constant vigilance, her love for her husband, and her faith in each and every Filipino, that was all she had, and that was all she needed. Those were her armor on the ongoing strife. She didn’t need guns, tear gases, tanks, choppers, fighter planes, or soldiers. Anybody could figure those stuff would cost a fortune, but she had something more powerful than that, hence succeeding. She had God and the support of every Filipino. The people was ready to fight the soldiers into a bloody battle, they were at their wit’s end, they used themselves as barricades to ward of the tanks, the cowardly administration then sent. They were ready to die to fight for their right. After knowing that their gateway to freedom has been gunned down in that damned tarmac at the airport, the Filipinos are enraged, they were prepared to avenge Ninoy’s death in any way that they can, there was no stopping them. However, Cory lived up to her honor, and as ironic and enigmatic as it may sound, she was the only person who was able to pull off leading the only peaceful revolution. Since when is a revolution peaceful, you ask? Since it was lead by Cory, I guess.
It is just sad and unfortunate that what Cory and Ninoy started are neglected by our current officials. The couple has strived hard to pick up the pieces of a broken country, they have strived hard to get us out of the hovel we are dumped in, Ninoy has risked his life to show us that he would be there with us until the end, he anticipated his death, he knew about it, yet he didn’t let it pull him down, he walked in that tarmac putting his whole life in jeopardy, but he did it with profound dignity and courage. Cory could’ve opted the easier way out and do nothing after her husband’s death, but no, she picked up where Ninoy left off, and pulled us through. How they managed to save a whole country with only so much that they have is beyond me. Their achievement would go down to history and it will always be remembered, it would even be published into millions of soft and hard bound history books and different political pieces, nonfictional references, endless editions of biographies, and billions of term papers. It would be turned into documentaries and subject for indie films. It would be turned into plays and musicals. Millions of people, not only in our country but in the whole world, would forever commend what they have done, how come these people who succeeded them fail to do the same? Can they at least try to pull their heads out their asses for once? Or is it really that hard?
Yes, Cory was able to pull us through the adversity we were once in, and from then on, we have received more than enough aid and assistance from the different countries that she bravely faced; She has laid out to them the different misfits and wrongdoings of the administration that destroyed our country’s honor, she reached out to them not with big words that politicians usually use to charm their listeners, but she used simple yet heartfelt terms. She once spoke in front of the U.S Congress, she presented them with a speech in hope of acquiring their support once more, which she got almost immediately after her articulation, and while she spoke her way through that discourse, she was unconsciously amazing each and every person present in that meeting. As the then U.S. House Speaker Tip O’Neill has said; Cory’s speech was; “The finest speech I’ve ever heard in my 34 years in Congress.” How could simple words and plain terms capture those people in that Congress? It wasn’t in Cory’s words; but in her expression, they saw her compassion for her people, they saw how important it was to her not only as the President, but as a survivor from the wretchedness the whole country was going through.
Corazon Aquino brought about democracy back into our country, something that no matter how many years we try repaying would remain invaluable and priceless. However, no matter how much Cory has achieved for our country, her legacy shouldn’t have stopped the moment she stepped down from presidency. But unfortunately, the reign of justice and stability in our country was short-lived.
Sure, Fidel V. Ramos who succeeded Cory did a great job being a president; he was after all a military man all his life, so he knew the ropes. He might have been an ally for the Marcos’ at their 20 year regimen, seeing as Ramos was the head of the Philippine Constabulary at that time. Whether it was cowardice or sincere hope for betterment that pushed Ramos and Juan Ponce Enrile who was then also one of Marcos’ cronies, to change their allegiance, it surely opened a brighter future for them. Cory even supported Ramos’ candidacy in the 1992 elections where he won with about 5.2 million votes. In the first few years of his term, Ramos did an excellent job in running our country, he managed to politically stabilize our nation, there was an economic boost, advancement in technology and there was an efficient distribution of necessities to the people. Highly commendable, huh? But not so fast, on the last remaining years that he was in office, the Asian Financial Crisis happened, it was, to say the least, a relatively huge blow in his administration, problems then just started to sprout everywhere, the unemployment rate sky rocketed once more, there was an importation decline, businesses were rapidly shutting down, and we found ourselves in financial instability once more. From then on, problems never stopped.
Ramos tried to amend the country’s constitution as well, which I remembered even as a grade school student, we were rallying against it. Charter Change. Everyone had divided impressions as to why Ramos wanted it, but Cory however wasn’t happy with his plans, and led protests with the Catholic Church. That movement seemingly stopped Ramos’ plan. Once again, Cory was there as a part of an act that saved our nation from a possible demise.
