Wow: serious and funny aspects of the elections

Having read a couple (actually more than a couple) of blog entries on the upcoming UPManila elections, I was, in a way, "encouraged" to write my views. *Gasp* Finally I get to write, or have the courage to write, about this thing they call the "elections".

We, the students of the University, are fond of seeing the wrong and/or the bad in the current status of Philippine politics. Moreso during elections. With the corruption, deception and all. But, let us look at ourselves. In the University nowadays, since the elections is just a week ahead, polliticking is evident. Like issues of smear campaigns, black propagandas, and others.

Another "issue" that bugs me is that the candidates are just, basically, unknowns. With exception to the likes of Mr. Go, Ms. Deligente, and some other incumbents, everyone else is, really, newbies. Yes, I know they say being a "newbie" is good because it gives the voters a choice, and they have "fresh and uncorrupted" minds/goals. But, I ask, is being a newbie a way of . . . pursuing one's personal interests, or his/her party's/coalition's/supporters', and just exploiting one's kagwapuhan or kagandahan to win, and well, be sikat?

With the emergence of these color-coded new candidates, I feel like they just woke up one day and decided (or was enlightened, haha) to run for whatever position they feel they would/could win. And as Kuya Reighben from our Hum1 class put it, politics in UPM is a politics of introduction, with the onset of these "new" personalities.

I have nothing against them personally. But it pains me to see these newbies, running independently or with a party, "exploiting" the people's power to vote. They use charms and porma rather than true platforms/agendas.

Tsk. What a controversial topic politics is.

**********

On a lighter note, I was amused at the witty and sometimes pathetic-sounding one-liners of the candidates.

Here are some of them. To those who know the candidates who said the following please don't take them personally. Nakakatawa lang talaga.

"Kenny's Careplan" --- This sounded like a diaper brand (to Vic) and an insurance policy (to me). ;D

"Dahil kay Kenny, ikaw ang bida." ---Hay, favorite ko na talaga 'tong si Kenny. hahah

"Dahil kay Ian Manalang, panalo ka." ---Did I get his surname right? ;D

"V for . . . " ---I forgot what Vs the candidate enumerated. Pero familiar 'yung line. 'Kala ko nga, in the end, sasabihin niya . . . Vendetta. haha. Natalie Portman!

At ang pinakabida sa lahat . . .

"Dahil kay *toot* Placido, bagay tayo." ---Ano raw? haha Masyado siyang pacute, as in with matching paawa face and tantalizing, ehem, eyes. Come on, give me a break. hahaha, sorry kuya.

Believing

A simple word can't express the amount of hate I feel.

I hate it that certain people (and this girl from LaSalle) kept urging me, Dette and Vic to join this frigging rally, walkout. Yes, I went to RH steps for grade's sake. Anthro 1 and all. But I realize that for me to "enjoy" joining this thing called the walk-out I should first and foremost believe in it. Not just believe that I will get a plus for it.

And how can I believe when the person/s, or some of them, initiating this walkout are not the ones "I look up to". Yes, Randy David was there (according to Dette, I did not see him). But really, was he my role model?

I know I will get raps, sneers and not-so-great comments behind my back because of this things that I am writing, being in UP and all. I do know my responsibility as an Iskolar ng Bayan. But I have my ways to do it. I don't do rallies or walkouts. They are not my kind of thing.

Call me whatever you want, I will stand by what I believe in. I have my ways of showing my contempt for this government they call "evil".

But really, I ask all of you who went there, do you really believe something will happen? In the event the present president is ousted, who will replace her? I'm sure whoever it is, in a few years time, another walkout will be organized to oust that person.

Ate Alj from Gabriela (though I'm not part of it, I tambay there) confronted me, weeks ago, with answer to this question. She said, "Kung sino pa ang tinatanong mo ikaw ang may problema. Dahil ang tanong na dapat ay ano." She then told me all about this transition council that they were planning in the event the President is ousted.

But I still stand my ground. Not only by way of rallies or walkouts can we express our contempt for whomever/opinion on whatever issue. I believe there are ways, peaceful ways . . .

Call me a functionalist or a control freak or whatever for believing and wanting peace and order (to some this is status quo) all the time.

Then, so be it.

Better be tragic than a martyr

The misconception about tragedy (as in drama) is that it is a sad play with an unhappy ending. But judging from its Greek root words tragos and aeiedein it means, literally "song of the goat". FYI: The goat is/was sacred tp Dionysus, the god of wine and feritility, in whose name were the early festivals of song and dance, out of which drama grew.

To cut a long story short, tragedy is an assertion of the fundamental greatness of man; the individual's ability to rise to the heights of human dignity in the face of antagonistic force/s which he knows will finally destroy him.

The point of tragedy is that the protagonist, when faced with the inevitability of the fact that the forces arrayed against him are to cause his literal or figurative death, can and will rise to the occassion and assert his magnificence as a human being, defying the force/s and bringing him at bay or destorying them with himself. There is no possibility of escape because after the balance of forces comes an absolute finality.

