С новым годом!

С новым годом!

(Happy New Year!)

Well, to all the readers of this site, cheers and may your wishes be granted and missions be acomplished this 2014. There are same problems to engage upon, but does not mean that everybody had to admit that these same old problems are hopeless to acomplish with; this 2014, hopeful that there's enough time to finish what is left unfinished.

But for now, cheers and celebrate the coming of a new year. 

С новым годом! Happy new year everyone!

Again, Veneration without Understanding.

Again, Veneration without Understanding

(Or all after seeing the same expressions during Rizal day)

It was months ago when this writer had made a writeup regarding Jose Rizal both as a hero and a victim, followed by another writeup urging everyone to become like those fo Simoun and Mando Plaridel to uprise the Filipino spirit and not to get contented in its hamlet-like slumber. Today's writeup tackles about that time and again people whom venerating certain individual like Jose Rizal had rather reducing his sugnificance as a person into a mere icon largely found into books or labels of commercialized goods.

That somehow for this writer would recall what the late Constantino hath said: "Veneration without Understanding."

And because of what other people, such as this writer had sought time and again regarding the celebration and the man whom they afford to venerate, then it makes one question that is it easy to describe today's events regarding heroes as all but veneration without understanding? People may had afford to praise someone who had achieved their aspiration, of Rizal who had made his works Noli me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, of Bonifacio with his Amor Patria, and others whose works and deeds had contributed to the emancipation of the Filipino as a nation. But are these people greatly understood what made them compel to write, struggle, fight for the sake of freedom and independence? Or just treating them as aesthetic figures instead? A hero for the sake of having a hero? A national symbol for the sake of having a national symbol? 

Constantino, in his work "Veneration without Understanding", had assessed, criticized regarding how the state and its people had reduced Rizal, a man whose reformist views back then as progressive into a mere person whose ideas are used frequently by the state to justify status quo, using his opposition to armed revolt and favoring piecemeal reforms as its justification of the idea the state had insisted. 

Personally, this writer would say that is is quite lamenting though that as people had celebrated Rizal's death, had chose to distort it like one person saying "Happy Rizal day" and mistaken his demise for his birthday! Some even afford to make an image bereft of significance save for his name and his title as "national hero", another had afford to read Noli me Tangere and El Filibusterismo not knowing that the ending had remained a cliffanger and its up to the that person to continue the story that is left unfinished for generations.  Amado V. Hernandez may had afford to write another chapters serving as a continuation of Rizal's novels, paving way from the idealistic Crisostomo Ibarra, to the passionate Simoun, and eventually to Mando Plaridel and others whose call for social emancipation is about education and agitation. Yes, having the masses educate as to organize and mobilize against a rotten state, the system ruling, and its heirlings trying to disrupt the growing revolt of the mass!

But despite all the means to understand deeper the significance of his works and as a person behind the unfinished struggle, people rather chose to content in the existing interpretation of Rizal as a just peaceful person preferring reforms alone, that the Revolution had been finished decades before, and even compared to Gandhi and today's Nelson Mandela. But again, no! He, as well as others in the Propaganda movement and La Liga Filipina had wanted emancipation of the Filipino nation, but few amongst them wanted a radical change that mirrors those of the Indpendence-yearning creoles and of the repressed and disenfrancised Indios whom afford to take arms and stage revolt against forced labor and tribute for generations. The decadence of most ilustrados, as evidenced by prefering the frivolities of life had studnted those aspirations, and even criticized by those who had seriously adhere to the so-called "Megali Idea" of the Filipino nation. 

Yes, and that includes the idea of taking up the revolver, playing fencing, arnis, judo, anything what Rizal would say "Self Defence" to one's self and others; and since people had afford to compare him to Gandhi and Mandela simply because they are doing just peaceful means according to media, then how come Gandhi used civil disobedience such as marching towards the sea along with his followers for salt? Of countering British cloth with homespun cotton? How come Mandela had justified armed struggle and sung alongside others swearing to punish the ruling AmaBhulu? Rizal may had spoke about reforms as means prior to independence the people awaited for, but does not mean he had to get contented to those ideas that made other people reinterpret as peaceful means; that the idea of self defence and education for Filipinos has another meaning such as preparing for battle against the colonist oppressor- especially that his brother himself, once a student of Padre Burgos, a radical same as Jose himself, became one of the early Katipuneros, a general under the Katipunan army, who had afford to make the residence at Calamba his headquarters during the war of resistance, and giving up fighting the Americans but not surrendering. 

Constantino had stated that despite Rizal's opposition to armed struggle, of trying to differentiate freedom and independence, the common man who had yearned and fight for still recognize him in providing an inspiration to advance their common interest:

"Yet the people revered him because, though he was not with them, he died for certain principles which they believed in. He was their martyr; they recognized his labors although they knew that he was already behind them in their forward march."

But on the other hand, usual Ilustrado mentalities Rizal also possessed, despite having abit sympathies in the call for national consciousness rather disregarded much of the common man who was and is greatly affected by the hardship ever imposed by the system. Civilization may had meant studying Spanish that some people may ought to understand in order to survive; yet attempts to mass educate had been opposed much by the friars so as to keep them ignorant and depending on their distorted version of their catechism emphasising the damnation of hell than redemption in heaven, worse, the slander and hypocrisy that made the repressed race the willingness to sever ties and revive the long lost forgotten spirit deeply embedded in tradition, especially those of its language and culture; again, to quote Constantino, as he said:

"He condemned the Revolution because as an ilustrado he instinctively underestimated the power and the talents of the people. He believed in freedom not so much as a national right but as something to be deserved, like a medal for good behavior. Moreover, he did not equate liberty with independence. Since his idea of liberty was essentially the demand for those rights which the elite needed in order to prosper economically. Rizal did not consider political independence as a prerequisite to freedom. Fearful of the violence of people's action, he did not want us to fight for our independence. Rather, he wanted us to wait for the time when Spain, acting in her own best interests, would abandon us."

In other words, he abhor revolution for being an Ilustrado whose idea meant reforms and so-called "peaceful" stuff; but the works like Noli me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, and the realities that made Rizal himself compel to write the two great books somehow provide inspiration that made the repressed willing to resist, hence he had toyed the idea he had abhor, and with his death the antiquated order under Spain, despite its attempts to silence those who oppose had felt further its pain from its angry subjects. 

So is today, substituting the Ilustrado of the past for the so-called middle class petitbourgeois whom choosing to remain apathetic, if not failing to understand anything around its own society. They had venerated heroes, turning them into mere icons and had insist everyone to emulate, but they had failed to give importance of understanding why they had to made things happen-especially that they abhor the call of the people, their radicalism and the willingness to change the rotting society in favor of contenting in their self gratification, in which the status quo had still enjoyed today.

"The elite had a sub-conscious disrespect for the ability of the people to articulate their own demands and to move on their own. They felt that education gave them the right to speak for the people. They proposed an elitist form of leadership, all the while believing that what the elite leadership decided was what the people would and should follow. They failed to realize that at critical moments of history the people decide on their own, what they want and what they want to do. Today, the ilustrados are shocked by the spate of rallies and demonstrations. They cannot seem to accept the fact that peasants and workers and the youth have moved without waiting for their word. They are not accustomed to the people moving on their own."

