the circus has left town, finally
Now the circus has finally left town. Thank God! It’s time to take away all those election campaign paraphernalia, recycle them or throw them to the garbage bin. I hope the winning and losing candidates (if indeed they care for the city’s wellbeing as they said they were during the campaign) would help restore cleanliness to the city by taking away these eyesores.
I said I am glad it’s all over. Elections are always divisive (though I think this is necessary for we can only have order when we have gone through this necessary chaos). Some people in our barangays, even close friends and neighbors have not been in speaking terms ever since the campaign period began and it’s hurting the concord that once existed in our communities and families. As I often said in my masses if there is one value that we should have imbibed and developed in this democratic exercise, it should have been the value of respect, respect for each other’s opinions and choices. One may be green, the other may be yellow and still another orange, and we can debate for hours and a hundred times over on the merits of our candidates, and we may even steadfastly hold our ground after these debates, but we can still remain friends and good neighbors despite these differences. That, my dear friends, is respect. We can never grow towards a real appreciation of our democracy if cannot respect the stance and opinions of the other. The blessings of a free choice that made you choose a particular candidate is the same blessing which made the other choose his. You cannot indulge yourself in the blessings of democracy while depriving the other of his?! As I jokingly say that attitude is Grade I section Melon in Democracy 101! So come now, let us think highly of each other. We can convert the other to our way of thinking by reason and only through reason, but not through emotional blackmail, evil innuendos, backstabbing and threats. This election has shown us that we just don’t need extra PCOS machines to shorten the long queues. We also need to grow in our respect for one another especially for those who have a dissenting view and opinion.
Another unhealthy attitude which I have seen in this election is when people equate my choice with my love and gratitude to a candidate running for elections. I just heard it over the radio - a losing politician thanking those who love him and are grateful for what he did by voting for him. Now that’s not fair! If my father ran for elections I would not have voted for him (frankly), though there is no question that I love him and am grateful for what he did to us. I would still vote for the man who could run this country and who could best lead our city. Now why should that purpose be equated with my love for the person and my gratitude to him?! I can’t find any connection! But as it is that is the way most of us are. Some even go to the extent of putting popularity in the equation. But again that’s going against our purpose – to elect leaders, and it would not matter much if one is an artista or a “nobody” for as long as, in my own opinion, he or she can best lead us to our desired goal.
Another irritant during election is when we use the church or a pious devotion to push one’s candidate or agenda. I think, of all things, this is the most despicable meriting the deepest recesses of hell! Using the church and even the Blessed Mother for example to advance a candidate is just a no-no. One practically opens the floodgate of heresy just a little bit more subtle and sophisticated than the Spanish monarchs using the Spanish Inquisition for their political ends! So you bring Our Lady to endorse and even boost the campaign of a particular candidate. But what if the other candidate brings with him also Our Lady of Manaoag and the other still Our Lady of Fatima? What does that make of the Holy Mother of God!? (So Our Lady of All Nations is for Noynoy, Our Lady of Fatima is for Erap, and Our Lady of Manaoag is for Manny. Poor Eddie Villanueva he has “only” the Bible!)
Truly I admire you for your devotion but please leave the Blessed Mother (and also the church and the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass) out of it. I have always warned my superiors that they should be wary about these pious devotions and practices because people behind these may have various agenda which may be contrary to the stand (and even to the teachings) of the church. Be wary for as St. Augustine had said, “there are so many people who are near the church but are far from God and there are those who are far from the church but are so near to God.”
So finally the circus left town. I am both glad it has but I am also glad for the lessons this has taught us.
I would like again to thank our PPCRV Volunteers who manned the polls through poll watching and voter’s assistance. And may I add, thank you for patiently receiving (with all understanding and gentleness) all the anger and negative energies from people irritated with the long queues at the polling places. The people of our nation and this city owes you a word of gratitude . . . nay, even a warm applause!
I said I am glad it’s all over. Elections are always divisive (though I think this is necessary for we can only have order when we have gone through this necessary chaos). Some people in our barangays, even close friends and neighbors have not been in speaking terms ever since the campaign period began and it’s hurting the concord that once existed in our communities and families. As I often said in my masses if there is one value that we should have imbibed and developed in this democratic exercise, it should have been the value of respect, respect for each other’s opinions and choices. One may be green, the other may be yellow and still another orange, and we can debate for hours and a hundred times over on the merits of our candidates, and we may even steadfastly hold our ground after these debates, but we can still remain friends and good neighbors despite these differences. That, my dear friends, is respect. We can never grow towards a real appreciation of our democracy if cannot respect the stance and opinions of the other. The blessings of a free choice that made you choose a particular candidate is the same blessing which made the other choose his. You cannot indulge yourself in the blessings of democracy while depriving the other of his?! As I jokingly say that attitude is Grade I section Melon in Democracy 101! So come now, let us think highly of each other. We can convert the other to our way of thinking by reason and only through reason, but not through emotional blackmail, evil innuendos, backstabbing and threats. This election has shown us that we just don’t need extra PCOS machines to shorten the long queues. We also need to grow in our respect for one another especially for those who have a dissenting view and opinion.
Another unhealthy attitude which I have seen in this election is when people equate my choice with my love and gratitude to a candidate running for elections. I just heard it over the radio - a losing politician thanking those who love him and are grateful for what he did by voting for him. Now that’s not fair! If my father ran for elections I would not have voted for him (frankly), though there is no question that I love him and am grateful for what he did to us. I would still vote for the man who could run this country and who could best lead our city. Now why should that purpose be equated with my love for the person and my gratitude to him?! I can’t find any connection! But as it is that is the way most of us are. Some even go to the extent of putting popularity in the equation. But again that’s going against our purpose – to elect leaders, and it would not matter much if one is an artista or a “nobody” for as long as, in my own opinion, he or she can best lead us to our desired goal.
Another irritant during election is when we use the church or a pious devotion to push one’s candidate or agenda. I think, of all things, this is the most despicable meriting the deepest recesses of hell! Using the church and even the Blessed Mother for example to advance a candidate is just a no-no. One practically opens the floodgate of heresy just a little bit more subtle and sophisticated than the Spanish monarchs using the Spanish Inquisition for their political ends! So you bring Our Lady to endorse and even boost the campaign of a particular candidate. But what if the other candidate brings with him also Our Lady of Manaoag and the other still Our Lady of Fatima? What does that make of the Holy Mother of God!? (So Our Lady of All Nations is for Noynoy, Our Lady of Fatima is for Erap, and Our Lady of Manaoag is for Manny. Poor Eddie Villanueva he has “only” the Bible!)
Truly I admire you for your devotion but please leave the Blessed Mother (and also the church and the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass) out of it. I have always warned my superiors that they should be wary about these pious devotions and practices because people behind these may have various agenda which may be contrary to the stand (and even to the teachings) of the church. Be wary for as St. Augustine had said, “there are so many people who are near the church but are far from God and there are those who are far from the church but are so near to God.”
So finally the circus left town. I am both glad it has but I am also glad for the lessons this has taught us.
I would like again to thank our PPCRV Volunteers who manned the polls through poll watching and voter’s assistance. And may I add, thank you for patiently receiving (with all understanding and gentleness) all the anger and negative energies from people irritated with the long queues at the polling places. The people of our nation and this city owes you a word of gratitude . . . nay, even a warm applause!
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