TO SIGH...

to sigh - verb, transitive
1. To express with or as if with an audible exhalation.

2. Archaic. To lament. [1]

How many times have I, since I resigned from the KOR, sighed at the downhill developments in that organization, especially in the European and Canadian regions?

By the way, let every reader note that I quoted the word SIGH. I did not claim nor implied that I defined it in my own words. Let no one accuse me of plagiarism. My dear friend, Christoph warned me enough that plagiarism is not lightly taken in this “neck of the woods” – in Europe.

Also, I will not claim that I wrote a book titled, “Born to be a Hero,” nor strut around and state that I translated the “Mi Ultimo Adios” of Dr. Jose Rizal from Spanish to English. Boy! I don’t have that temerity and audacity at all to claim having written these wondrous pieces of literature.

I happen to have a copy of the documents submitted by former knight of Rizal, Klaus Hartung, as requested by the then Supreme Commander, Sir H. Davide. The documents contain damning evidence that could bring down Mr. Paras – former undeserving Regional Commander of the KOR in Europe. I SIGH, wringing my hands, in frustration that such condemning documentation has not been acted upon. Worse, Manila even claimed that the papers were missing. Mr. Hartung, SIGHing, no doubt – sent another set. The reader’s guess as to what happened to the second set of documents is as good as mine.

I SIGH, “With an audible exhalation,” indeed. How can the majority of the members of such an organization allow this and other corrupt practices to run wild with impunity? My readers know exactly what I mean. Undeserving promotions, racism, padrino system, Filipino-muna, double standards in passing judgements, empty words in speeches and pronouncements, among other things have been the main menu in emails going around among and between knights and others, the past three years. Regular meetings become a farce, too. Traditions and protocol do not count. Agenda are tailored to fit certain interests – only! One can imagine the frustration of an attendee who must have travelled far, only to realize the meeting has already been “cooked.”

Except for a number of brave, upright and no-nonsense persons who have expressed their displeasure at the decisions of the KOR in Manila, most have opted to sink their heads in the sand. One wonders if the latter ever even SIGH.

Dennis Barcelona, Resigned KR

Former Deputy Commander

Hamburg Chapter KOR

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[1]Excerpted from The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Third Edition Copyright © 1992 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Electronic version licensed from Lernout & Hauspie Speech Products N.V., further reproduction and distribution restricted in accordance with the Copyright Law of the United States. All rights reserved.