As a writer, would say that Rizal, Bonifacio, Del Pilar,  and others had spend their lives looking at realities and making soulutions out of it. Like Marx, they had to interpret the society, yet the point is how to change it. Rizal may had wanted gradualist means, so was Del Pilar who had also advocated the use of direct action the way Bonifacio had done; meanwhile, people whom used to quote Rizal and other heroes to justify their bullshit rather unveiled being desperate currying favor with the people. How come?

The military, in commemorating Rizal's death, had afford to say that his so-called "peaceful" means served as a basis for a military operation that, beneath the rhetoric of winning people's hearts and minds lies arrests, deaths, disappearances of innocents, if not those who had afford to oppose the status quo. The issue on land, just like during the Spanish, American and pre-Martial Law years, despite various reforms and programs made by the "concerned elite" had failed to appease the angry peasants whom wanting to vent rage yet restrained by the parameters of order. The issue on Hacienda Luisita and its administrators' failure to redistribute land under the law as one example. 

Worse, according to latest Karapatan Monitor report on the state of human Rights Under the presidency of President Aquino, there are already 142 extrajudicial killings and 164 frustrated extrajudicial killings, 76 cases of torture, and 293 illegal arrests and detentions. Most of the victims of extrajudicial killings are indigenous people (27) and peasants (80). Jose Rizal did not die to glorify fascism and extrajudicial killings! He didn't sacrifice his life all just to see landlords and corrupt bureaucrats hinder the march of struggle, that despite its so-called independence people still know that the revolution had left unfinished! 

And still these people on high had afford to take pride "carrying Rizal's legacy?" How desperate and perhaps, hypocritical then! The way they are using Nationalism paid by blood and sinew of the laborers and of the disenfranchised, as a mere fashion statement unjustly presented to the so-called modern world, distorted and bereft of significant legacy, while at the same time trying to emulate America including those that are incompatible with Filipino culture; the modern day bullshit had reduced the aspirations into figments of imagination, and having their so-called heroes like Rizal, Bonifacio, and other heroes into mere figures found in labels being sold! Veneration without understanding indeed! Yet they not knowing they're trampling the man whose testament was not to be buried in grandiose but simple, of keeping his ideas alive by educating and seeking truth from facts, of building a country where there neither exploiter nor exploited, equal in the eyes of god as what he said in his works. 

"In his time, the reformist Rizal was undoubtedly a progressive force. In many areas of our life today, his ideas could still be a force for salutary change. Yet the nature of the Rizal cult is such that he is being transformed into an authority to sanction the status quo by a confluence of blind adoration and widespread ignorance of his most telling ideas."

Will the people accept this kind of truth? Venerating, praising, without understanding? Perhaps, as time goes by, in celebrating events that mold the Philippines as a nation, those who had afford to create a cult out of someone is the same who had failed to heed his will and testament. Most may had afford to be like Crisostomo Ibarra, Basilio, and Isagani, but again they had become Señor Pasta, Tandang Basio Macunat, Quiroga, Padre Damaso, and all other corrupt personages that made Simoun the jeweller having the will to destroy them with the lamp that to him meant freedom. That also continued under Mando Plaridel and others whose passion for change includes taking both the book to support the gun.

Right was Professor Gerry Lanuza to say that In honor our own Jose Rizal (and others), let’s listen to the Cuban Jose Martí: 

“We are free, but not to be evil, not to be indifferent to human suffering, not to profit from the people, from the work created and sustained through their spirit of political association, while refusing to contribute to the political state that we profit from. We must say no once more. Man is not free to watch impassively the enslavement and dishonor of men, nor their struggles for liberty and honor.” 

And for that both Joses died. One had to become a sacrificial lamb to the altar of the revolution, the other died in the battlefield fighting to gain its homeland independence. 

Today, if one had afford to understand the words and deeds of Jose Rizal, as well as others whom had contributed to the creation of the Filipino society, then that person has the duty to continue writing the pages, of becoming Simouns, Tasios, and Mando Plaridels guiding the Taleses and Salomes of today, creating a new chapter of the Revolution being left unfinished. 

"All after reading a pride-filled (yet near hopeless) quote"

"All after reading a pride-filled

 (yet near hopeless) quote"

(Or again, criticizing those who dare the impossible with their nonsense;

Of joining the bandwagon withoutnunderstanding,

And revisiting an aspiration-filled, unshackled past)

Supposedly, this writeup tackles about Burmese Society under the Military Junta, especially its culture and other stuff this writer usually takes interest in it; however, due to a certain writeup that tackles much about their idea, obviously serving as an ideological guide for their ruling, it somehow all reminds of someone whom trying to justify yet failed to expand his reason regarding the idea he had stated.

Revisiting the quotes (and his utopia)

It was years ago when this writer had dealt with someone who tried much to insist his thinking yet failed to expand what he tends to think of. That person may had read the works of Marx, Mao, Hitler, even those of Ayn Rand and the trying hard Centrists trying to balance social justice and free enterprise; and yet despite reading and analyzing such works, rather failed to understand and instead resort to a hodge-podge of ideas diluted from the works he had read and more of his, and his group's invocations:

"The Future belongs to dare the Impossible..."

"The Filipino spirit is waterproof..."

"Ideas make the Idealist real..."

And others that this writer chose not to write it over. Most of the quotes this writer had sought and read are quite idealistic for a reader, idealistic in a sense that they wanted to take pride in their race, that they had wanted change, development, and advancement both for themselves and their respective communities; and yet most are too utopian, rather than realistic on what they ought to convey much.

That somehow made this writer wrote earlier writeups regarding their childish yet soldier-like fantasies, featuring their neoclassical glories trying to convey alongside pseudo-modern prowess that in a real world different from what a common man had wanted.


"Impossible...waterproof..."

As this writer continue recalling those pride-filled brouhahas, seems that they had treated what they had read as if a holy book to be venerated, ideas to be memorized and less to be understood. The quotes shown as an example would say that one tries to create its own maxim of thought by borrowing those from Marx and Rand, Hitler and Mussolini, creating a word salad that tries to invoke his own thought that is, confusing.

Admittingly speaking, the third quotation stated above seemed to be an unforgettable for this writer since that person had said it much during a discussion. That self-proclaimed idealist tries much to justify idealism over scientific thought, or let's just say the reality in handling matters such as in building a modern society.

However, if Ideas makes the Idealist real, then where did that person took those so-called ideas? From imagination? From its own barren mindset? It's all but strange that people like that person afford to oppose how visible things around constitutes ideas and putting it into action, that one has to analyze how things happen and had it examined further such as through experimentation. The quest for immortality nor transforming things into gold isn't just through spellbooks and stuff, but requires things that should be taken, or sorry to say so; it has to depend on a matter, on the reality in seeking consciousness prior to making certain changes.

Just like one quote made by the Burmese Revolutionary Council. As it says:

"the flux of his mind depends on his aggregate of matter; his mind cannot exist without this aggregate of matter on which it must continually depend;
while the mind, dependent as it is on matter, is not a material principle, having no stuff or substance, is nevertheless a living reality; mind is the state of consciousness as a whole;
mind which is sentient and matter which is not are two different principles of nature and they meet in man in a continuing state of flux."

Thus, contrary to what the kid whom trying to profess himself as an idealist, then he had forgotten that the ideas that made himself real had to depend on the matter his senses had brought and make what comes from his mind; in a way prehistoric man, after seeing thunder struck into a tree that brought fire, had to seek other means to create something that can brought heat for his body such as making friction out of wood or stone.
So is in seeing the metamporphosis of any other creature, such as a butterfly, or a hatching of a bird from its egg; that somehow made people who had sought repressive policies, and yearning for changes, giving an idea for a national regneration, a national metamorphosis.

