Tag Archives: Opinion

[In the news] Paranoia? Government lists in PH proven to be dangerous to lives -ABS-CBN.com

Paranoia? Government lists in PH proven to be dangerous to lives

President Rodrigo Duterte’s legal adviser, Salvador Panelo, charged the 180,000-strong Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) of “paranoia” following the exposé of a Philippine National Police (PNP) intelligence program aimed at an “inventory” of the militant union’s nationwide membership.

Panelo trotted out the trite line, that the innocent have no cause to fear.

He then promptly undermined that argument, claiming the teachers’ alliance “has been identified as legal front” of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP). Any surveillance, he added, must have “a good excuse.”

Read full article @news.abs-cbn.com

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[Right-UP] Mura lang ang magmura ngayon ni Mokong Perspektib

Mura lang ang magmura ngayon

RANT copy
Niyayanig ang Mokong Republic ng paparating na pagbabago.

Mga pagbabagong mahigit sa 16 milyon ang excited na sabay-sabay na pumapalakpak at nag-i-intensity 7 na lumilindol sa lahat. Libu-libong kriminal ang lumiliit na daw ang mundo ngunit ang hindi natin sigurado kung nati-threatened nga man lang ba sila? O baka lumalawak lang ang membership nila?

Sa kabilang banda ay ang mga nanganganib na inosenteng madamay, mapagbintangan, maidiin o maabuso ang matindi ay mapatay pa.

Nakakatuwa at united ang mga taong inis-na-inis, sawang-sawa at yamot-na-yamot na sa kriminalidad. Talaga namang nakaka-boiling point ng dugo ang talamak na pagtambay ng mga kriminal sa bawat sulok ng Mokong republic.

Mga hindi naman MED REP pero ang husay sa pag-benta ng illegal drugs. Nag-networking pa. Mga hindi naman sakit pero kanser na lumalala at lumalaganap. Gayundin ang iba pang karumaldumal na krimen na kung naging pera ay mababayaran na natin ang panglabas na utang ng bansa sa sobrang dami.

Sa kabilang banda ay nakakapag-alala ang padaskol-daskol na emosyonal na reaksiyon mula sa mga buwiset na buwiset sa kriminalidad.  Sa sobrang tindi ay nilalabag na rin ng mga ito ang batas. Sa sobrang pagkadismaya ay nagmamala-ok na malabag ang iba para sa ika-tatagumpay ng laban sa krimen, by hook or by crook.

Ang sabi ko nga sa isang Mokang na komentaristang nega sa isa sa mga posts tungkol sa mga nangyayari, “Huwag puro emosyon ang gamitin, isip-isip muna bago comment, kasi baka you’re barking at the wrong tree.” Kaya dapat din hindi emosyon ang pairalin natin upang maunawaan ang mga katulad nila.

Sa mokong na analisa ko- ang lohika nila- Sa pagsugpo ng karumaldumal na krimen ay hindi dapat lilembot-lembot. Ang pagkadismaya dito ay masahol pa sa pagmumura. At kung sino man ang magpapatumpik-tumpik dito ay kamura-mura din. Karumal-dumal ang krimen- tapos dise-disente ka sa pagharap dito samantalang hindi nga kumikilala ng batas ang mga kriminal tapos mag-ru-rule of law-rule of law ka?

Sa isip nilang nagsisintir…Ka-ka-rule of law- rule of law mo at ka-ka-human rights-human rights mo ay nawiwili ang mga kriminal at wala nang takot maparusahan.

Ano nga kaya ang pinaghuhugutan ng lakas ng loob ng mga negang ito…

Ang pagmumura

Statement o pagpapakita ng galit to the MAX. Para sa mga mokong nararapat na approach o tugon sa mga sarado ang isip o ayaw sa kamay na bakal na pagsugpo sa kriminal. Pero kung tutuusin at susuriin ay PAGMUMURA din ang ginagamit kapag ang mga mokong ay nagsara na rin sa katwiran ng iba o ayaw na making pa sa argument ng iba at gayundin kapag nasandal na sa diskusyon at wala nang maisagot pa.

