Viewpoints
Happy New Year?
By +Oscar V. Cruz, JCD
THE last Christmas was “Merry”, all right – for most Filipinos at least, considering the big havoc brought about by a volcano, not to mention the many lives lost at sea plus some loses and pains brought about by house burning and pyrotechnics exploding here and there. In other words, the many, loud and fond greetings of “Merry Christmas!” became a reality in one way or another, for millions of Filipinos all over the land. Most of the homeless managed to get some kind of shelters in one place or another. In the same way, most of the poor had some food to eat and enjoy – courtesy of many people of good will.
But, with all sincerity and truth, it can be rightfully asked with honesty and candor: Will this New Year be happy? Are their real and tenable reasons to expect people’s happiness on the occasion of the New Year? In short, would it be fair and square to greet people a “Happy New Year”? Or would this be but an empty habitual gesture of wishful thinking for the New Year – yet somehow aware of the imminent political troubles and social dangers it is about to bring?
May 2010 is calendared and supposedly national elections time. And the world of politics specifically during election time and concretely on the occasion of national elections, bring about anything except peace and other, everything but unity and harmony. To say that this Country is not ready for democracy, not prepared for politics and not yet attuned to mature electoral exercises, is not an offence, much less is it an insult – but with a big amount of empirical truth or historical basis. Too sad but real. Too bad but true.
Proliferation of the usual guns, goons and gold. Murders and kidnappings. Bombings and burnings. Activism of cruel private armies and deadly dynastic followers. Burnings and bombings. Buying of political fidelities and paying for votes. Electoral sell-offs and buy-ins. Political betrayals and double-crosses. Gross election cheatings and extensive election threats.
Add to all these the full or part or non-automated election – whichever is convenient and acceptable to those addicted to power and covetous of wealth. Happy New Year?
This is not to mention if there will be elections at all – or there will be but a failure of election. Happy New Year?
This is not to think of all of the possible socio-political discontent plus probable popular dissent. Happy New Year?
Philippines my Philippines! How many lives do you want lost to gain your peace and development? How many families do you want destroyed to build your national stature before the world? How many decades you want to pass for you to become a real republican democracy?
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