Whiny, emo, pa-victim “activism” is.
This realization has failed to sink in, so far, among the chattering classes currently up in arms just because Carlos Celdran was jailed for his Damaso stunt.
The simple inescapable fact emerging from all this is that he violated a law. Regardless of whether he and these “activists” knew that such a law existed, he still did. Common sense dictates that barging into a church with a “Damaso” placard is simply wrong.
Ignorance of the law excuses no one; neither does lack of common sense.
Freedom of speech is forum-dependent, and he went into a religious institution, which is not a public place by the way, and disturbed whatever rituals were going on that time in a premeditated manner.
The subset of commentators I’ve come across claim that Carlos Celdran’s arrest and subsequent conviction have set a dangerous precedent for the Church to persecute all criticism directed at it.
Excuse me, people have been able to criticize the Church before and after Celdran did his publicity stunt. The only difference is that he overstepped the bounds on what the law allows.
The only “dangerous precedent” that Carlos Celdran’s arrest and conviction have set is that Filipinos now have to think properly about their “activism” and their “advocacies”. It’s “dangerous” for a society with a reputation for being intellectually bankrupt, overly emotional, predictably gullible, and willfully dismissive of the law.
Running amok on social media and on the streets like headless chickens is simply not a cool thing anymore.
When Celdran went to jail, these “activists” cried suppression of freedom of expression; if he goes free, the culture of impunity goes on. Any decent society claiming to be civilized would uphold the law.
Currently, what would Filipinos gravitate towards? No-brainer; since when did ever Filipinos make a conscious effort to follow the law anyway?
Only when it’s convenient, or only in foreign countries.
If these “activists” think that the laws are either too severe or too lenient, then they should follow the proper process to get these laws amended. Take it up with their representative, which by the way the people themselves voted in. Do you worship them as if they’re infallible? Excuse me, they’re there to work for you, not to work you over. That is why they’re called public servants.
Oh yes, these “activists” do need to make sure they make a compelling,logical case as to why the law needs to be changed. No appeals to pity, emotion, or populism, please.
Whew, I bet Filipinos never imagined being a democracy entailed so much actual hard work.
***
Now, there’s a petition for BS Aquino to grant executive clemency to Carlos Celdran. Am I missing something here?
Where were these “activists” when Former Chief Justice Corona’s constitutional rights were being trampled on? Where were these “activists” when Gloria Arroyo’s right to travel was being hindered? Where were these “activists” when falsified evidence and weak cases were being thrown left and right against them?
Oh, I get it.
“Activism” in the Philippines suffers from the same narrow-minded thinking that Filipinos generally do. It focuses on people and events instead of ideas.
When the person is not popular, or vilified, no thanks to the biased media we have here, the people are easily riled up in anger and regard them as “have to go” or “resign”. True to the Filipinos’ penchant for telenovelas, there is always a villain who “oppresses” the people, and a hero who will supposedly save the “oppressed”.
Screw the rule of law, screw due process. If the mob hates him/her, crucify! If the mob likes that person, save him/her!
Mediocre minds, indeed.
I think it’s high time that these “activists” realize that being a real activist means more than just making noise.
[Photo courtesy Yahoo! News.]
No comments:
Post a Comment