Ang ugat ng paglala ng kriminalidad para sa kanila ay ang pagiging mahina ng mga batas na susugpo rito. Mapapamura kang talaga.

Isinisisi nila sa human rights concept at sa mga nagsusulong nito ang paglala ng kriminalidad.

Kaya kung susuriin ang objectives ng mga nagMUMURA sa online ay simple lang… ipadama sa lahat ang to the max na galit o rant sa krimen.  Alam na nila na ang human rights advocates ay tututol sa mga di makataong aksyon kahit sa kriminal pa.

Sa kanilang isip, lelembot-lembot ang mga human rights advocates. Masyadong babait-bait sa kriminal habang walang hustisyang nakukuha ang mga biktima. Kaya sarado na sila sa diskusyon. Alam na nilang mag-lalabas nanaman ng batayan ang mga advocates na bumabatay sa mga konsepto at standards na para sa kanila ay mahirap maunawaan, lutang at hindi nakakatulong sa pagsugpo ng krimen. ‘Yan ang para sa kanila.

Hinalimbawa pa nila ang karumaldumal na krimeng DROGA. Nahuli nga ang mga druglords at naikulong pero nananatiling nag-ooperate at nakakalusot pa rin.  At habang dumadami ang droga at mga adik, dadami ang mga nagnanakaw, nanggagahasa, nangmamasaker at pumapatay nang walang awa. Dapat kung namatay na ang mga ito nung umpisa pa lang e di hindi na sana nakapag-operate pa ang mga druglords na ito.

Kaya hindi na usapin ng values ang pagmumura. Dahil sa tingin nila siyempre hindi ka maisasalba ng values-values. Ayaw mong magmura? E kaya you deserved to be cursed too. Ang anumang mamumutawi o ilalabas ng sinumang advocates na argumento o katwiran ay sasagka lamang. At para sa kanila, matagal nang sagka sa hustisya ang ka-ka-human rights-human rights ng mga accused at yaong mga deprived of liberty samantalang buhay ang kinuha ng mga kriminal na ito sa mga nabiktima- nasaan ang hustisya? Na para sa kanila ay makakamit nila sa kamatayan din ng mga ugat ng krimeng ito. Ika nga daw “an eye for an eye…”

Totoong nakakakulo ng dugo ang paglaganap ng krimen. Pero ang rule of law nga ba at human rights ang ugat ng paglaganap ng krimen?

Ang pagpatay nga ba ang tunay na susulosyon sa kriminalidad?

Abangan ang karugtong…

[Right-up] Ang Torre de Manila, si Lolo Pepe at ang Usapin sa Kaluluwa ng Bansa by Jose Mario De Vega

Ang Torre de Manila, si Lolo Pepe at ang Usapin sa Kaluluwa ng Bansa: Isang Pagtatangka para sa Introduksyon at Pagpapakilala ng Aklat na Ang Monumento at ang Tore sa Kasaysayan Pagtatakda sa Luneta: Hiraya ng “Knights” At Pasiya Ng Bayan
by Jose Mario De Vega

Hindi maitatanggi marahil ninuman, at masasabi natin ng walang pasubali ang kung mayroon mang sentral na isyung kontemporaryo na batid ng lahat, hindi lamang ng mga tao sa akademya at maging sa malaking bilang ng ating mga mamamayan ay masasabi natin ng tuwiran na ito ay walang dili iba kundi ang nagbabagang usapin ng Torre de Manila.

Mario De Vega

Kung pakasusuriing mabuti ay makikita ng isang taong makatwiran, may puri’t bait na wala namang dapat na pag-usapan o lalo’t higit ay pagtalunan sa “isyung” ito, sapagkat maliwanag na wala namang saysay o halaga ang “usaping” ito.

Ngunit, bakit “lumaki” at sumambulat sa buong publiko ang “usaping” ito?

Pinanghahawakan kong ang lahat ng ito ay may kaugnayan pa din sa sentral at kontroberyal na tesis o posisyon ni Propesor Constantino.

