Mga senti ni Lagalag…

Freedom comes in three facets. There’s freedom seekers/fighters, there’s freedom artists/writers, and then there are  freedom wreckers.

The Freedom seekers/fighters:

They are those who march to the streets under the scorching heat of the sun. They brave the heat, rain, dust, hunger,  sweat and threats. They cry war to those who trample their rights to the ground. They fight for freedom boldly with shouts, taunts and banners. They fight not just for their own rights but for everyone’s.  They are a sore to the eyes of the businessmen, the police, the Government, and those people who think their rights supercede others. They are the common vendors selling yosi, bibingka, buko juice, inasal,  balot, bulaklak etcetera. They are our teachers, students, store clerks, katulong,  the environmentalists, the farmers, priests and nuns. They are our Lolo, Lola, Tito, Tita, cousins, friends, brothers, sisters, Ninong, Ninang etcetera. The common tao. They are the invisibles. I call them that because the people who trample them cannot see or hear their cries.  They are the agents of change. And oh, there’s also you. Me?  I am not brave enough to join this club. What a shame.

The Freedom Artists and Writers:

They are those who use pen, keyboard, canvass, and any other form of materials they use to express their opinion. They are the newscasters, reporters, the journalists, photographers, the painters and the latest members of the community, the bloggers. Our very own national hero, Jose Mercado Rizal was a freedom writer and those of his kind dead or alive amazes me. Oh how they braved the persecution and threats. Do I belong here? No. I’m just a lowly, trying hard blogger who even at the thought of the word politics irritates me. I am not as passionate writer as them to be in this club.  I cringe to the thought of corruption but cannot muster enough courage to blog about what’s on my mind. Talk about playing it safe. What a shame.

The freedom wreckers:

Ah, you know them. If not, lemme give you a hint. As I’ve mentioned above, they are those who think their rights supercede others. They may or may not be in the Government. They are those who manipulate those who they think are lesser human than they are just because they have the money, power and resources. They judge you by the brand of clothes you wear, the house you live in, the school you’re into, and the amount of money you have in your pocket. They are those who think of themselves as untouchables and invincibles. They wreck every good thing that they perceive as a threat to their power and position. They are blinded by their egos. Am I in this club? I hope not. I’d be a hypocrite if  I say I hadn’t broken a law in my life. A sin however small is still a crime. I had my moments. Like when I went to the bank when I was young and working as a clerk. To beat the long line, I’d  just go directly to a cashier friend of mine and I’d be served right away, no sweat.  I had been a freedom wrecker too at one time or two. In that occassion, I manipulated a friend to serve me first before others thus trampling his/ her rights and I had been blind to the plight of other people there who patiently waited for their turn to be served. What a shame.

Okey. Okey. I had been a freedom wrecker. You can smirk all you want. Call me pathetic etcetera. One thing I’m not gonna do, is to blame others for my actions. I am not gonna rationalize the mistake I had done before. We are so accustomed to blaming other people of our misfortunes and misdeeds. We say, it’s natural because we’re human. When the truth is, blaming others and rationalizing the wrong does not make a person any more human. It brings the inhuman out of us. I could not bring back time and change the scenario. All I could do now is tell you the story and say “Huwag itong tularan.” Take responsibility for our actions. Only then everybody will ever enjoy and cherish freedom. I only have one wish to our beloved Philippines and fellow Filipino people: “Let there be peace and freedom, and let it begin with ME.”

[Entry for Kalayaan2007]