Ombion: Red tag, red-scare, red-eyes

Ombion: Red tag, red-scare, red-eyes

I HEARD red lips, red shirts, red headbands and red flags are targets as well?

In Bacolod, the mass followers of Grupo Progreso of the incumbent mayor have red-shirts as their official political uniform. The same too with the campaigners of Senator Bong Go in the last elections.

Some business commercial establishments have red uniforms or with red badges for their employees and workers.

Ironically, the favorite of the bullies, the leftist organizations don't wear red shirts and often their flags and tarps are quite colorful, rainbow colors.

At any rate, these red people better prepare to answer their possible inclusion in the red-tagging scare nowadays, or change their color uniforms, maybe to yellow or blue.

The recent inclusion of celebrities in red-tagging menace is even more astonishing, funny, yet so dangerous as they become targets of military scare tactics.

Indeed, this sounds and looks funny, but this could make others run for their life.

What else and whatever, these are nothing new. These are, in fact, psychological propaganda labelling used over and again by the military psywar ops department against perceived enemies of the state.

Before, these psychological scare tactics were used against only the real reds, the armed movement, the legal democratic left movement and left figures.

Now, the targets of military red-tagging, and all sorts of scare tactics, are not only the organized left movement, but all citizens with legitimate grievances and criticisms against the ill policies and programs of the government.

Even lawmakers, democratically and legally elected by the citizens, who air opposition to some of the state's policies are now suspected of being leftist, or left sympathizers, even if many of them have been challenging the military to present solid evidence in court and not in social media.

The distinction between terrorist and critical thinkers, critics of government policies, and the leftists have now become vague.

These trends bring us to questioning the mindset and culture of the military.

Are they now the duly-authorized interpreter of the laws of the land, of the constitution, of what is right and wrong, of what is pro and against the state, of what is terrorism and not?

Are the real and legitimate issues of wage increase, fair benefits, right to speak, right to organize and peaceful assembly, land reform, women's rights, sovereignty, food security, environmental protection, militarization, food blockade, indiscriminate bombings, tortures, enforced disappearances, warrantless arrests, and many more, are just issues of the left, and not of the entire citizens who care for their families, children and their future?

Are these the kind of training given them in the Philippine Military Academy (PMA), and other specialized militarized schools?

Are they out to redo the Nazi holocaust or the Suharto mass killings and purgings just to be real men of uniforms?

Or are they terribly scared of so many people now challenging their hegemony and fascistic culture and practices that they have to resort to these excesses bordering paranoa?

Are they so dead scared to lose their power and benefits that they have to manufacture lies and mill them round the clock?

Well, they don't need to. They just have to see life , not from their pedestal and barrel of their guns but from the eyes of the people they vow to serve, the poor, deprived, oppressed, marginalized and vulnerable sectors. And I am sure it will make a difference.

They don't need to scare, maim and kill people they perceived to be challenging the state policies and programs, and especially the military's search and destroy culture.

In fairness, I have friends in the military and police who are so dedicated to their jobs and mission, yet they are so professional and very humane in their public life and service that they have been instruments of peace and development work, not division and destruction.

If I may advise, please stop the red tag, red scare, and what have they in their psychological arsenal. Just be real servant leaders and gentlemen, and you will endear yourselves among our people, and have their solid respect and support for your mission.

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