Hindi si Rizal o ang kanyang monumento ang ating pinag-aawayan at pinagtatalunan, kundi ang karimarimarim na katotohanang — hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa rin natin batid kung ano tayo at sino tayo — bilang mga tao at mga mamamayan — hindi lamang ng bansang ito kundi gayundin din ng buong Daigdig…

Ang masakit na katotohanan, sapagkat hindi natin alam kung sino tayo ay wala tayong pagkakakilanlan at wala tayong kaluluwa bilang mga tao at tayo ay isang bansang nasa salawal pa din hanggang sa ngayon.

Isa sa sentral na usapin ng aklat na ipinapakilalanh ito ay ang usapin ng Identidad at Pagkakakilanlan!

Ang lahat ng diskusyong ito na walang kapararakan ay isang maliwanag na patunay lamang ng patuloy na “bulag na pagdakila” kay Lolo Pepe.

Paano ba nagsimula ang “usaping” ito?

Ito ay pinasimulan ng isang “tourist guide” na nagtatak sa itinatayong Torre de Manila bilang isang diumano’y “photobomber”.

Matapos nito ay isang senadora ang nakisawsaw sa “isyu” at ito ay umabot sa “kaalaman” ng Senado.

Matapos ng kagulat-gulat na balitang ito ay halos magpanabay na umepal din upang ipagtanggol, diumano ang dakilang “panorama’t tanawin” ng rebulto’t monumento ni Lolo Pepe ang NCCA at ang KoR.

Ang huli na sinamahan ng una ay nagsampa ng kaso (kaso, sa kanilang ginawang kalapastanganan ay bi-nay-passed nila ang mababang hukuman na siyang may orihinal na hurisdiksyon sa kasong ito) sa Korte Suprema.

Naglabas ng TRO ang Kataastaasang Hukuman, kahit pa dispalinghado, balahura at pilit ang petisyon ng KoR. Ipinag-utos ng KS na pansamantalang itigil ang konstruksyon ng nasabing tore at iniatas din nilang magkakaroon ng tinatawag na serye ng mga Oral Arguments na (naganap noong mga buwan ng Hulyo at Agosto) na umabot ng anim na bahagi.

Inabangan at pinanood ng bayan (ako po ay dumalo personal sa tatlo sa anim na serye) ang pagdaraos ng nasabing Oral Arguments. Tumampok sa nasabing mga kaganapan hindi lamang ang mga argumentong legal, ngunit gayundin ang usaping pangkasaysayan, kalinangang-pambayan, usapin ng kaluluwa ng bansa at iba pa…

Bago pa man ang nasabing usaping legal ay nagsimula na din ang iba’t-ibang talastasan, debate at pingkian sa iba’t-ibang social networking sites, lalong-lalo na sa Face Book kung saan ay ipinahayag doon ng mga partisipante at iba’t-ibang sektor ng lipunan at mga protagonista ang kanilang mga respektibong posisyon at tindig hinggil sa usaping ito.

Ang aklat na ito ngayon na aming handog para sa/kay Inang-Bayan ay isa sa sandamakmak na mga talastasang ibinunga ng nasabing “isyu”.

Minarapat naming tipunin ang mga nasabing sinulid ng diskusyon, upang sa isang organisado, pormal at akademikong pamamaraan ay malaman, mabasa at nawa ay naunawaan ng ating mga kababayan ang samu’t-saring mga isyung panglipunan, kahalagahang pangkasaysayan, usaping astetiko, argumentong legal na masalimuot na nakapaloob sa mga usaping ito na ibinunga, kakatwa ng isang usaping wala namang saysay.

Ang aklat na ito ay binubuo ng pitong kabanata na tumutukoy at nagtatampok ng iba’t-ibang bahagi ng nasabing debate o talastasan.

Sa bawat unang pahina ng kabanata ay sinipi naming ang sa aming tingin ay sentral na opinion ng mga nagpipingkiang kalahok sa nasabing diskusyon. Ito ay sapagkat layon naming kaagad at kagyat na ipakita sa mga mambabasa ang kaibahan ng mga tindig at posisyon ng mga nasabing protagonista.

Gayundin, ibig naming kagyat na bigyan ang mga mambabasa ng ideya sa posisyon at tindig ng iba’t-ibang kalahok at partisipante.

Panghuli, ibig din naming ipakita sa mga mambabasa ang tema o isyu na pinagtatalunan at pinagdedebatehan sa ispesikong bahagi o sinulid na yaon.