Cory retired into a private life right after her term as president, occasional appearances at political events are inevitable, but she made it a point to live her life once again as a common citizen, she has led and involved herself in a lot of organizations which she religiously supported. And just with those small acts, we see how compassionate she still is, even when she is not obliged anymore. She does it with a pure heart and clean conscience, with no underlying motives and schemes, which leads me to my next point.
The succeeding administrations, following hers and Ramos’ though, crumbled our country once again in shambles. Former President Estrada? Don’t even get me started with him. The amount of damage that he has cost our nation is immensely irrevocable and absolutely unforgivable, how someone can be as greed driven as he is, exceeds me; he thought he could just act his way through his mess, didn’t he? Good to know though, that we Filipino’s are not as vulnerable and callow as we were back in Marcos’ reign, in 2001, Cory played an active role into the 2nd EDSA People Power Revolution, which I am proud to be part of, she led us once again into a successful and peaceful revolution overthrowing a corrupt and maligned scumbag. He even had the nerve to blame EDSA Dos for having “inflicted a dent on Philippine democracy”. Really, now? Well we think you made a dent not only in the Philippine’s democracy but also the Philippine’s honor, you didn’t need the Filipinos to help you with that; you did a perfectly good job with jeopardizing our country all by yourself.
But still, Cory Aquino helped oust Estrada from position and was also there when Gloria Arroyo was installed as the new president; everything was smoothly running, everybody thought that having a second woman for a president was a good thing; she was doing well, until scandals came up, rigging allegations and mutinies. Rebellions and impeachment complaints, her public apology didn’t help either.
Is that how the officials show Ninoy and Cory their appreciation for the wonderful legacy they left us? Aren’t they supposed to be emulating to be just like the ‘power couple’? What Cory and Ninoy did was a great deal for each and every citizen of our country, but the current officials just don’t get it, do they? They think it is still easier to rob the nation and manipulate them, lead them on to believe that we are doing well, than to actually sacrifice and share some of their abundance and help us into becoming the ideal nation that we always dreamt about. It’s not really hard, is it? They just always opt for the easier way out. Typical. But we can do something about it, if Cory can, why can’t anyone else? She was a mere housewife, wasn’t she, but she made a difference, no matter how uncomfortable and foreign it was to her, she made it work, why can’t we?
If our officials think it is too late to make a difference now, that’s where they are wrong, it is never too late to reform and change for the better, if they love our country so much as they claim, then it is never hard, if they think that we really are worth the effort and the endless toil, then Ninoy would be happy, because like he said; “Filipinos are worth dying for.”
If our officials believe that the only thing that could save our country is a miracle, then they should continue believing that, just like Cory said; “I am not embarrassed to tell you that I believe in miracles”.
All we need is constant vigilance, I got that one from a character in Harry Potter, but hey, if it works, then why not?
If only by this way, we can show Cory and Ninoy our undying gratitude and indebtedness to them, then let it be.
If Ninoy was “the best president we NEVER had…”
Cory would be “the best president we EVER had…”
Either way, Cory did a great job in carrying out Ninoy’s objective, and more. It is a win-win situation. Kudos to you both.
Corazon Aquino… a woman, who has been given 24 awards and achievements in her name, but deserves so much more than that, who would’ve ever thought that she would manage all that and still remained humble. But she was, even when death came knocking on her door, she remained that simple, modest and uncomplicated woman we all knew and love.
Cory and Ninoy gave us the freedom we all yearned to have. They both have left a great legacy to all of us. What better way can we show our appreciation than by protecting our freedom and becoming better Filipinos, to show them that their endeavors are not worthless and that their love is not unrequited.
Goodbye President Cory, say hi to Ninoy from all of us.
You will never be forgotten.
JMags 08-04-09
Bringing Out A Little Cory in Everyone
It’s amusing how I write an article about politics and then the next day, the best president Philippines ever had passes away. Ironic? Yeah, I think so too.
I am guessing by now, the death of Former President Corazon Aquino would be known worldwide, how couldn’t it be, the world loses yet again one of the best politicians who ever walked the face of this planet, a big loss? Definitely. She was named the “Saint of People Power”, if that’s not big, then I don’t know what is.