On the other hand, in reading the quote "The future belongs to dare the impossible", it may sound easier for an individual to make an impossible one possible for that person alone; that individuals whom became millionaires had spent time working and saving according to their official biographies, but obviously, these people had to win acquaintances closer, if not friends in order to win that so-called impossible! Such distortion of the said quote, bannered by daydreaming individuals spending time playing games and picking fantasies guised as ideas is all but a mockery of those whom aspiring for an advancement, such as putting an end to a centuries-old repression; knowing that as for this writer, daring the impossible has to deal with reality rather than a roly-poly of fantasies possibly doom to fail. People had to protest calling for wage increases and lowering down of cost of commodities despite its impossibility simply because contenting on low wages and seeing increasing prices, all despite saving and austerity measures, isn't enough to lessen the problem! The Bolshevik's "Peace, Land and Bread" had dealt much with the sufferings coming from the soldiers, peasants, and workers desiring those that are deemed impossible the way "Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity" being tried in the French during the Revolution; yes, those are deemed impossible yet different from those who wanted rocketships, supersonic jets, pseudo-classical, if not modern edifices a la Burma or Nazi Germany yet aloof in dealing real domestic issues in a third world country such as unemployment, hunger, and poverty; or let's just say they are too "utopian" to vent something other than appealing to the people.
So are those who had dreamed and said much of self reliance, of dreaming an industrialized, self sufficient society; and yet consistently bannering the need for foreign capital is even a mockery of daring the impossible and the idea they ought to convey much; and they afford to oppose those of Hitler and Stalin, they praised those who are socially conservative yet using their conservatism to justify their neoliberal nonsense. Pinochet and Thatcher everyone? Like the former two, the latter had bannered patriotism, progress, and stability yet being undermined as they become asswipes of international capital.

So was describing the raped spirit of the Filipino as "waterpoof." Sorry to those who may ought to offend, but since institutions and concerned individuals take pride in having the Filipino race can withstand the rain and heat, is that enough? Corrupt officials and certain private personages had squander people's money for their personal benefit while afford to brag a race that can withstand the wind, heat and storm?
Yes,the Filipino's spirit can withstand for a moment of time, but does not mean they should remain themselves as victims waiting for aid and forcing to content on the so-called "benevolence" of corrupt officials and pseudo-idealistic personages and groups. The incident made by typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng last 2009 had been used as a pre-election nonsense by politicians responding the emotions of the victims in pursuit of seeking votes; while those at Tacloban, ravaged by Yolanda, desperate for food, had resorted to attacking malls and groceries searching not just food but things to expropriate- or what the media said much: Looting.

Right was Ninotchka Rosca to criticize the media's bastardization of the Filipino as a resilient being, whose spirit as waterproof, yet not knowing that the Filipino, with all the events happened, also able to transform from its tragedy than letting themselves content in the nonsense what its own system enjoyed in it. As according to her writeup being shown at Yahoo:

"Across oceans and throughout the five continents of this Earth, we carry the tales of our old heroes and muses, our elementals, who confront, in each re-telling, tests of strength and spirit.

Some break, like Mariang Makiling who hides in a thousand-year hibernation; others metamorphose, like Bernardo Carpio who becomes a pillar of stone stopping cliffs from caving in on his village.

We may not remember their old names – names being the first to be erased under colonialism – but we remember how they were and how we are supposed to be: metamorphic.

What have we become after Yolanda?
These two legends represent the twin possibilities for the Filipinos’ metamorphosis. Both are inexplicable outside of the local paradigm. Just as what we’re watching now in the aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan/Yolanda seems inexplicable.

Who can fathom what drives a woman to open body bags of putrefying corpses in search of a husband, a son, a daughter? At the end of a gaze that has lingered over a hundred dead faces, what is she now?

Who can measure the rage of the peaceable man breaking through the walls of groceries, warehouses, shopping malls? And having pierced both law and walls of Authority, what is he now?"

Sorry to say, but to sum it all, the system had exploited, raped the Filipino as a resilient being, not knowinh that they are susceptible to change, that the peaceful dwellers of Tacloban becomes a raging mob expropriating things in pursuit of survival. Yes, the Filipino can withstand the rain and heat, but as time goes by, it has to react and give way to certain changes in its own community, knowing that should he or she had content with the flood, earthquake, and landslide? There are more ideas people had offered such as those of preparedness, yet the system quite aloof at those while spending its budget on relief efforts, leaving the rehabilitation efforts on the hands of big private enterprise that rather negates its objectives in favor of commercialization.

Anyways, good to hear the efforts, seeing how these people trying to survive, that every media outlet had afford to take pride in a community whom resorted to things inimical to the law and established norms; but does it mean one should get contented in their long term repression? afterwards despite band aid relief and rehabilitation? Without even developing and making long term changes? Well, the quote earlier had stated that "mind depends on the matter", then therefore that matter should be susceptible to change- so should be the individual, the community, the nation has to adapt, adjust, make measures in pursuit of preserving and advancement of its own kind. The Filipino spirit may somehow remained strong but if incapable of advancement it will remain forever stunted as it was in the past.

Looking at the aspirations of a continuing past,
Trying to revive the lost Asian spirit

Well, it takes days for this writer to write about this, thinking and recalling prior to assessing what he had read those times. In fact, in reading those quotes bannered by that so-called thinker, he seemed confused the way he is young yet trying to understand what he had read; or perhaps he simply read, munching words, and voila! An idea trying to pass as his own, in parallel with Marx, Mussolini, Rand, pr any other thinker whom trying to justify revolution, social change, or preserving order.

Or let's just say, he as a person of the third world trying to be inspired both by those works and his usual interest of videogames and worldly stuff; that somehow made himself create a hodge podge of thoughts yet failed to expand nor understand. Yes, it is quite difficult for this writer to think of what he conveys as a thinker, especially that he insist much Idealism over Reality as the driving force of mankind to steer certain changes, or let's just say trying to imitate like Marx's and Engels's views on 19th centry developments in Europe and America, mostly at the expense of the laboring class made to create an antithesis to the prevailing order given by their ruling systems- England with its profit-oriented gentries, Germany with its traditionalist-minded Junkers, and the like that represses the dispossessed majority in pursuit of development.
That somehow being studied further by its successors like Lenin, Luxembourg, Stalin, Mao, Hoxha, and others whom still seeing the present order tries to unleash its age old repression. People had time and again depend on the reality, not just what being taught in their respective institutions and mere thinking as the basis of their revolutionary motives; Journalists like Ulrike Meinhof had sought the repression made the remains of the old ruling class in Germany that made her compel to join with armed individuals like Andreas Baader, took arms and created a series of actions that would say inflict pain on the order that represses its own subjects. "Eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth" as the old saying goes.