Nais naming ipaunawa sa mga mambabasa na kahit pa pinilit naming gawing organisado’t-perpekto ang likhang ito ay hindi maiiwasan na may mga tema o argumento na paulit-ulit na bumabalik, kahit pa nga ang mga yaon ay natalakay na sa ibang mga kabanata.

Paulit-ulit man ang ibang mga katwiran at argumento at balik-balik man ang iba’t-ibang mga posisyon at tindig ay masasabi na ang lahat ng mga ito ay magkakaugnay at may relasyon sa isa’t-isa sapagkat silang lahat ay binibigkis ng iisang usapin sa huling pagsusuri at ito ay ang patuloy na paglalakbay at pagbubuo ng mga tao at mamamayan ng Bayang ito para sa isang Malaya at Makabagong Bansa…

Sapagkat ang likhang ito ay bahagi ng kasaysayan at isa ding makasaysayang akda, ibig naming ipahayag na ito marahil ang kauna-unahang aklat na ganito ang uri o tipo sa buong kasaysayan ng Pilipinas.

Ito ang kauna-unahang aklat na nagmula sa aming iba’t-ibang sinulid sa FaceBook na aming tinipon at isinaaklat na ang lahat ay may kaugnayan sa usapin ng Torre de Manila.

Ayon nga sa isang pahayag (FB comment, November 3rd) ni Dr. Ma Carmen Penalosa:

“Sino ang mag-aakalang ang isang mainit na talastasan sa Facebook ay maaring maging isang seryosong akademikong lathalain? Walang iba marahil kundi si Dr. Zeus Salazar lamang. Ang aklat ay kaganapan ng ganitong bisyon.”

Kung kaya naman, dahil sa ito ay galing sa FB, hindi maiiwasan na may mga kalahok na dahil sa hindi naman nabasa ang ibang mga sinulid ay gagamit ng mga argumento o magpapahayag ng mga posisyon na matagal nang matalakay at napagdebatehan na nang husto sa ibang mga sinulid.
Iminumingkahi naming sa mambabasa na palaging konsultahin ang aming mga talababa at talahuli upang hindi maligaw o mabulid sa mga “kununoy” ng diskusyon at gayundin sa mga “jargon” ng basagan at wasakan!

Sa Unang kabanata, “TRO NG KNIGHTS”: URING MANGGAGAWA SA HARAP NG “TANGING LANDMARK” AT NG “SIGHTLINES” AT “PANORAMAS” DITO ay tumalakay sa epekto ng TRO na iniisyu ng Korte Suprema sa kalagayang pang-ekonomiko ng mga manggagawa na nagtatrabaho sa Torre de Manila.

Matapos maghugas-kamay ng isa sa mga kinatawan ng KoR (wala daw silang kasalanan sa mga manggagawa, kahit pa dahil sa kanilang TRO kung kaya nahinto ang gawaan at gayundin ang kabuhayan ng mga maliliit na mga taong ito) ay dumako naman ang usapin sa kuwestiyon ng sinasabing “Landmark”. Malabo sa aming paningin ang “argumentong” ito, sapagkat anong landmark ba ang tinutukoy: ang estatwa o ang monumento?

Dahil sa nadurog sa usapin ng “landmark” ay ipinasok naman ang mahiwagang “posisyon” hinggil sa diumano’y “sightline” at panorama”. Ang siste, hindi matuloy o maipaliwanag ng mahusay kung ano ang tinatawag nilang “panorama” at ang “sightline” naman bilang legal na argumento ay walang basehan sa batas. At sapagkat ito ay walang tuntungan sa batas, ito ay maliwanag na imbensyon at walang katuturang-legal!

Sa Ikalimang Kabanata ay muling babalikan ang debate o diskusyon sa sinasabing “sightline” kasabay ng kasagsagan ng Oral Arguments sa Mataas na Hukuman.

