By: Ben Emata
After several decades of observing hundreds of rallies and/or demonstrations in our country, I still could hardly comprehend how are things go around among the people who are quick to come into groups in a very short notice. They come from nowhere, from within the cities, from the markets, from the hills or somewhere from the rainbows. There are no truckloads of people much less ships, trains or planes that could take them to one point to form a large crowd angrily shouting slogan and battle cry like “get out Americans”, “Ibagsak”, “to hell”, “Resign so and so”, everything under the sun, etc. etc.
When the government law enforcers kill the kidnapper/murderers, they come to the streets and shout “violation of human rights” and “murder”. When our soldiers kill the rebels, again they are grouped instantly and they denounce the killings but when our soldiers are killed by the dozens, they are quiet and nowhere to be found – – maybe laughing. Certainly, I am not saying this is unfair to our military but if it is not, then a better term should be in hand for such incident. I even suspect these same rally professionals were the same groups that caused the driving out of the American military bases in Subic and Clarkfields. Now China is threatening us on the matter of the disputed seas in the Spratleys and we start to miss the strength of America.
I am truly astonished beyond imagination how these rallyists could come out in so short a time to denounce or condemn things that are good for the general public at times. The APEC summit now in our country which could bring benefits for us had been subjected to negative rallies, condemnation or whatever. Some of these people just do not assess or evaluate the situation and blindly go into actions. This result to unfairness and plain ignorance if not stupidity.
It sometimes appear that our, country is governed by demonstrations as it listens to its demands or anything they could forcefully ask. Of course, I understand that rallies are allowed in our Constitution as a way to express ourselves or show our grievance against the system but sometimes it is irritating because of its frequency that result in excessive monotony. The worse things is some of the participants in the mass action destroy public property, plants and ornaments in public places and other things that make us sorry. Further, some of these rallies are organized not for public interest but for the purpose of putting up nothing but just disturbance. No positive result just negative undertaking.
As far as I can remember, there were no rallies in our country many years ago. This was unknown and unheard until the matter took place in America on the issue of racism which was tolerable and acceptable. Today, I could hardly hear of rallies in the continent and elsewhere in European states as well as in Canada and other places. It was quickly copied by our compatriots but the sad thing is we do it almost every week and without good reason. To many people, it is a nuisance. Mendiola Street near Malacanang has become the permanent site of actions. Sometimes I think there is business behind some of these rallies – – I mean some institutions or foreign interests spend for the purpose.
And because we look at them as an exercise of a freedom, we just leave them without even asking the groups their real intentions. It is detrimental to public safety, a nuisance and plain irritating. I urge the government to put up some kind of resistance and at least require the groups to explain their objectives and what good they can bring to the public before they grab a microphone and shout. Absolutely, freedom is beautiful if exercised well in accordance to law but if adulterated by dirty and bad motives, it becomes a non-sense action that must be prevented.
We don’t have to wake up someday to realize that some of those noises in the streets are prelude to catastrophe or devastation of our nation. That some of these supposed actions are designed to create confusion and divide the citizens that would eventually destroy our integrity and honor. These early, we should be alert and try to see through the hole of a needle what is behind around us. We should be aware that things have changed and some people far from us are out to disturb our sovereignty and honor by introducing things unknown to us. BEN EMATA Bennex News Service
