Credits

Sunday, October 28, 2007

User-Friendly

So after the Estrada pardon, forces have began realigning themselves as alliances breakup and lines are drawn. It is a time when we should rethink and reflect on the lessons we learned. No matter how sincere we, the people, would want to pursue change, there will be opportunists in the wings biding their time, waiting for the right issue and moment to pounce on our ideals.

But such things are consequences we have to bear with. We now face a steeper climb as the Arroyo and Estrada forces join in an unholy alliance. The Genuine Opposition is dead. The once great coalition that trounced the administration now cease to exist. Transactional politics has overtaken idealism and advocacies. True colors are now exposed, and the once defiant Erap reduced to Gloria's posterboy.

Are Filipinos gullible or just plain stupid? Time and again, we have been taken for a ride. The most recent of course the mockery of justice. After kicking Marcos out, we have been spiraling and the what we have is a succession of leaders who took advantage of every situation to enhance their image and fill their pockets.

Ours is a different democracy. After EDSA 1, we felt empowered. People empowerment is what democracy is all about. But our democracy is one of regression. Politics in its dirtiest form has ruled the day. Administrations are rocked by scandals and intrigues. Every scandal getting more blatant. The absence of public outcry has emboldened even the smallest criminal to pursue a life of crime. Crime in this country after all pays and it pays big.

We are victims of a vicious cycle. History keeps repeating itself in a very short span of time. Sociologists will never be able to explain this phenomenon. We readily and willingly leave our fate in the hands of leaders who always seem to lead us into a trap. I suppose the Filipino is inherently trusting. The lack of suspicion and mistrust has led to the perception that we lack discernment.

Is the Filipino stupid or gullible? I don't think so. We just never see the evil in a person until the last moment when we have actually been suckered. To sum it all up, I leave you with this, we are not stupid, we are not gullible. We are just like the Nokia phone we love using, WE ARE USER-FRIENDLY.

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