Sa Ikalawang Kabanata, “PAGKAMAKABAYAN: ANG MONUMENTO AT ANG KATUTURAN NITO SA KARANIWANG MAMAMAYAN AT KOLEKTIBO” ay tumalakay naman sa usapin ng nasyonalismo at pagmamahal sa bansa na umikot lamang muli sa isang panig sa usapin ng “photobomber” at sa isang banda sa pagpapakita na ang pagmamahal sa bansa ay hindi lamang naipapalamas sa pagsamba sa mga rebulto at paghanga sa mga monumento. Tingnan ang pagsipi ni G. F. Sionil Jose kay Carlos Bulosan.

Sa Ikatlong Kabanata, “INDIBIDWAL, ESTADO AT IDENTIDAD NG BAYAN: ANG PLANO NI BURNHAM (1905) SA KASAYSAYAN NG LUNETA MULA SIMULA HANGGANG SA KASALUKUYAN” ay tinalakay naman lalo na sa pangunguna ni Dr. Zeus A. Salazar ang kronolohikal at masalimuot na kasaysayan ng Luneta mula pa noong una hanggang sa kasalukuyan nating modernong panahon.

Sa Kabanatang ito ay kaagad na makikita ng mga mambabasa na kayrami ang nagsisipagbigay ng kanilang mga opinyon at mga pananaw (mga instant analysts at mga superb commentators) hinggil sa nasabing usapin, ngunit ang nakalulungkot na katotohanan at ito ay lubusang naipakita din naman ng sinulid at talasatasang ito na kung hindi man kakaunti ay tila marami sa mga nagsisi-epal ang walang alam sa kasaysayan ng Luneta!

Natalakay din sa sinulid na ito ang usapin sa kaluluwa ng bansa, identidad at muli ang usapin sa “sightline”.

Sa Ikaapat na Kabanata, “ANG BAYAN SA LUNETA: SI RIZAL BILANG NAGING RESIDENTE NG LIWASAN” ay tumuon sa diskusyon hinggil sa huling kahilingan ni Lolo Pepe. Papaanong nangyari na ang kanyang nais ay malibing sa Paang Bundok, ngunit siya ay napapunta sa Luneta???

Sa Kabanata Lima, “ANG MONUMENTO NG DAKILANG TAO SA KABANYAGAAN KAUGNAY NG USAPING “SIGHTLINE”, “LANDSCAPE” AT TEORYA NG “EMERGING NORM” ay sinulid na tumalakay iba’t-ibang monumento’t rebulto ng mga dakila at mararangal na mga tao sa ibayong-dagat, gayundin, pinag-usapan din sa bahaging ito ang iba’t-ibang mga argumentong legal at hurisdiksyonal na pumapabor at sumasalungat sa konstruksyon ng Torre de Manila. Isa ito sa pinakamakapal na sinulid, kung kaya po naman ibig naming payuhan ang ating mga mambabasa na basahin ito ng maigi at malaliman sapagkat kabit-kabit ang mga isyu’t usaping naabot at nahipo ng kabanatang ito.

Sa Kabanata Anim, “ANG MONUMENTO NG MGA BAYANI NG BAYAN” ay tumalakay sa kung sino ba ang ultimong may-ari ng Luneta? Nagkakaisa ang mga patnugot na ang Luneta ay pag-aari ng Buong Bayan…

Hindi pag-aari ni Lolo Pepe ang Luneta, sapagkat ang Luneta at maging siya ay pag-aari lamang ng Bayan…

Sa panghuling Kabanata, “ANG HAMON NG MODERNO: KASAYSAYAN, BATAS AT KINABUKASAN NG BANSA” ay tinalakay na muli ang mga usapin hinggil sa batas, kasaysayan at ang tinatayang tutunguhin ng usaping ito sa kabuuan sa harap ng makabagong panahon. Sentral na tesis na lumabas sa sinulid na ito ay: kaalinsabay ng patuloy na pagbabago ay ang pagbabago din naman ng Luneta. Ang pagbabago ang isa sa mga hindi nababaling batas ng buhay at lahat at hindi makaliligtas sa kanyang agos at dikta…

Kung kaya’t mga kasama’t mga kapatid sa/kay Inang-Bayan, malugod po naming ipinakikilala’t inihahandog sa inyo, kami sa Bagong Kasaysayan, Inc.- Bahay Saliksikan ng Kasaysayan ang aming aklat na:

“Pagtatakda sa Luneta: Ang Monumento at ang Torre sa Kasaysayan. Hiraya ng “Knights” at Pasiya ng Bayan.”