For a self-proclaimed plain housewife that she was, she made a kick ass job into becoming the President of the Philippines. Up until her husband, Benigno ‘Ninoy’ Aquino’s death, she had no political background; and who would say she wanted it? But for the sake of her husband’s compassion for the people and his desire to bring democracy and stability back into our country, and for the undying love he showed to all Filipinos, she determinedly paved our way back to our former glory, she did what has to be done, she never hid and cowered from the pressures of the situation, but she faced them head on, by constant vigilance, faith in God, and faith in each and every Filipino, she led us to the transition back to democracy.
Nobody said it would be easy. And for a woman who only dreamed of becoming a math teacher or a language interpreter, being a president was surely out of the question. Nevertheless, under no circumstances did she allow that to hinder herself from achieving what her husband spent his life fighting for. For a mourning widow, she sure didn’t let her adversaries faze her; she never gave them the satisfaction by backing down and giving up. The simple, modest and uncomplicated person that she was, it wouldn’t be a surprise if she desired to avenge her husband’s murder. After all, Ninoy was a great man, he fought for the right causes and gave the most rational reasons, he died claiming that the “Filipinos are worth dying for’, any wife, who would have that for a husband would surely see what a wonderful man they have married, and Cory was that lucky woman and probably that was one of her reasons for sustaining the goal of Ninoy. Her newfound courage and resolution was beyond any man’s expectations. Who would’ve expected her to continue Ninoy’s fight for justice? No one. But she came through.
Cory’s faith in God, her constant vigilance, her love for her husband, and her faith in each and every Filipino, that was all she had, and that was all she needed. Those were her armor on the ongoing strife. She didn’t need guns, tear gases, tanks, choppers, fighter planes, or soldiers. Anybody could figure those stuff would cost a fortune, but she had something more powerful than that, hence succeeding. She had God and the support of every Filipino. The people was ready to fight the soldiers into a bloody battle, they were at their wit’s end, they used themselves as barricades to ward of the tanks, the cowardly administration then sent. They were ready to die to fight for their right. After knowing that their gateway to freedom has been gunned down in that damned tarmac at the airport, the Filipinos are enraged, they were prepared to avenge Ninoy’s death in any way that they can, there was no stopping them. However, Cory lived up to her honor, and as ironic and enigmatic as it may sound, she was the only person who was able to pull off leading the only peaceful revolution. Since when is a revolution peaceful, you ask? Since it was lead by Cory, I guess.
It is just sad and unfortunate that what Cory and Ninoy started are neglected by our current officials. The couple has strived hard to pick up the pieces of a broken country, they have strived hard to get us out of the hovel we are dumped in, Ninoy has risked his life to show us that he would be there with us until the end, he anticipated his death, he knew about it, yet he didn’t let it pull him down, he walked in that tarmac putting his whole life in jeopardy, but he did it with profound dignity and courage. Cory could’ve opted the easier way out and do nothing after her husband’s death, but no, she picked up where Ninoy left off, and pulled us through. How they managed to save a whole country with only so much that they have is beyond me. Their achievement would go down to history and it will always be remembered, it would even be published into millions of soft and hard bound history books and different political pieces, nonfictional references, endless editions of biographies, and billions of term papers. It would be turned into documentaries and subject for indie films. It would be turned into plays and musicals. Millions of people, not only in our country but in the whole world, would forever commend what they have done, how come these people who succeeded them fail to do the same? Can they at least try to pull their heads out their asses for once? Or is it really that hard?
Yes, Cory was able to pull us through the adversity we were once in, and from then on, we have received more than enough aid and assistance from the different countries that she bravely faced; She has laid out to them the different misfits and wrongdoings of the administration that destroyed our country’s honor, she reached out to them not with big words that politicians usually use to charm their listeners, but she used simple yet heartfelt terms. She once spoke in front of the U.S Congress, she presented them with a speech in hope of acquiring their support once more, which she got almost immediately after her articulation, and while she spoke her way through that discourse, she was unconsciously amazing each and every person present in that meeting. As the then U.S. House Speaker Tip O’Neill has said; Cory’s speech was; “The finest speech I’ve ever heard in my 34 years in Congress.” How could simple words and plain terms capture those people in that Congress? It wasn’t in Cory’s words; but in her expression, they saw her compassion for her people, they saw how important it was to her not only as the President, but as a survivor from the wretchedness the whole country was going through.
Corazon Aquino brought about democracy back into our country, something that no matter how many years we try repaying would remain invaluable and priceless. However, no matter how much Cory has achieved for our country, her legacy shouldn’t have stopped the moment she stepped down from presidency. But unfortunately, the reign of justice and stability in our country was short-lived.