Personally, right was the idea made by the Burmese Revolutionary Council decades ago, in which this writer had supposed to write about and yet instead quoting some passages in today's writeup of his.  But in the other hand, the idea itself seems to primarily made to justify their control than to uplift and modernise the Burmese spirit; knowing that they had failed to uplift the Burmese people regardless of their effort yet underestimates the power of their citizens. Southeast Asia back then tends to create new set of ideas rooted from realities not just age old thought, that one has to use Marx and Buddha to create something that back then as Revolutionary. Even Sœkarno had to expand Pancasila with his NaSaKom (Nationalism, God, Communism) in a view that Indonesia as a working class state also rooted in spirituality and national consciousness enshrined in the Pancasila; with emphasis on social justice and independence in which the west had to oppose for the sake of protecting their interests.
But, as for the Burmese attempt, its leader Ne Win and his successors rather used a hodge podge of left-wing, Buddhist, and Nationalist rhetoric to consolidate their existence rather than those of the nation; that despite parroting words like freedom and justice they afford to take dissidents into prison such as Aung San Suu Kyi and Tin Oo; that they carried some "socialist experiments" yet failed due to mismanagement amongst officials whom supposedly undertake their obligations as "socialists"; as compared to the Singaporean model, originally concieved as Socialist, has to maintain first existing but good ones and create new foundations to support those are existing; especially that Singapore, in its earlier days had to survive as a young nation. Lee Kwan Yew back then was as same as the young Mandela's while Ne Win as Mugabe's, all knowing that the South East Asian example back then was also a part of a greater struggle in the third world, thus having intersections with those from Africa and Latin America.

That obviously, as radically different from those of today. People nowadays may describe that the earlier examples made by Sœkarno, the aspirations invoked by Recto and Pridi, would resort to failure simply because it is "utopian" compared to the so-called pragmatic efforts of Sœharto, Sarit Thanarat, even Lee kwan Yew, and others whom depending on foreign aid as part of National development. But, to think that if the aspirations of Pridi and Recto are "Utopian" in today's standards, then how come unemployment continues to rise so was the peasant issue of not having their land be redistributed from the landlords? For Recto, the need for Industrialization was and is based on seeing the Philippines wholly dependent on Foreign imports that killed small and medium scale enterprises; that until today, despite having assembly line facilities and import-export processing zones failed to consider the Philippines as industrialized, or let's just say there are no efforts to create a steel nail or Steel grider for those from Taiwan or mainland China are cheaper; the present day aspirations and programs presented by Thaksin Shinawatra during his Prime Ministership, prior to being accused of corruption and ouster years ago, are no match to the aspirations and programs presented by Pridi Banomyong that were deemed Socialist in the eyes of the Consevative-minded nobility (especially with their refusal on agrarian reform and nationalization) , of course, he had been resigned and replaced by rivals trying to make Thailand dependent on foreign assistance and under the power of both nobles and the military. And Singapore during the early days of Lee Kwan Yew had to focus on domestic-based National Development despite its limitations, and obviously they have the manpower both brain and brawn to develop first as theirs in preparation for opening to foreign investment during the latter decades of his rule.

This writer may somehow felt convincing way back then that devloping countries had hope thanks to those who had kept the spirit of patriotism alive and maing it a guide in a revolutionary way; and knowing that these people had to depend on existing tools, on the masses themselves in spearheading certain changes needed for a growing and developing society, different from mere number of structures being built, whose main purpose is to brag than to improve living standards the third world needs to focus with.
The Burmese experience, so was those of other countries had insist much that theirs as coming prosperous yet in actual failed to achieve. And contrary to their Marx-and-Bhudda laced philosophy of basing from realities, they rather emphasise much their ambitious idealism; yes, that idealism that isn't even realistic after all (like the one who afford to say that his ideas make him real) as it thoroughly looks in its past. The failure to rehabilitate cyclone-striken areas, of bringing justice to the minorities, while emphasising thoroughly the bravado of the armed forces like the era of Bayinnaung are examples of the unseriousness of the Burmese rulers in "filling its citizens stomachs" that made its citizens listen to what they described as a "sky-full of lies."

So was Cambodia during the era of Pol Pot. The idealism of the Khmer Rouge, despite presenting itself as "Communist", had end rather distorted despite trying to create a revolutionary order. Marx once said of a "Barracks-type communism" espoused by the nihilist Nechayev. The crude implementation of the idea itself brought failure despite building and improving new and existing infrastructure over Cambodia, not mentioning that they (the Khmer Rouge) been taking pride in skipping a transition, substituting vulgar idealism for a degree of common sense such as having intellectuals and city dwellers serve the Revolution the way what Red China and Juche Korea did in its era of reconstruction and rehabilitation.
Personally, this writer sought how Cambodia during Pol Pot as a hodge podge of ideas tried yet failed to realize as a self-proclaimed "Communist society" as evidenced by its atrocities against intellectuals and its trying hard grasp of Marxism-Leninism; but Cambodia's model of a "Communist society", are rather contrary to what they learned from Marx, Lenin, or even Mao, instead all but inspired by the ancient Angkor Empire that brought Angkor Wat and given a socialist garb by imitating those from China during the Cultural Revolution, tried much to present itself as a utopia where a rice planter, or a group of rice planters owns the country itself. It is quite amazing though to see the efforts in restructuring the society, of making a self reliant one deeply based on agriculture and artisan way of industry- trying to stress the value of the people, rather than machines espoused by Capitalism as the makers of history. 

And like Burma, as well as other Indo-Chinese inspired countries would say that one has to create an idea that appeals much to the people, no matter how bastardised the idea is such as using socialism or communism or any kind of idea simply just to create a different Cambodia greater than the Angkor and its succeeding periods. While Burma of Ne Win had somehow tried to use Socialist rhetoric and making it compatible with buddhism; Pol Pot had rather imitate much of Chinese model, putting some "patriotism" like the ancient Angkor empire, and create a bastardised, vulgar version of a foreign model, that again despite its effort to revive his nation from being destroyed during the war against Lon Nol had rather failed due to its overzealous adherents (and its antiintellectualism) and skipping the long transition period (as according to the late Chou Enlai), as if they can reach Communism. Yes, Right was Marx about the danger he had sought on how people had insist their utopia rather than looking at reality as basis of their 

Anyways, these countries this writer had took examples of were again, trying to convey that the Southeast asia of the past, mostly freed from colonialism if not domestic oppression tries to create their path for social development. Ideally would say that it seemed good to see any country, stressing its own independence, tries to uplift and revive its own National spirit; that somehow made others had afford to create ideas, let's just say vulgar ones concocted from their mindsets and books, if not too inspired by computer games or any other kind of daydream as the basis of their so-called "Aspiration",  "Utopia", or any other pseudo-modern dream with people capable of facing the impossible in a snap; or even joining the bandwagon showcasing one's spirit as just enduring by the ruling order yet failed to meet the demand of change from its own subjects. 

But on the other hand, in revisiting such aspirations of the past, most of which were based on then existing realities, perhaps one has to make a new type of it, trying to revive a long lost forgotten spirit in a fast changing world. 

That's all for now,

Thank you

To Kalashnikov

To Mikhail Kalashnikov

When you were young, you wanted to become a poet

You had made poetry during your youth

Yet you went in a path that is different

You were born poor, when Rodina Mat was young

Trying to resist the hordes of the old order

Eventually becoming stronger

Of blood soaked fields, corpses becoming fertilizer

For a growing homeland whose dream wanted better

You had made few poems, admiring people around

You had dreamt of peace yet everyone heard a different sound

Yes, the sound of hammers coming from the foundries

Which Rodina Mat had nurtured same as the wheat fields astound

But as years passed by, fate made you into a soldier

Seeing the terror of the Reich, hearing complains from another:

The rifle jams despite firing on the trenches

We don't want to surrender!

Giving an idea for a weapon,

defending the homeland for a reason

You had created a weapon inspired by the Garand,

Sturmgewehrs, SKS, weapons feared but understand

Defending the homeland is a reason but to every soldier and victim revenge shows in their eyes

For despite terror made by the Reich and Reaction: Rodina's outmost anger realized!

