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Tuesday, July 05, 2005
Extending hands amid politics
By Roy C. Gaane
From the U.S.
LOS ANGELES, California -- Our television set in the living room is open most of the day even though no one is watching. Usually it is tuned to a news channel or to a music channel.
While making coffee I glanced back at the TV set and saw that it was the inauguration of the new Mayor of Los Angeles, Antonio Villaraigosa, the first Latino of Mexican descent to be mayor of Los Angeles after more than a century.
Los Angeles is the second largest city in the country and the largest city in California, which is the richest state of America.
If California separates from the United States, it would be the 6th economic power of the world.
I could not care less watching the inauguration but what caught my attention was the presence of dignitaries. First, I saw in the front row a smiling James Hahn, the defeated mayor of Los Angeles.
The election between Hahn and Villaraigosa was bitterly fought, yet the defeated mayor was there to show support to the new mayor.
Then I wondered, was my friend Tony Soriano present when his opponent Mayor Vicente Emano was sworn in as mayor?
Was Antonio Calingin present when Oscar Moreno was sworn in as governor? Did Vicente Emano invite Tony Soriano to his inauguration? And did Moreno invite Calingin?
In Villaraigosa's inauguration present too were Arnold Schwarzenegger, Governor of California of the Republican party.
Some seats away was former California Governor Gray Davis of the Democratic Party. Schwarzenegger defeated Davis two years ago.
Republicans and Democrats were there shaking hands and talking to each other on the inauguration of a Democrat Mayor.
After the inauguration, everybody was hugging each other. That would be a miracle seeing Emano and Soriano, Moreno and Calingin hugging each other.
Recently, in many TV appearances are former President Bill Clinton, a Democrat, and another former President George Bush senior, a Republican.
The two also fought bitterly against each other for the Presidency of the United States. Today, the two are best friends going around the world side by side helping poor nations especially the tsunami victims.
If Fernando Poe, Jr. is alive would we see him side by side with Gloria Macapagal Arroyo? Or would we see GMA side by side with Panfilo Lacson?
Perhaps with the exception of our late statesman, Emmanuel Pelaez, we Filipinos once we run for office are enemies forever with our political opponent. When the election is over, we can never be friends.
Instead of working together after the election, we continue to fight. Even if the incumbent's program is good we always look for some harsh criticism and find ways to block the program.
The opponents are most of the time counterproductive. And we say it is the way of democracy. We cannot wait for our turn. It is no wonder that the Philippines is lagging behind its neighbors.
The Filipino-Americans in the U.S. are no exception. There are over 1,000 Filipino-American organizations in the United States.
It is that many because after the election of officers, the defeated ones bolt out of the organization and create another one. Everybody wants to be president.
As Maning Pelaez once said, "if you put 5 Filipino presidents in one room, 7 presidents will come out."
The hearts of the Kagayanons will be dancing with joy if they see Mayor Vicente Emano inviting Tony Soriano to an official event.
Oscar Moreno should do the same to Antonio Calingin. Soriano and Calingin should not refuse the invitation. Or they could start by consulting each other in a friendly manner.
If the entire country can be friendly with their political opponents including their critics, we will have a progressive and happy nation.
If our politicians in Cagayan de Oro can get together for any social event and set aside their political differences, then we can truly call our place the City of Golden Friendship.
(July 5, 2005 issue)
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