Sure, Fidel V. Ramos who succeeded Cory did a great job being a president; he was after all a military man all his life, so he knew the ropes. He might have been an ally for the Marcos’ at their 20 year regimen, seeing as Ramos was the head of the Philippine Constabulary at that time. Whether it was cowardice or sincere hope for betterment that pushed Ramos and Juan Ponce Enrile who was then also one of Marcos’ cronies, to change their allegiance, it surely opened a brighter future for them. Cory even supported Ramos’ candidacy in the 1992 elections where he won with about 5.2 million votes. In the first few years of his term, Ramos did an excellent job in running our country, he managed to politically stabilize our nation, there was an economic boost, advancement in technology and there was an efficient distribution of necessities to the people. Highly commendable, huh? But not so fast, on the last remaining years that he was in office, the Asian Financial Crisis happened, it was, to say the least, a relatively huge blow in his administration, problems then just started to sprout everywhere, the unemployment rate sky rocketed once more, there was an importation decline, businesses were rapidly shutting down, and we found ourselves in financial instability once more. From then on, problems never stopped.
Ramos tried to amend the country’s constitution as well, which I remembered even as a grade school student, we were rallying against it. Charter Change. Everyone had divided impressions as to why Ramos wanted it, but Cory however wasn’t happy with his plans, and led protests with the Catholic Church. That movement seemingly stopped Ramos’ plan. Once again, Cory was there as a part of an act that saved our nation from a possible demise.
Cory retired into a private life right after her term as president, occasional appearances at political events are inevitable, but she made it a point to live her life once again as a common citizen, she has led and involved herself in a lot of organizations which she religiously supported. And just with those small acts, we see how compassionate she still is, even when she is not obliged anymore. She does it with a pure heart and clean conscience, with no underlying motives and schemes, which leads me to my next point.
The succeeding administrations, following hers and Ramos’ though, crumbled our country once again in shambles. Former President Estrada? Don’t even get me started with him. The amount of damage that he has cost our nation is immensely irrevocable and absolutely unforgivable, how someone can be as greed driven as he is, exceeds me; he thought he could just act his way through his mess, didn’t he? Good to know though, that we Filipino’s are not as vulnerable and callow as we were back in Marcos’ reign, in 2001, Cory played an active role into the 2nd EDSA People Power Revolution, which I am proud to be part of, she led us once again into a successful and peaceful revolution overthrowing a corrupt and maligned scumbag. He even had the nerve to blame EDSA Dos for having “inflicted a dent on Philippine democracy”. Really, now? Well we think you made a dent not only in the Philippine’s democracy but also the Philippine’s honor, you didn’t need the Filipinos to help you with that; you did a perfectly good job with jeopardizing our country all by yourself.
But still, Cory Aquino helped oust Estrada from position and was also there when Gloria Arroyo was installed as the new president; everything was smoothly running, everybody thought that having a second woman for a president was a good thing; she was doing well, until scandals came up, rigging allegations and mutinies. Rebellions and impeachment complaints, her public apology didn’t help either.
Is that how the officials show Ninoy and Cory their appreciation for the wonderful legacy they left us? Aren’t they supposed to be emulating to be just like the ‘power couple’? What Cory and Ninoy did was a great deal for each and every citizen of our country, but the current officials just don’t get it, do they? They think it is still easier to rob the nation and manipulate them, lead them on to believe that we are doing well, than to actually sacrifice and share some of their abundance and help us into becoming the ideal nation that we always dreamt about. It’s not really hard, is it? They just always opt for the easier way out. Typical. But we can do something about it, if Cory can, why can’t anyone else? She was a mere housewife, wasn’t she, but she made a difference, no matter how uncomfortable and foreign it was to her, she made it work, why can’t we?
If our officials think it is too late to make a difference now, that’s where they are wrong, it is never too late to reform and change for the better, if they love our country so much as they claim, then it is never hard, if they think that we really are worth the effort and the endless toil, then Ninoy would be happy, because like he said; “Filipinos are worth dying for.”
If our officials believe that the only thing that could save our country is a miracle, then they should continue believing that, just like Cory said; “I am not embarrassed to tell you that I believe in miracles”.
All we need is constant vigilance, I got that one from a character in Harry Potter, but hey, if it works, then why not?
If only by this way, we can show Cory and Ninoy our undying gratitude and indebtedness to them, then let it be.
If Ninoy was “the best president we NEVER had…”
Cory would be “the best president we EVER had…”
Either way, Cory did a great job in carrying out Ninoy’s objective, and more. It is a win-win situation. Kudos to you both.