And in every poem you had made lies a million deaths

The songs you had played brings blood from their wounds

Sea of blood creating swan songs and a dozen wraths

Of god, yes, the God of war through you gives terror to them.

Bang! Lies the first sound of freedom

The tremors of the once oppressed gave revenge through your gun

Like your avenging Rodina Mat, their mothers cried avenge!

As their sons and daughters, with your gun creating songs and poems

Death to their enemies as their pledge.

Yes you are a poet,

Your gun is your pen, their blood is your ink

In every battle your gun creates poetry

Giving terror to the enemies of your homeland

Revive! Lift them up the way what the Lord does

Revive! Lift them up the way what the Lord does

(Or a message this "raped, distorted 'Christmas'")

At first, it is all but nonsensical to celebrate the day that is supposed to be the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ.

As most people had equate the celebration with material gifts, and intentional hypocrisies, the spirit of Christmas had end nothing but an event devoid of of its original meaning and significance and replaced with a a mere illusion such as those being shown and peddled for many. 

And since people had rather chose to content how systems reduced the occasion into a mere consumerist event, are they accepting things that came from those who should give thanks such as those who create toys, food, anything that makes Christmas and other holidays special and meaningful? Obviously, people had forgot the crisis as the season being treated as a mere escapist tool than a time to liberate the way God's chosen people had waited for a man to redeem from their repression!

Yes, everyone had gave gifts, but few care to understand the value behind giving gifts, going to evening and midday mass, or why Jesus Christ was born! Everyone had celebrated the occasion and saying holy names and stuff, but how come they are the same individuals who are much aloof with the widespread repression such as hunger, dispossession, unfairness? So were those who afford to distribute old stuff for the victims of Yolanda, whose real reason is not to share but to lessen the clutter from their cabinets, of old clothes and stuff for new ones; certain personalities afford to make rummage sales of their old goods that even Kim Kardashian afford to use the tragic events and had the large share of profits under her hands instead of those for the need, how un-Christianlike if that's the case to see people emphasising their self gratification than virtue in giving away the old "for the sake of new."

That somehow for others, such as this writer would see how the system reduce Christmas as a season of spending, squandering for themselves than sharing. Personally, spending a lot especially in a country where crisis is predominant makes one's self forgetting the reality, and eventually realize that you are becoming vulnerable to a possible inconvenience. Everyone had chose to see the occasion and perhaps the months involving preparation be distorted thanks to mainstream media, of empty promises and illusions of faux-prosperity and peace! Sorry for those who are contented in what they are doing.

Anyways, despite all the nonsense manifested by the present, then right is Pope Francis, in his latest Christmas sermon regarding today's attitude that manifested especially today, as he said:

“You are immense, and you made yourself small; 
you are rich, and you made yourself poor; 
you are all-powerful and you made yourself vulnerable.”  

So was Pedro Casaldaliga, whom justifying the birth of Christ not just a spiritual but also a material one. And it is up to everyone not just in this season to revive what is nearly lost such as a liberative one.

"What road will you take to heaven, other than earth? "We are person of body and soul in indissoluble unity: we are not "pure" spirits. Christian spirituality is not a fleshless spiritualism .It is the following of the Word incarnate in Jesus of Nazareth; the most historical and "material" of spiritualities, in the biblical line of creation, exodus, prophecy, incarnation, crucifixion and resurrection of the flesh."

Everyone had chose to squander for their self gratification, forgetting virtue, reducing hope into an illusion, aspiration into imagination, all despite seeing glass and steel, concrete facades and rising GNP and GDP rates the system afford to brag, then how come most people remained poor and dispossessed, oppressed and suffering? so-Unchristanlike Anyways to see poseur Christians whom afford to "celebrate" as a form of escapism compared to Atheists who had the virtue to share what comes from them; even a smile can be a charity so to speak.

Not knowing that what they are celebrating is the man who not just bring peace, but a sword to destroy the exploiters, who heals the blind and lame, resurrects the dead, criticizing the high priests with their corruption and forcing to let out moneylenders from his father's house.

That perhaps even today he assails the order whom made his people exploited especially from those who had afford to celebrate yet failed to understand the value of celebrating it, or perhaps the man himself.

Anyways, if one has the will to revisit the true spirit of Christmas, then It's better to show it to everyone the way nature unravels its cold wind and snow this final month of this year. In this season of struggle, revive! Lift up everyone the way the way what the lord does!  

Merry Christmas, that's all, thank you.

Rest in Power, Papa Dom

Rest in Power, Papa Dom

A eulogy for Dominic "Papa Dom" Gamboa

It was yesterday when social media sites gave an orbituary about the death of Dominic Gamboa, also known by its fans as Papa Dom of Tropical Depression.

Died by unknown causes, Papa Dom had been known for his music and his love of animals, especially those of exotic ones in his private zoo. His reggae music invoked mostly those of Peace and Love, getting everyone "chill" if not "rebellious" such as his earlier punk rock music whom he also took part and contributed with.


A simple person despite his popularity

Personally, he seemed to be a good and simple person instead of a popular singer if one ought to sought him, that somehow made this writer had met and took a picture with him as well; he seemed to be quite chill and simple like any other person having a window shopping at a low-class shop like Cartimar Recto. The good thing was that this writer's friend, an owner of a shop known for old collectibles, LPs and Casette tapes, happend to be a part of Papa Dom's circle, and it was a pleasure for he to present Papa Dom not just to this writer, but to everyone around the shop.

He's somehow quite okay to talk, even abit with him as a person, that he was fine with his music and his love for animals; he even sought the jackets the cooperative had made and much likely to have a personalized one such as the Green, Yellow, Red letterman jacket! The owner and others even willing to create a jacket especially for him, but Papa Dom instead smiled at everyone around the shop whose owner happened to be his friend.



"I tried but I couldn't really do it."

Obviously, with his appearance, Papa Dom had been synonymous by mainsteam media as part of the Rastafarian scene, especially that with his Reggae music and the Ethiopian colours associated with the Rastafarian movement made everyone consider as part of it. However, in an interview made years ago, he, as well as others had stated (according to a writeup made years ago) that there are no real Filipino Rastafarians except for a few serious adherents; and it happened that Reggae music had been a part of Rastafarianism whom the late Bob Marley advocated. It is true that Filipinos somehow tend to self-proclaim themselves as Rastafarians, that they done deadlocks, listening to Reggae and invoking words like "Jah" and the like, but Papa Dom said :

"I tried but I really couldn't do it."

Sorry for those who self-proclaim though, but according to an article, it stated that:

"All these people who are associated with reggae and rastafari movement all wanted one thing, and that is they don't want the people to forget what the true message and purpose of the music is which is peace, love and social action. So to the guy who sports a dreadlock and lights up a big spliff and think that Rastafarianism is a fashion statement think again don't pretend to be what you are not. Rastafari is cool a poser is not. If you wanna bun a one just be yourself and make sure to pass that kutchie."

In other words, a poseur is different from an adherent of the late Haile Selassie, even Haile Selassie himself had admired the movement (especially with a colony set up at Ethiopia), yet disagrees with their position (he even bought a Coptic priest for their spiritual guidance at Jamaica) . So was Papa Dom whom knowing that there were no Rastafarian adherents, only people equating the movement itself to a fashion trend of dreadlocks and Ethiopian colours.