So, in many ways, tragedy is not really saddening and depressing in the accident or catastrophe sort of way. And the irony here is that proof of human greatness comes only in death. And every tragic protagonist has this tragic flaw (usually hubris or excessive pride) which makes him "human" and is the cause of his destruction.

The difference between a martyr and a tragic protagonist (or tragic person, in short) is that the martyr dies for a particular cause, and his death implies that something comes after making the suffering and death worth the pain. And lastly, martyr while asserting his cause may consciously seek death. While a tragic person has every reason to live, and makes a heroic struggle to survive in the face of overwhelming odds. And only in death does the tragic grandeur emerge. And his death is a profound loss to humanity.


So there: You choose. Are you tragic or a martyr?

Well, I guess I'd rather live and die while fighting for something I believe in. But, then again, things are easier said than done. And the true answer, for each and every one, is known only when he (or she) is put in a situation which calls for the decision that will change his/her life, forever. I just hope that when we do decide, we won't regret.

This fear of regret though is what makes me, and I guess a lot of people as well, linger at the crossroads too much. Not wanting to take/choose a path too quickly for the fear of regret and failure. Choosing to be surrounded by these safe walls that we have made for ourselves.

I just wish I had the right amount of courage to move my feet wherever I want to, which way I choose because standing at a crossroad for too long is tiring and takes its toll.

Cummings and goings

i have found what you are like
by e.e. cummings


i have found what you are like
the rain,

(Who feathers frightened fields
with the superior dust-of-sleep. wields

easily the pale club of the wind and
swirled justly souls of flower strike

the air in utterable coolness

deeds of green thrilling light
with thinned

newfragile yellows

lurch and.press

-in the woods
which
stutter
and

sing


And the coolness of your smile is
stirringofbirds between my arms; but
i should rather than anything
have (almost when hugeness
will shut quietly) almost,
your kiss

---------------------------------------------

This is my memorized version of e.e. cummings' poem that I used for my Hum1 oral poetry reading/discussion/exam(!) I tried to have the patented pa-Stariray effect using rainstorm soundeffects but the plan backfired. My Silently Terrifying Professor said, "Can you please turn that off?" Oh god. So I turned the iPod off in the most unaffected manner that I can muster at that moment. But inside, it affected my speaking drive--whatever was left of it.

Then, as I was done explaining the "hidden meanings" of the said poem, my Silently Terrifying Professor stood up and said (after I sat back into my seat) that (my rough translation) "For us to appreciate the beauty of a flower, we do not need to rip it apart."

As I took my seat, I asked my seatmate, "Ano? Kamusta? (How was I?)"
She replied with a smile, "You ripped apart the flower."

Oh. Dear. God.

At the Crossroads

Everyday we are confronted with decision-making between what is right and what is wrong, between what is good and what is bad.

In Christ's Sermon of the Mount, He speaks of another decision he wants us to make.

"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."
Matthew 7:13-14

Here, He speaks of human achievement and Divine accomplishment, two "ways" to enter the Kingdom of God. One is true and the other is deceptive. The Lord tell us to enter the narrow gate with urgency, alone, and with repentance.

Alone, for salvation is based individually. You cannot be saved because you were born in a Christian family; you cannot be saved just because your father is a pastor. But rather, you are saved because you received Jesus Christ as your saviour.

But, salvation never stops at this. Once saved, as a Christian you have to manifest through your words, actions and life that you are, truly and sincerely, saved. The road to the Kingdom of God is narrow for many will try to enter and will not be able to (Luke 13:24).

Lastly, we are told to enter the narrow gate with repentance. We have to admit that self-righteousness wouldn't get us anywhere. That we can't enter His kingdom without his help. That the only way to the Kingdom of God is through Jesus Christ alone.

Everyone, let us choose the narrow gate and make a sincere effort to enter it.

Perception, prosperity and power

In Paul's letter to the Colossians:

"All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and understood God's grace in all its truth . . . And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have a great endurance and patience,"

Colossians 1: 16, 10-11



The Message:
Paul prays for the Colossians, and for Christians in general, to have Perception, Prosperity and Power. Perception to know God's will, general and specific, in/for our lives through the Word of God, the Bible. Read the Bible, everyone, and find out what God's plan is for you. Prosperity in our walk and work in Christ. In this coming year, we should all work hard and walk in the power of the Holy Spirit to tell others about Christ, for we are his ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:20), and live according to His will. Power for the believers in living and glorifying the Lord. Power to help us overcome the various challenges, spiritual or otherwise, we may face in the coming year.
Overall, Paul prays for Christians to endure all the challenges and enjoy the promises God has for everyone who believes in Him.
Endure and enjoy, 2008.

--As I was looking through my youth fellowships lessons and bible study notes we had, I noticed the only pastoral message I wrote down. I remember loving and liking this message. This was Pastor Oly's New Year's message. And knowing that I wasn't the best Christian out there, nor am I the best Christian I could be.
I remember promising myself that if I ever considered having a new year's resolution, this would be it. To be the best Christian I could be, in words, thoughts, actions, feelings.