Corazon Aquino… a woman, who has been given 24 awards and achievements in her name, but deserves so much more than that, who would’ve ever thought that she would manage all that and still remained humble. But she was, even when death came knocking on her door, she remained that simple, modest and uncomplicated woman we all knew and love.
Cory and Ninoy gave us the freedom we all yearned to have. They both have left a great legacy to all of us. What better way can we show our appreciation than by protecting our freedom and becoming better Filipinos, to show them that their endeavors are not worthless and that their love is not unrequited.
Goodbye President Cory, say hi to Ninoy from all of us.
You will never be forgotten.
JMags 08-04-09
Monday, August 3, 2009
What I Think... A Little Food for your Thoughts...
What I Think…
I used to live in a small town in a small province, in a small island called the Philippines. But what specific town that is? You don’t really have to know. I know for a fact though, that whatever I am about to write, doesn’t only apply to that small town, but to every small town in every small province in that small island in that small country, and, in any other country that practices democracy.
In every couple of years or so, the people of a certain democratic country get the chance to vote for a group of people to lead them to their so called “progress”. But is that really the intention, to lead us into progress? I don’t know. Nobody really knows, except for the pathetic aspirants who try their best to look good in front of the public. I mean, no offense to all those who run for a good cause and a good platform, but then, we wouldn’t really know who those are, now, would we? So generally speaking, whoever takes this note against me is guilty as hell, no questions asked.
As a growing young adult, I used to dream about becoming a politician myself, wanting to try and change the world one day at a time, that was until I saw all the mess our current politicians are making, they have unconsciously thrown themselves in a tangled web made up of their own egos and ambitions. It’s really amusing, how someone can show such ardent desire to serve; May it be a small town or a whole country, but make a hapless spectacle of themselves. I used to dream big and imagine myself making a difference here and there, and honestly, when I saw how they all just mess up and put the blame on each other, my sense of confidence in my journey to becoming one, increasingly deflated. And in a matter of months, I wanted to be anything, but that.
It’s really sad and depressing, how a dream can be taken away from you just by looking at how they fail in being good at it, but come to think of it, I realized where I was wrong. The more that I saw what they are doing not only to my own small town, but whatever the hell they were doing to my whole country, it is downright unacceptable, and that’s what motivated me to write this note. I don’t care if it reaches only one person, or the whole world, but if it reaches that one person, then I know, I could make a difference from there on. Like a domino effect, if you want to call it that.
Just the other day, I was talking to one of the wisest persons I know, my mom. She may be just a typical 40 something yr. old woman trying to get by every day, you may think that she’s one of those, who doesn’t really care what happens around her just as long as she gets to put food on the table, but no, you’re wrong. She is one dignified, intelligent and well respected person, who doesn’t care what other people think of her because she speaks her mind, and by doing so she succeeds into getting her point across, whatever argument, discussion or everyday conversation she has, and that’s what makes her phenomenal.
Anyway, she was telling me about this public discussion that the local authorities of that small town had, and they were debating on whatever was best for our community. Basically, there was the administration and the opposition, sitting in that long table, looking down at the public who had come to watch them debate over their own opinions on the subject matter, talking about what their ‘best interest’ is for the community. Where by saying ‘best interest’ what they really mean is 'my own interest’.
I couldn’t find a word that would best describe this attitude in a subtle way, but can I say, selfish; Inconsiderate; Egocentric; Self- centered? Yeah I think I could. Because that’s what they really are, they are not concerned about whatever the hell happens to the community, what they care about solely, is what they could acquire and obtain once they get a hold of the benefits the people asked for. They try and seize no matter how much of these benefits and take advantage of it so they could carry out the various schemes and aims that they have. Is it for the people’s best interest? I don’t think so. Is it for the good of the community? No sir, it is definitely not.
But what I really don’t understand is how these politicians manage to manipulate the awareness of people and turn into something completely diverse. I was part of the people that stood in the crowd during campaign periods, and maybe I wasn’t eligible to vote then, but my discernment of the matter is enough to lay out my opinion in this issue.
Call me crazy but I don’t think that these politicians are entirely to blame into this whole concern. First and foremost, they aren’t the ones who placed themselves in that position. It was us, who gave them that privilege. If it wasn’t for the vote of the people, they wouldn’t be there.