"Rest in Power"

Well, since everyone had bid to say "Rest in Peace" after his death, for this writer? No! "Rest in Power" as he may say not because this writer is militant and had admired personages whose aspirations somehow made them "deathless"; and for sure most of the fans would somehow agree with this, that he is not dead, but instead alive and youthful to those who loved not just his music, but his interest such as peace, love and social action.

For sure few amongst the poseurs would understand the message rather than treating Rastafarianism as a fad. Papa Dom was right that he tried yet he can't make it, but his songs and his love for animals and fellowmen is a proof that he was different from those who afford to make dreadlocks and smoking weed.

Again, Rest in Power! You are alive and youthful to those who shared your life and struggle.

Thank you.

The irony of prohibiting charity while celebrating the day of the onewho speaks positively of it

"The Irony of prohibiting charity

While celebrating the day of the one who speaks

positively of it."

by Katleah Ulrike

It was yesterday when this writer sought this post in a social media site.

This writer, as well as those who had seen that post earlier would easily find it ironic knowing that it had prohibiting people from giving food to the less fortunate, particularly the homeless living in public spaces while below affords to greet everyone the day of Christ's birth, with the latter known for having Charity as one of the virtues being encouraged.

In addition to that, in seeing that kind of post being posted lies comments full of ridicule. There's even a caption also being posted, with facts being presented as well; as it says:

"What would you do if you came across someone on the street that had not had anything to eat for several days? Would you give that person some food? Well, the next time you get that impulse you might want to check if it is still legal to feed the homeless where you live. Sadly, feeding the homeless has been banned in major cities all over America.

Back in January 2012, 40,000 new laws went into effect all over America. The politicians continue to hit us with wave after wave of regulations and laws with no end in sight. For this Christmas, as the number of homeless people in Los Angeles County continues to rise, the City Council is weighing a ban on feeding homeless people in public areas, joining the nationwide ban on feeding those in poverty. This is an attempt to make difficult problems disappear. It’s both callous and ineffective. The homeless population in Los Angeles is the second highest in the country, following New York City. Los Angeles County’s homeless population rose 15% from 2011 to 2013, to nearly 53,800 individuals, according to a report from the Department of Housing and Urban Development released last week. Over 50 cities have previously adopted some kind of anti-camping or anti-food-sharing laws,after the Occupy Movement sustained a powerful free public campsite with food services from September to November 2011.

It saw homeless citizens get cleaned up, maintain a clean park, scrubbing even the bricks clean every night, despite ludicrous media reports of the opposite. This is about a breakdown of community & good will. They know not what they do, but many are willfully doing wrong every single day. This Christmas remember it takes YOU to act to build a better world. Bring back Christmas in your towns, Educate and Feed those lost in a wrongful system. We are the people of our planet Earth and we are better than this."

Most people would say that the state doesn't care about its citizens while those who afford eager to accumulate profits. The issue on homeless people not to be given food is part of a greater issue sich as Workers like those from Walmart or McDonalds had to get contented in food stamps or wages not enough to meet their daily demands and spendings. But with figues presented on that post given somehow would say how that "American dream" people around the world dreamed of is all but an imagination being peddled. After all, how come that dream continues to be peddled while Los Angeles's own homeless population rose to 15% from 2011 to 2013? For sure there are also cities whose homelessness and unemployment continues to rise as well!

To others, it may considered as moral not to give them for they are potentially making them contented to be given. But come to think of this, since authorities had afford to post that, then why not also for these homeless be given housing and workfare just like during the Depression? These homeless are once workers end unemployed, yet personal problems, not just drugs and alcohol had made them becoming hobos begging for a sum of money; yes, they had degenerated into what the state and the bourgeois called as "Scum of the Earth" alongside the criminals and prostitutes whose primary idea is survival.

But banning them from feeding and letting them starve seems to be too much for a policy that also requires offering them alternatives to their plight; come to think that most Americans had afford to eat more till becoming obese whilst these people, also from America are starving and waiting for alms if not getting food from the garbage bins; that the system had made these unemployed, homeless citizens be left degenerated and redescribing it as "their personal decision" to become like that. Right was one of the commentators who had sought the inconvenient truth and read that post, and said:

"Every damn one of us is a few steps away from homelessness. Your company closes. You can't pay your family, than your mortgage, or a partner leaves or god for bid dies. The insurance isn't enough , I go on, so you damn right I would give food. It could be anyone of us...."

Worse, having a post that mocks the spirit of Christmas such as encouraging the virtue of Charity? Then obviously, the state had failed to counter the issue on homelessness same as those regarding slums in the cities, all despite seeing their proposals that end veto'ed "for it wastes money", letting anyone with a kind heart to give them, just like "Food not Bombs" in which policemen usually attack them and their free meals given to the less fortunate, describing it as nuisance to social order.

But speaking of the State, how come they failed to curb major domestic issues as there are those afford to Veto? This writer may not favor Obamacare, but it seems that most had forgot Roosevelt's New Deal, or LBJ's Great Society programs, that somehow giving the less fortunate workfare, all with a decent pay. America somehow tried to keep itself rising from the effects of the 1930s due to the programs that brought labor, food, homes, dignities and reconstruction of American life, and perhaps prior to Reagan's trickle down bullshit, it was somehow an act of charity on behalf of the state in making these depressed people regaining their sanities and improving their lives through working since they can't tolerate having them fed by everyone else.

But nowadays, with this kind of post featuring signs like "don't feed the homeless" while below says "Merry Christmas" is all but a bullshit. Since the state, with its policemen had afford to disrupt groups like Food not Bombs, of destroying communities made by these homeless people, all in the name of social order, then how come they failed in realizing the aspirations of everyone? Particularly of the disspossessed such as these homeless people wanting jobs, food and homes? Right for food, jobs, homes is a human right! And if the state had afford to curtail or negate those rights then that state violates its own laws!

Perhaps they had forgotten that they are Christians, yes, they are Christians by the book and name but not by its practise such as adhereing to human rights and upholding the cause of righteousness and virtue amongst everyone.

Thanks for the Global Movement for that kind of post and comment featured. 

A respect to the man who rallied his people under the spear of his nation

A respect to the man who rallied his people

under the spear of his nation

A Eulogy for cde. Nelson Mandela

Leader of African National Congress

and Umkhonto we Sizwe

A respect to the man who rallied his people under the spear of his nation.

These are the words this person had said in regards to Former President Nelson Mandela, the African National Congress, Umkhonto we Sizwe, and its contribution to the struggle of the 20th century. Rallying under a Spear in a sense that he, as an African, was willing to continue his struggle alongside his people despite the challenges he had as a leader of the black majority of South Africa during the Apartheid period.

And of course, most people around the world had praised him for his efforts, particularly using negotiations with then ruling white minority such as Botha and De Klerk paving way for the dismantlement of the policies that brought him to struggle and to prison; while others dare to criticize him simply because he dismantled a system what the minority described as "separate development", yet in fact institutionalizing the rule of the privileged minority over the underdeveloped majority using race as its main idea.

Yet however, it seems that most people did not acknowledge Nelson Mandela also as a man who acknowledge the necessity of armed struggle as a form of national liberation; that he is also a warrior taking the book, the rifle, and the olive branch to justify and advance further the goals why he and his group took seriously in it. Yes, he had led the African National Congress and making it well known by international media, and he even turned his organization from a once group of reformists clamoring for peaceful, reformist means into a force that requires strong political will, including violent means to advance the interest of the African people over the ruling Boer minority.

