Monday, July 26, 2004 Bangsoy: Ordinary citizen By Annabelle Bangsoy Proverbs 31
I AM inspired by the strength fueled by her humility from within. She is Rosa Parks, the African-American seamstress from Alabama, USA who in 1955 refused to surrender her seat to a white in a segregated bus. While her defiance sent her to jail, it ignited the black civil rights movement and catapulted Martin Luther King Jr., into the national spotlight. Her courage, her quiet strength sent giant ripples of liberty that fired up Blacks to fight discrimination in America and apartheid in Africa.
She was a middle-aged seamstress who dared defy what is wrong in her times with the quiet strength from her heart. For what was her voice against the mighty who have it all? Hers was a voice of humility like the one calling out in the dessert. Hers was a lifetime commitment to political and economic justice for Black Americans. But as noted by Douglas Brinkley in his historical book Rosa Parks, "everybody wanted to shake Rosa Park's hand but nobody wanted to delve into her lifetime commitment." But I guess justice will always have its day. In 1990, anti-apartheid leader Nelson Mandela was released after being imprisoned for 27 years. His release, as noted by Brinkley is the pinnacle of Park's elder years.
In Baguio, as in 1955 Alabama, people complain and curse the darkness. Ordinary citizens in hushed tones whine about corruption that seems to grow everywhere. Anomalies abound from simple paper trails to big ones like biddings. A closer look at the city market shows some power wielding, horseshoe ringed honchos are pocketing unremitted kwarta-is. Even the city market's comfort rooms have been turned into a lucrative sewer business. Inside sources at the city market allege that P3,000 are collected daily from the CRs. None of these however, the sources say seem to reach the city's treasury.
The market sources also reported that illegal gambling is freely conducted in two stalls near the fish section under the watchful eyes of the market police head and another market honcho. Sources say some of the market policemen drop by the gambling stalls. For what? To collect their protection money? Sirs, are you dipping your hands here? Ay inayan pay sa.
Since corruption at its very core is evil, it cheapens people. "Apay gamin nga pakialaman yo pay laeng dagita babasit nga pagsugalan, bay-an yon," (Don't touch small-time gambling. Why intrude on them?), a pro-casino city councilor shamelessly told city investigators. This councilor was referring to the illegal bingo games conducted at the Rabbit Sinkhole along Magsaysay Avenue.
At its best, to fight for what is true, what is right, what is noble, what is pure seem to be frustrating. But as Rosa Parks, Nelson Mandela or even David of old has shown, it can be done. Ordinary citizens can pierce the darkness. Buzz Light year of Toy Story says it better: evil never wins.
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