What appeal do these politicians have that charmed the people into voting them, only to regret it few months after their appointment? Isn’t it confusing and at the same time completely outrageous? I mean is there anything we people can decide on and be actually happy with it? We place these insatiable politicians in office and we turn into this bitter and complaint driven whiny hoi polloi. If we actually want something good to come from our own decisions, it is not supposed to reach this extent where they are already seated in the office and basically they can do whatever they want to do, they are the ones leading us now, aren’t they? So what they decide on, that’s what we endure.
So technically, we set them in those positions, let them establish their very own little empires, and we allow them to manipulate us into believing that they are placing their ‘wondrous’ and ‘valuable’ plans and platforms in motion, which really sounded good to our ears, words that are wonderfully strewn together to create this colossal visionary, which would only turn out to be an abyss of empty promises and sky high ambitions, something that is highly achievable, except it wouldn’t be, since as promising as it may sound, it is just an accessory of these so called ‘leaders’ in their campaign speeches in order to capture the minds and hearts of people, people who are actually thick enough to fall for their flowery spiels. Ergo, we become sore f***in losers in the end.
So yeah, with that being said, I admit that I partly blame the people for being naïve and gullible. We go into these campaigns and let the ‘potential leaders’ lure us into this fantasy, where, as if they would be able to relieve us of our economic problems and turn our municipality into an award winning boom town. I cannot fathom how incredibly easy people can be; every day we go through the same routine, every day we experience the same hardships and difficulties, if not the same probably harder, can we ask them for help, I’ll bet you, 1 out of 10 times that you go ask them for their help, they are going to tell you, that they don’t have enough fund to provide you with the assistance you need, if you ask them personally, not as a commoner to an official, but as a person to a friend, and they would tell you that they have their own problems to think about. How impudent is that? But do we learn from our mistakes? No. Come campaign period, and that same politician you went to, approaches you and gives you a little ‘som’thin, som’thin’, a little ‘token of help’, and you graciously accept it and promise them your vote on the elections, oh come on! Can you get more pathetic than that? Some may call it practicality, I call it stupidity. You just sold your vote for that little ‘som’thin som’thin’ they offered you, tell me, would that little ‘token’ of theirs last you a whole years worth of food on the table? Would that be able to help you alleviate your family from the adversity you suffer every day? NO. You just sold your vote and your dignity for something that is not even worth it. Want to try regret? Too late buddy, you made your bed now you have to lie on it.
When are we ever going to learn?
Now that they have the power to manipulate every procedure, every movement in our small government, ask your selves these questions.
Where do we stand? Can we voice out our opinion while they debate on what brand new product our town should splurge in? Do we get a say in that concern? When our community needs funds for development, do they ask us our opinion? Do they tell us, how much they are trying to take on loan for a certain project? Do they inform us what the progress of a certain project is? Do they commit to the promises they guaranteed us in their campaigns? Were they able to carry those promises out? At the end of their terms, were they really able to satisfy our needs, considering they pledged to help us just as so that we would be assisted in every possible way that they can? We are given the sanction to listen to their deliberation of something that we, should decide on. We are the ones who are supposed to make the most out of these benefits, but are we given the liberty to do so? Are we given the right to suggest our own resolutions? And if anything, do you really think they take us seriously?
Think about it, we are supposed to place exemplary leaders into office to lead us into advancement and development of our community, we are given the right to choose who most are worthy and deserving of that position, but are we doing our part? Are we giving ourselves and our community a chance to move forward into that progress? Let’s ask ourselves, did we do the right thing?
Because if we would carefully think about the questions I just mentioned, it would lessen the possibility of us being on the losing end of the deal.
If we would willingly answer these questions with honesty; and if we have the determination of lifting our community from the dump that it’s buried in, then I am sure that our perception and preferences would be set straight, ergo, would result to the community that we are most especially thrilled to be part of.
Politics is an art, it’s a craft for the well learned and wisdom filled individuals. The only thing that would distort the true essence of it is indifference. Allow the worthy and proficiently skilled goal driven virtuosos to achieve what they have spent their lives learning. Give them the chance to show us their distinct capabilities into guiding us into a remarkable future and a gateway to our political sovereignty.
Do not be blinded by any amount of money or promises that are as empty as our pockets. Do not practice colonial mentality and decide using your closed minds. Use the intelligence that God gave us into putting the right pieces of the puzzle into its rightful places. Be open minded and look at the bigger picture. Intelligence is not a privilege, it is a gift. Therefore, we should bask into carrying out the goodness of it by making the appropriate choices and right decisions. Our judgment and resolution is what would determine our chance into that gateway.
