I was actually planning to write this article at some other time. In all honesty, I think many of you have had enough of the Mamasapano Massacre and everything it entails already. Indeed, I’m kinda sick of it myself. I ask, why can’t we just let their families grieve quietly now? Why can’t we give them a break and let them mourn the loss of their fathers, husbands, brothers and sons in peace? Why must we prolong their emotional anguish and psychological torment by showing the trial take place on TV on a regular basis? The answer is simple though: Because, unless we do, people will not only remember but they will also stop caring.
It’s sad really, and you know what, the SAF44 aren’t the only people to be treated this way. Look at what happened to the Yolanda survivors and how, to this very day, very few of the relief goods and relief funds sent to help them by foreign individuals and organizations have actually made it to them. Then there’s the Lumads who nobody seems to care about because, after all, they’re just another small tribe of savages down south anyway to a lot of you and don’t seem to deserve any of your attention. Indeed, for some of you here, the scripted antics of an alleged couple in the street or the jokes of a crass and disrespectful comedian are probably more important.
But then again, why am I even surprised? The Philippines after all has a long, sad history of treachery and backstabbing. What are forty-four dead cops, over a few thousand homeless typhoon victims and a tribe of primitives to a lot of you anyway, eh? What’s important to you is you get what you want so screw everybody else, correct? Better that others suffer than you, right?
But I digress. I’m sure a lot of you are going to be offended again and make all sorts of threats and insults against me and my family. Well, guess what? If you think your petty attempts at discouragement will deter me from showing you just what kind of people you are, you’re very much mistaken!
We Glorify Traitors
Okay, first and foremost, Emilio Aguinaldo betrayed Andres Bonifacio. Still, the man is remembered in history books as the first president of the Philippines. It’s like we don’t even care what happened to the real minds behind the revolution. All that really matters to a lot of us is that Aguinaldo was in command and should therefore be remembered as the first leader of the country. This despite the fact that he only stole the position from people who rightfully deserve it.
Then we have the Aquinos…
Benigno Aquino Sr. collaborated with Imperial Japan and handed the Philippines over to the Axis Powers during World War II. You can say that’s all history now but please note that in just about every country involved in that war, people hung their traitors. The Philippines was probably one of the few countries who didn’t go through with dealing with traitors the way traitors deserved. Indeed, we even allowed the Aquinos to run the country not once but twice.
In any other country, figures like Benedict Arnold (a traitor to George Washington during the American Revolutionary War), Philippe Petain (who betrayed France to the Nazis) and Wang Jingwei (the Chinese leader who also betrayed his own country for Imperial Japan), are looked upon with disdain and disgrace. The Philippines, on the other hand, either doesn’t seem to remember or care about what really happened. After all, for some of you, it doesn’t really matter that our very own leaders are probably selling us out even as we speak.
Everyone Is Out For Themselves
What else would you call the kind of selfishness that Filipinos have. At the end of the day, the basic Filipino couldn’t care less about the rest of the country. It always boils down to one’s family and friends and hardly anyone else.
In fact, when certain criminals like thieves and drug dealers are caught, their usual reasons amount to: “I did it for my family!” This despite the fact that their victims are all too often people with families of their own.
What’s really sick and sad at the same time is how we are all too ready to sacrifice our sense of decency and principles just to make our lives or the lives of our loved ones easier. It’s all too rare for us to even consider the people we are victimizing because we are so engrossed in our own victimhood. So what if other people get hurt, right? You’re a victim too, aren’t you?
So okay, maybe the rebels of the south have reasons for doing what they do. Maybe they’re only looking for a means to provide for their families. However, that does not justify their acts of terrorism.
At the end of the day, ladies and gentlemen, wrong is still wrong and evil is still evil no matter how necessary it may seem.
We Scoff At Actual Loyalty And Courage
What’s more painful is that there are those of us who are all too ready to make fun of our own heroes. When some Filipino soldier dies for his country, some of us even say: “Haha! He’s so stupid to risk his life like that! Serves him right for being such an idiotic soldier!”
Tying in with my first statement, what else would you call a people who look up to traitors and charlatans and ridicule people who actually show bravery and loyalty?
Instead of being inspired to become courageous ourselves, we look at the heroic acts of our fellows as if they are the ones with the problem and not us who all too often refuse to even lift a finger to help out others.
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If this is all that we really are now as a people then I can only lament for the next generation of Filipinos…
And if you disagree with me, again, you’re welcome to prove me wrong…
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