The uncertainty of tomorrow

NEVER before had we seen a law come to be so fast. Maybe we were not really looking, maybe we never really cared. Until the Cybercrime Protection Law that sought to gag us all.

Never before had we heard of a politician whose every reply and defense becomes more incredible by the day.

Then we see the list of candidates for senators for both administration and opposition and see the same.

Every election year we feel the same, and every year in between we can only gape in incredulity, like we are gaping now as President Benigno C. Aquino III refuses to back down on the Cybercrime Law despite the protests against it.

Every election year we realize how important our vote is, and every after elections we have to accept that lessons are hard to learn.

Thus the importance of a massive voter’s education campaign, where each and every topic that matters and not the promises that are easily given can be discussed with all candidness. But that may open us for more repression on our freedom of expression. After all, what the Cybercrime Law really reminds us is that when we oppose we should sugarcoat it as thick as we can because we have all the laws trained against those who dare stand up and shout. It’s sad but true, but as we’ve often been reminded, that’s because we allowed them to be. We voted for the popular, and never even asked them to stand up and give us a peek into their brains. We laughed at their jokes and we clapped as they danced. We allowed them to become our lawmakers and leaders because they can sing and dance.

Thus another election year is upon us and all that we can tell our people is to pray.

Pathetic, really pathetic, as pathetic as the leaders we have chosen. But rejoice, we have another chance. But only if we grab that chance and do something about what we have made our politics to be and what kind of politicians we have allowed to breed.

First they came for the communists, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a communist.

Then they came for the socialists, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a socialist.

Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a trade unionist.

Then they came for me, and there was no one left to speak for me.

Those were not the exact words of German Pastor Martin Niemoller; he’s a German, that’s why, and as Senator Tito Sotto would ask, “Marunong pala managalog si Kennedy ha!”

Provenance on how Niemoller said this passage remains questioned, but at least, it has been agreed on that indeed it was Niemoller who deliberated such thought. Bahala na, basta proper attribution.

For whoever they are coming from, I will speak up because by the time they will be coming for me, then I will have a whole army with me. That’s life.