Are you ready to make your town a better place? I hope so.
May it be the smallest town in a country, or the biggest country in the map? It doesn’t make a difference. If you are ready to do your part, then start doing it now.
If I succeeded reaching out to you by this discourse, then share this to others, who you believe would come through and would make the right thing. After all, that is the basis of this notes appeal.
Bored and Extremely Insightful (for now),
Jelena Magallon
I used to live in a small town in a small province, in a small island called the Philippines. But what specific town that is? You don’t really have to know. I know for a fact though, that whatever I am about to write, doesn’t only apply to that small town, but to every small town in every small province in that small island in that small country, and, in any other country that practices democracy.
In every couple of years or so, the people of a certain democratic country get the chance to vote for a group of people to lead them to their so called “progress”. But is that really the intention, to lead us into progress? I don’t know. Nobody really knows, except for the pathetic aspirants who try their best to look good in front of the public. I mean, no offense to all those who run for a good cause and a good platform, but then, we wouldn’t really know who those are, now, would we? So generally speaking, whoever takes this note against me is guilty as hell, no questions asked.
As a growing young adult, I used to dream about becoming a politician myself, wanting to try and change the world one day at a time, that was until I saw all the mess our current politicians are making, they have unconsciously thrown themselves in a tangled web made up of their own egos and ambitions. It’s really amusing, how someone can show such ardent desire to serve; May it be a small town or a whole country, but make a hapless spectacle of themselves. I used to dream big and imagine myself making a difference here and there, and honestly, when I saw how they all just mess up and put the blame on each other, my sense of confidence in my journey to becoming one, increasingly deflated. And in a matter of months, I wanted to be anything, but that.
It’s really sad and depressing, how a dream can be taken away from you just by looking at how they fail in being good at it, but come to think of it, I realized where I was wrong. The more that I saw what they are doing not only to my own small town, but whatever the hell they were doing to my whole country, it is downright unacceptable, and that’s what motivated me to write this note. I don’t care if it reaches only one person, or the whole world, but if it reaches that one person, then I know, I could make a difference from there on. Like a domino effect, if you want to call it that.
Just the other day, I was talking to one of the wisest persons I know, my mom. She may be just a typical 40 something yr. old woman trying to get by every day, you may think that she’s one of those, who doesn’t really care what happens around her just as long as she gets to put food on the table, but no, you’re wrong. She is one dignified, intelligent and well respected person, who doesn’t care what other people think of her because she speaks her mind, and by doing so she succeeds into getting her point across, whatever argument, discussion or everyday conversation she has, and that’s what makes her phenomenal.
Anyway, she was telling me about this public discussion that the local authorities of that small town had, and they were debating on whatever was best for our community. Basically, there was the administration and the opposition, sitting in that long table, looking down at the public who had come to watch them debate over their own opinions on the subject matter, talking about what their ‘best interest’ is for the community. Where by saying ‘best interest’ what they really mean is 'my own interest’.
I couldn’t find a word that would best describe this attitude in a subtle way, but can I say, selfish; Inconsiderate; Egocentric; Self- centered? Yeah I think I could. Because that’s what they really are, they are not concerned about whatever the hell happens to the community, what they care about solely, is what they could acquire and obtain once they get a hold of the benefits the people asked for. They try and seize no matter how much of these benefits and take advantage of it so they could carry out the various schemes and aims that they have. Is it for the people’s best interest? I don’t think so. Is it for the good of the community? No sir, it is definitely not.
But what I really don’t understand is how these politicians manage to manipulate the awareness of people and turn into something completely diverse. I was part of the people that stood in the crowd during campaign periods, and maybe I wasn’t eligible to vote then, but my discernment of the matter is enough to lay out my opinion in this issue.
Call me crazy but I don’t think that these politicians are entirely to blame into this whole concern. First and foremost, they aren’t the ones who placed themselves in that position. It was us, who gave them that privilege. If it wasn’t for the vote of the people, they wouldn’t be there.
What appeal do these politicians have that charmed the people into voting them, only to regret it few months after their appointment? Isn’t it confusing and at the same time completely outrageous? I mean is there anything we people can decide on and be actually happy with it? We place these insatiable politicians in office and we turn into this bitter and complaint driven whiny hoi polloi. If we actually want something good to come from our own decisions, it is not supposed to reach this extent where they are already seated in the office and basically they can do whatever they want to do, they are the ones leading us now, aren’t they? So what they decide on, that’s what we endure.
