“When we say ‘I just want a politician who tells me like it is,’ we should specify that that politician should not be a total f***ing monster.”
That statement by British-American comedian John Oliver – his comments on his show “Last Week Tonight” on the eve of the 2016 presidential elections which propelled former President Rodrigo Duterte to victory – was one of those quotes that somehow burned in my brain.
That was the same year in which that sorry excuse for an American president (until now, I cannot name him without being physically ill) was elected for his first term. And now, in his second term, that thin line between being “authentic” and being a total f***ing monster has not only become blurred, but has disappeared entirely.
Napagtataka para sa akin kung bakit na-confuse na natin ang pagiging “totoong tao” sa pagiging walanghiya, barumbado, walang modo at walang pakialam sa ibang tao.
Gone are the days of good manners and right conduct, which extremists have confused with being “politically correct,” and had replaced these values with becoming a total jerk who actually wanted to stoke up the flames of violence and hatred.
While both sides of the political spectrum are guilty of inciting hatred and violence, several studies – even by some conservative think-tanks – point the finger of blame squarely at right-wing groups who advocate xenophobia, white supremacy, genocide against minorities and groups whom they perceive as incompatible with their own ideologies, and general a**holery.
And yet, some Filipinos even found these qualities not only acceptable but even admirable.
Nakakasuka na yung ibang itinuturing ang sarili nila bilang kasapi ng isang relihiyon na ang core values ay pag-ibig at respeto ang siya pang nagtatanggol sa mga walang preno ang bunganga at nag-iincite na “puksain” ang mga minority na ito – dahil lang “ka-relihiyon” nila ang mga taong ito!
Seryoso ba ang mga ito? Na okay lang pala na maging walanghiya ang isang dahil kakampi o karelihiyon nila ang mga ito?
Nakakatakot isipin na tila ang itinuturo na natin sa mga bagong henerasyon – sa henerasyong mas vulnerable na matuto ng kasamaan dahil sa social media – ay ang pagiging “Kristiyano” ay isang lisensya na maging walanghiya sa mga itinuturing nilang “kaaway” o hindi nila kaanib?
We’re supposed to halt the flames of bigotry and hatred, not fan it or even abet it!
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