As according to his speech, entitled "I am prepared to die", he said:

"At the beginning of June 1961, after a long and anxious assessment of the South African situation, I, and some colleagues, came to the conclusion that as violence in this country was inevitable, it would be unrealistic and wrong for African leaders to continue preaching peace and non-violence at a time when the government met our peaceful demands with force."

Furthermore, despite being in prison after his capture, Mandela justifies the actions of his group in steering the emancipation of the African people and the working class over South Africa. He may had been in prison for years, turning down offers of amnesty in exchange for stopping the rebellion of poor, dispossessed South Africans against Apartheid, knowing that his ANC and MK had afford enough to take the deed as part of the struggle, gaining enough victories regardless of what the ruling minority under Vorster, Botha, De Klerk and others trying to curb the so-called "wave of terror", that the "Bantustans", serving as homelands for black majority such as Transkei and KwaZuluNatal had failed to stop the yearning of the majority and its right be treated as coequals, including the right to rule over the country.

As what he said during the trial against him:

"I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die."

So was in the freedom charter that speaks of equality as part of struggle for emancipation and creation of a society founded by its profound principles:

"We, the people of South Africa, declare for all our country and the world to know:

That South Africa belongs to all who live in it, black and white, and that no government can justly claim authority unless it is based on the will of the people."

Yes, and these words somehow showed that despite having African nationalism as his foundation of his ideas and his organization he belonged, he included those of coloureds, Indians as well as whites in the struggle, with the latter known for opposing Apartheid as its state policy; that the South Africa he had dreamed should be based on the will of the people contrary to the rhetorics of Vorewored and his followers; but despite all those words does not mean he had to gave up struggle the way his constituents in the ANC and MK speak of during those times, that the songs of the militant masses supporting him and the movement speaks not just opposing Apartheid but to punish those who behind it, (contrary to the documentary that had equated the term "AmaBhulu" as Whites in general, but rather Boers whom strongly support Apartheid and its racist tendencies.) .

After all, without direct action and instead contenting to a mere pressure such as lobbying, then his struggle and those who took arms be deemed useless. The actions of MK as well as those of the masses, despite having Mandela and some of his followers were in prison or executed, has to justify and advance further their aspirations not just the dismantlement of the old order, as one of his quotes said, made last June 1980:

"Between the anvil of united mass action and the hammer of the armed struggle we shall crush apartheid and white minority racist rule."

After all, contrary to most media descriptions (especially seeing him in prison and negotiating with De Klerk), Mandela is not Gandhi, and if he is, then that peaceful form is not limited to a mere pressure, but disobedience, that one has to counter the truncheon and other repressive actions taken by the system as possible.

In fact, he had also acknowledge class struggle as part of national liberation, knowing that the majority of South Africans are mainly workers, especially miners and factory laborers mostly living in depressed areas and unfair conditions while those who dominate the government and business are consists of the reactionaries within the ruling minority and its lapdogs. The successes of National and Popular Liberation Movements in the African continent somehow brought inspiration for the ANC, MK and other groups to advance forward, to expose and oppose the realities behind the Boer's rhetoric of "Separate Development" and its policies vested, and again be entirely dismantled, if possible (during those times) by force.

So were their revenge songs that still being sung. "Wamshini Wami" as one example of those.

Anyways, in an assessment,  would say that Nelson Mandela had speak much of justice than peace. That with his quotes one would see a person different from what was been shown by mainstream media, that he unrepentantly justifies the struggle by all means in order to achieve their aspirations such as justice and equality.

However, his followers may had failed to invoke or practise his aspirations of a society where there lies equal opportunities for everyone, few even know, and afford to criticize that Mandela himself failed to realize his original goals prior to his capture and imprisonment, that he gave up his African socialism for free markets and dictates from the IMF-WB and nowadays seeing some Black South Africans afford to gain material wealth while innocent Boers living in the slums; that crime and discontent increasing due to the failure of its supposed aspirations becoming mere rhetoric being babbled. 

And yet ANC and other groups speaks of Equality and Justice not just African Nationalism this writer suppose, it's not like those around Africa who speak much of Black African supremacy as others think of and certain leaders do when it comes to practising its ideas- that somehow made Boers justify Apartheid and describing it as "Separate Development"; after all how come Joe Slovo, Ronnie Kasrils, and some white-skinned ones, Jew, British, even Boer alike afford to join the cause? Anyways, this writer still pays respect, but on the other hand rectify the mistakes that made South Africa still carries a burden of problems. 

But again, there's a good hope waiting for the homeland where once ox wagons and kraals coexist; but one out of many has to realize the goal of real development, based on solidarity, communityhood and justice.

Again, under the spear that serves as the standard of the nation. 

God bless Africa,

forward the struggle of the oppressed peoples!

Thank you.

Enough of becoming Crisostomo and Isagani! Reality demands a hundred Mandos, Simouns to lead over a thousand Eliases, Taleses and Salomes!

Enough of becoming Crisostomo and Isagani!

Reality demands a hundred Mandos, Simouns 

to lead over a thousand Eliases, Taleses and Salomes!

(Or how student activists chose to use education 

as a weapon against the system than a cogwheel for the exploiters)

"If we who are called upon to do something, if we, in whom our people place their modest hopes, spend our time in these things, precisely when youthful years should be utilized in something noble and lofty – for youth is noble and generous – I fear that we are not struggling for a vain illusion and instead of being worthy of liberty, we would only be worthy for slavery."

- (Letter to Marcelo H. del Pilar, Brussels, May 28, 1890)

This writeup somehow reflects the views of most activists, passionate in their studies amd at the same time in their actions pointing against the system whose actions that according to theirs as inimical in their supposed promises of freedom and justice. 

Most of them had been in college, formerly grade conscious individuals focusing entirely on books and examinations, recitations and all sorts of academic related issues giving them passing scores if not becoming possible candidates for scholarships with stipends to be given; and yet as time gies by, and continuously sought the sickening realities and inconvenient truths, all within and outside the campus these students, also mainly those of working class backgrounds had enough consciousness, and the willingness to break the cycle of contentment, choosing the path inimical to the established idea they had at first contented to.

In fact, most of them even chose to stop studying and go full time organizing, including those of workers, peasants and townsfolk; but at the same time there are others whom still pusuing their ambitions yet committed into the cause, balancing militant activism and academics, making themselves afford to finish school and raise their left firsts on high all in defiance of an established order that brought bullshit to the less fortunate majority.

Yes, and these less fortunate majority, including themsleves, students, who had to endure having less wages, job mismatches, rising costs of products and services yet having their peso's purchasing power not enough to ensure their needs; and Idealism based on what most books taught, so are the lectures and examinations within the four corners of the classroom, isn't enough to resolve the terrible crisis that continue to creep all despite massive propaganda campaigns of the state such as growing economy based on rising GNP and GDP rates.

Growing economy? Then how come brain and brawn drain continues then as well as the rising costs of commodities? Anyways, those sickening realities and inconvenient truths people had sought and found had opened up their consciousness to another course, of choosing to break the cycle of contentment and hence turning their education into an arm of liberation as possible, liberation in a sense that it is both national and social.

Just like Crisostomo Ibarra (of Noli me Tangere) whose idealism and his yearning to educate the oppressed natives had himself become Simoun (of El Filibusterimo) with the use of militancy in order to advance the interests of the opprssed, knowing that educating isn't enough to advance their interests; so was Basilio who, once favoring the idea what Crisostomo Ibarra advocated, and still fresh in his memory the terrible conditions such as his mother's and brother's death, as well as the retreatism of Señor Pasta (his professor) and most of the apathetic generation of his, followed what had Simoun started.

