The youth reacts to PD 1017

Since two cents in Philippine currency is really of no value to anyone as would this post be to most, I pump the cost of what I have to say up to five.

If you have yesterday's copy of the Philippine Daily Inquirer with you, please refer to page C1 of the Lifestyle section. It has insights of the youth on the topic: What do you think of Proclamation No. 1017? (as also published in the INQ7.net website)

Of all the opinions, this one had hit a nerve, making my blood pressure shoot up to the roof:

“The powers appropriated to the President after declaring a state of emergency are being used to violate our human rights and the rights enshrined in our Constitution. Conducting warrantless arrests, suppressing the freedom of the press and silencing the voices of those in protest—these should be stopped. Suddenly, I feel like I’m no longer in the Philippines, but in communist China. Where has our democracy gone?” –Eon, 21

Everyone has the right to an opinion. For it to be valid, though, one must consider the details. Be careful to choose and sift though much of the rubbish to retain only the solid facts in their purest form. Like the laws governing responsible journalism, what you say or voice out should never be unfounded to be credible. They must not be merely based on one person or group's opinion to be unbiased.

If it's a journal that you are trying to keep and that your sentiments are read only by your closest peers who share the same half-truth based grievances as you then fire away. But, for the love of God, do not publish your opinion (or in this case, get it published) as it might serve as some mantra to unsuspecting readers who are just as, if not more, lost as you are. It is highly normal for people to get what seems to be a general sentiment for them to react to. Do bear in mind that should we face a game of quick-draw on sentiments and opinions with those who know what they stand for, they could readily take us for a spin and leave us dumbfounded and more confused than when we first decided which side to take if we are not as solidly, if not more, grounded as they are with theirs.

When you hear people telling you that Proclamation 1017 takes away your basic rights, ask of a textual basis for the claim. Do not just shout, "hell, yeah! No one has the right to take away my freedom!"

I know that it feels great to be out on the streets, appearing to be empowered by being with a group that appears to know the grounds of what they are fighting for. "Patalsikin! Patalsikin! Tuta ng Kano!" Yeah, those were the days and they sure were fun for us students back then. We had fought for a just cause. They were going to take away our school and we could not just let them (for the record, the UP Campus I'm referring to still stands to this day and has several buildings already renovated to educate the future leaders of this country).

No one has taken your rights, Eon. The power and privilege given to the president to declare a State of National Emergency, granted that the appropriate situation calls for it, does not in any way override the basic rights and freedom given to us by the Constitution.

To refute your allegations one by one:

1. Refer to my previous post as I have already eplained the basis for warrantless arrests. Do nothing wrong and subversive and no one will pick you up from the streets.
2. Supressing the freedom of the press. *tsk, tsk* Oh boy. Let me ask you one thing: How on earth could your frickin' statement be published in a national daily if this right has already been taken away? What press has been boarded up and shut down? The freedom of expression is still very much alive as you spoke your mind!
3. Silencing the voices of those in protest. Man, you may not have been in Ayala last Friday. I was. Not because I'm an activist. My building is unfortunately perched along-side that strip where the rallies are ordinarily held. You see, Proclamation 1017 was declared in the morning and those people in Ayala had their voices amped so hard, shouting and protesting, that even the deaf could miraculously hear! The protest rally happened in the afternoon, hours after the proclamation!

Now don't give me shit about your rights being violated! You are only 21 years old while I, we, had been paying the correct amount of taxes for nearly a decade now! I was there at the first EDSA while you were just learning to walk!

Just how hard would it hurt if we make it a habit to listen to what the other party had to say, for a change? Is the probable realization that the people we so despise are in fact correct so ego shattering that we readily dismiss the idea of ever hearing them out? Would a change of heart be that shameful?

Hear out what the President and the people over at Malacañang have to say about the matter. If we tend to be one-sided all the time, only selectively choosing to hear what we only want to hear, then we have just lost the battle for truth. Though it is the nature of most to be resistant to change and be negative towards anything that has something to do with the government and the current administration, we have to admit to ourselves that these politicians are in power because a majority of us voted for them. Now, if we could have an ounce of belief in the polling system, respecting it's outcome whether or not the results came out in our favor is the least we can do to put some sanity in the current political climate of our country.

This I'm very much sure of: the united opposition is keeping a watchful eye on the current political situation as do the press. Hell, the Makati Business Club has even broken their silence regarding the situation after being quiet and passive for so long. Point is, reactions and economic stabilization pursuits are front line as the guards for the country's interests.

The PDI article on the collective voice of the youth just goes to show how frighteningly unfounded most of what the young find to be true are.

posted by Fritz @ 12:40 AM