So technically, we set them in those positions, let them establish their very own little empires, and we allow them to manipulate us into believing that they are placing their ‘wondrous’ and ‘valuable’ plans and platforms in motion, which really sounded good to our ears, words that are wonderfully strewn together to create this colossal visionary, which would only turn out to be an abyss of empty promises and sky high ambitions, something that is highly achievable, except it wouldn’t be, since as promising as it may sound, it is just an accessory of these so called ‘leaders’ in their campaign speeches in order to capture the minds and hearts of people, people who are actually thick enough to fall for their flowery spiels. Ergo, we become sore f***in losers in the end.
So yeah, with that being said, I admit that I partly blame the people for being naïve and gullible. We go into these campaigns and let the ‘potential leaders’ lure us into this fantasy, where, as if they would be able to relieve us of our economic problems and turn our municipality into an award winning boom town. I cannot fathom how incredibly easy people can be; every day we go through the same routine, every day we experience the same hardships and difficulties, if not the same probably harder, can we ask them for help, I’ll bet you, 1 out of 10 times that you go ask them for their help, they are going to tell you, that they don’t have enough fund to provide you with the assistance you need, if you ask them personally, not as a commoner to an official, but as a person to a friend, and they would tell you that they have their own problems to think about. How impudent is that? But do we learn from our mistakes? No. Come campaign period, and that same politician you went to, approaches you and gives you a little ‘som’thin, som’thin’, a little ‘token of help’, and you graciously accept it and promise them your vote on the elections, oh come on! Can you get more pathetic than that? Some may call it practicality, I call it stupidity. You just sold your vote for that little ‘som’thin som’thin’ they offered you, tell me, would that little ‘token’ of theirs last you a whole years worth of food on the table? Would that be able to help you alleviate your family from the adversity you suffer every day? NO. You just sold your vote and your dignity for something that is not even worth it. Want to try regret? Too late buddy, you made your bed now you have to lie on it.
When are we ever going to learn?
Now that they have the power to manipulate every procedure, every movement in our small government, ask your selves these questions.
Where do we stand? Can we voice out our opinion while they debate on what brand new product our town should splurge in? Do we get a say in that concern? When our community needs funds for development, do they ask us our opinion? Do they tell us, how much they are trying to take on loan for a certain project? Do they inform us what the progress of a certain project is? Do they commit to the promises they guaranteed us in their campaigns? Were they able to carry those promises out? At the end of their terms, were they really able to satisfy our needs, considering they pledged to help us just as so that we would be assisted in every possible way that they can? We are given the sanction to listen to their deliberation of something that we, should decide on. We are the ones who are supposed to make the most out of these benefits, but are we given the liberty to do so? Are we given the right to suggest our own resolutions? And if anything, do you really think they take us seriously?
Think about it, we are supposed to place exemplary leaders into office to lead us into advancement and development of our community, we are given the right to choose who most are worthy and deserving of that position, but are we doing our part? Are we giving ourselves and our community a chance to move forward into that progress? Let’s ask ourselves, did we do the right thing?
Because if we would carefully think about the questions I just mentioned, it would lessen the possibility of us being on the losing end of the deal.
If we would willingly answer these questions with honesty; and if we have the determination of lifting our community from the dump that it’s buried in, then I am sure that our perception and preferences would be set straight, ergo, would result to the community that we are most especially thrilled to be part of.
Politics is an art, it’s a craft for the well learned and wisdom filled individuals. The only thing that would distort the true essence of it is indifference. Allow the worthy and proficiently skilled goal driven virtuosos to achieve what they have spent their lives learning. Give them the chance to show us their distinct capabilities into guiding us into a remarkable future and a gateway to our political sovereignty.
Do not be blinded by any amount of money or promises that are as empty as our pockets. Do not practice colonial mentality and decide using your closed minds. Use the intelligence that God gave us into putting the right pieces of the puzzle into its rightful places. Be open minded and look at the bigger picture. Intelligence is not a privilege, it is a gift. Therefore, we should bask into carrying out the goodness of it by making the appropriate choices and right decisions. Our judgment and resolution is what would determine our chance into that gateway.
Are you ready to make your town a better place? I hope so.
May it be the smallest town in a country, or the biggest country in the map? It doesn’t make a difference. If you are ready to do your part, then start doing it now.
If I succeeded reaching out to you by this discourse, then share this to others, who you believe would come through and would make the right thing. After all, that is the basis of this notes appeal.
Bored and Extremely Insightful (for now),
Jelena Magallon
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