After all, right was the former advocator of equal rights knowing its impossibility (thanks to the slanderers and oppressors of his race) and instead favoring national and social independence, as he said:

What will you be in the future? A people without character, a nation without liberty. You are asking to be Hispanized and you do not blanch with shame when it is denied you!

Those words somehow made Basilio acknowledge the impossibility, even though he still tried to pusue and insist the attainment of justice the way Crisostomo Ibarra of Noli me Tangere did. Yes, and for sure people who had afford to read would also dare to oppose this writeup in using characters from Rizal's work, that most favor the idealistic Crisostomo Ibarra, as well as Basilio, Isagani and the use of peaceful means in reforming his dilapidated society marred by corruption and frailocracy, than the Realistic yet Passionate Simoun with his nitroglycerine in his quest for liberation; but also come to think that how come most idealistic people who wanted to follow the path of Crisostomo Ibarra had end up like Señor Pasta, Quiroga, Doña Victorina and Hermana Penchang? Such people, deemed intellectuals and afford to gain wealth and prestige, to the extent of using Christian rhetoric, had gave up their aspirations, their so-called idealism in favor of their personal desires no matter they are   "educated" in prestigious schools of the past; that education, being an equalizer, may had resolve illiteracy, that an average Filipino may know how to spell and count, but does not mean it resolve the ills of the dispossessed and instead be submitted into the wishes of the market, that they are contented in short term desires of the flesh not just getting merely numb into the dictates of corrupt personages such as those of the present, like the lowly Tandang Basio Macunat who had to get contented in his carabao and hard labor, obeying rules of corrupt men as if those of god than advance as a Filipino no matter he as a native.

However, sad to say to those people on high whom trying to make people contented into short term desires and negate long term ones: not all People does not content on bread, gadgets nor illusions peddled! Knowing that they may've been educated and trained in the ways of the present, but again as present day nonsense continue to repress people, both brain and brawn, all reduced into peons of the present social order with markets as its focal point; therefore these people who chose not to get contented had the will to oppose, to the extent of turning everything they got into a weapon that exposes and opposes those who had bled people and communities dry and silent. Or let's just say one has to become more than a passionate nitroglycerine-carrying Simoun or a romantic idealist such as Basilio, but rather, a Mando Plaridel of Hernandez's "Ibong Mandaragit" who used education and mass strikes against the ruling class, with the former taken also as a weapon of struggle rather than reform just like Basilio and Isagani.

That somehow made activism and the use of direct action differ from the so-called "Idealists", self proclaimed with all its ideals ready made from books, and yet failed to understand reality and instead emphasising illusions, daydreams and describing it to others as "real." Isagani's idealism and fear of authority had become melancholia that had failed Simoun's and the peasant's quest by throwing the lamp what the jewelryman said "full of tears that can bring them freedom", and that tears filled in that lamp meant a bomb of his revolution! 

And all, after commemorating Andres Bonifacio's birth anniversary and this time anticipating Jose Rizal's anniversary of his demise, it is pretty much obvious for this writer to say that people, with all their ideas should be dealt with reality and not with mere fantasies such as those peddled by the profiteers of today; that everyone should get out of their rooms and their barren book-filled mindsets; as well as to see, judge, act alongside the masses. 

And these problems continue to creep, again all despite the government-sponsored propaganda of rising GNP and GDP rates. rising? Rising problems and failures, rather than opportunities and successes as evidenced by job mismatches for the graduates, rising costs of fees to be paid that resulted to dropouts from most students, of workers calling for accross the board wage increase and farmers for their land to till, these serious issues are far from the fantasies a modern Filipno tries to complain, such as hi-tech gadgets and other illusions peddled by today's exploiters.

Right was Dr. Edberto Malvar Villegas, economist and grandson of Katipunero Miguel Malvar, in regards to the neoliberal, market-pegged, consumerist education system, that all despite creating "Idealists" rather aggravates old tensions in the society, as he said:

"Neoliberalism as befitting its usefulness for the bourgeoisie has been given a development meaning in the line with the economic growrh of societies to the advantage of the capitalist nations, for instance, the theory in politics of Theda Skocpol and Peter evans of Harvard, of strong and weak states had been hyped-up by Capitalist-funded institutions and spread in Universities in order to orient states, particularly in the third world, including the Philippines, to the economic programs of the Trans National Companies (TNCs) to open wider their markets. (Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's "Strong Republic" ws inspired by this theory.) Evans, for instance, lauds the so-called tigers of Asia, like South Korea and Japan, with their export-driven economies as examples of strong states.

Evans calls these states as "Developmental states" with their embedded autonomy or their capacity of mixing two contradictory features which is a western bureaucratic insulation with intense immersion in the surrounding social structure. (Evans, 1989: 561-587) It is to be noted that the theory if strong and weak states, sometimes referred to as the relative autonony of the state is just a revival of the "Idealist theory of the state" of the Liberal Georg Hegel of the 19th century. Hegel viewed the state as independent from civil society and thus could play an arbiter role in reconciling conflicting interests of different classes in society. Hegel takes the state as an abstract moral entity which must lead to a society to the realization of the "Absolute Reason". It thus could function as a savior of defective societies, if it only truly assumes its designated moral responsibility.

With the aggressive excursus of private corporations in the 1990s into the educational system, curricula of schools have been gradually patterened to the globalization programs of the monopoly capitalists. More and more schools the world over have given greater emphasis to the needs of capitalist buisness, emphasising vocational courses, recruiting grounds for rank and file workers in factories, in lower and middles schools and promoting research in universities for the profit goals of companies, e.g., research for high-breed plant varieties, which use fertilizers of capitalist firms, and situation studies to prove that an export-led economy is best for national development."

Development indeed. Development that end failed to meet the demands of the people. 

And since most people who had stucked in their delusions are indeed self-proclaiming to be idealistic just to carry on the task of becoming future professionals, then how come most had becoming cogwheels being exploited by the system? The statement made by Villegas also includes how that education of today, despite described modern by today's "idealistic" individuals had tolerated the creation of call centers instead of supporting major economic plans such as industrialization and agrarian reform? 

And since there is greater emphasis for vocational courses, how come it served for export than to be utilized for domestic based national development? Even research such as those of sciences, academically speaking it had been praised by those from the academe, but how come it doesn't been encouraged and developed by those who are praising? 

Again, the aggressiveness of the system in having virtually open markets had negated what students, youth, people had wanted; worse, opposing them, calling their ideas as "Passé" such as those of National Industrialization, and tolerating the profiteers in increasing costs of educating them. 

And knowing that the system had tolerated repression and treating people's aspirations as those of Potemkin villages and mere rhetoric, then it is justifiable to see real people coming out of those who looked at the inconvenient truths hiding beneath the sheet of illusions the system had peddled, again their education has to become a weapon for the people than a cogwheel of the system, just like Mando Plaridel and Simoun, that both of them had espoused education for all, but not primarily to pressure the rotten system for reforms most care to think of, but to dismantle it knowing how repressive than beneficial the system had done to its subjects.

Yes, and as long as centuries old crisis and repression continues to aggravate the sufferings of the people, then its the time that people should give up mere idealism that espouses the market centric stupidity had been prevailed for generations, and at the same time should look into the reality and hence destroy the stupidity that aggravates the past and present repression towards themselves and their communities; that theories came from books should be taken into practise based on realities.