Pinamatnugutan po ang natatanging aklat na ito ni kapatid na Arvin Lloyd Pingul, at kami po ni kapatid na Reymar Tecson Yson ang mga katuwang na kapatnugot!

Ang aklat pong ito ay binubuo ng 502 pahina at ito po ay mabibili sa halagang, P 1000 Black and White (Digital Printed) at hard bound…

Tara na po, mga kababayan… magsibili na po kayo at tayo nang sama-samang magbasa…
Mangyari po lamang na kontakin ninyo ang sinuman sa mga sumusunod para sa pag-order ng nasabing aklat:

Arvin Pingul
Reymar Tecson Yson
Jose Mario De Vega
Bagong Kasaysayan.

Maraming Salamat po at Mabuhay!
#MAYPAGASA!!!

Jose Mario Dolor De Vega
Isa sa mga katuwang na kapatnugot

Unibersidad de Manila
Direktor,
Kursong Andres Bonifacio at Kilusang Katipunan

All submissions are republished and redistributed in the same way that it was originally published online and sent to us. We may edit submission in a way that does not alter or change the original material.

Human Rights Online Philippines does not hold copyright over these materials. Author/s and original source/s of information are retained including the URL contained within the tagline and byline of the articles, news information, photos etc.

[Blog] Ang Kahalagahang ng Desisyon ng BOR ng UDM upang isama sa kanilang Kurikulum ang Kursong Andres Bonifacio ni Jose Mario De Vega

Vote for this article for the 5th HR Pinduteros’ choice awards.

Ang Kahalagahang-Pangkasaysayan ng Desisyon ng Board of Regents ng Pamantasang Unibersidad de Manila upang isama sa kanilang Kurikulum ang Kursong Andres Bonifacio at ang Kilusang Katipunan
Ni Jose Mario Dolor De Vega[1]

Sa araw na ito, Hunyo a-uno, ng kasalukuyang taon ay ang unang araw kung saan pormal ng sinimulang ituro nang mga guro’t propesor sa Unibersidad de Manila (UDM) sa kanilang mga mag-aaral ang SOC 106[2] o mas higit na kilala bilang asignaturang Andres Bonifacio at ang Kilusang Katipunan.

Mario De Vega

Kalabisan ng sabihin, ngunit tunay na makasaysayan at lubhang makabuluhan ang araw na ito para sa mga tunay na Anak ng Bayan!

Tingnan at suriin po natin ang mga sumusunod na mahahalagang usaping pangkasaysayan sa ibaba:

1. Ang pasya ng Board of Regents (BOR) ng Unibersidad de Manila (UDM) na gawing bahagi nang Kurikulum at maging isang indepenyenteng asignatura ang Andres Bonifacio at ang Kilusang Katipunan.

2. Ang UDM — bilang kauna-unahang paaralang gumawa ng ganitong hakbang-pagkilala para sa Supremo at sa mga Maghihimagsik na Katipunero

3. Ang Kurso/Asignaturang Andres Bonifacio at ang Kilusang Katipunan — bilang kauna-unahang sa buong Kasaysayan (ng Edukasyon) sa Pilipinas

Komentaryo:

Ang pasya nang BOR ng UDM ay masasabi natin ng walang pasubali na isang tunay na makasaysayan.

Makasaysayan, sapagkat inunahan pa nang makabuluhang pasyang ito ng UDM ang Kongreso ng Pilipinas[3] na ituro na bilang hiwalay at indepenyenteng asignatura ang Buhay, Nagawa at mga Sulatin ni Gat Andres Bonifacio at gayundin ang pag-aaral sa Kilusang Katipunan.

Maipagmamalaki ng UDM na sa kanilang ginawa ay nakaukit at nakaguhit sila nang napakahalagang pahina sa kasaysayan ng ating bansa, sapagkat sila ang kauna-unahang paaralan na nagpasya’t gumawa nito.

Ibig sabihin, ang hamak at maliit na UDM na nasa ilalim lamang ng pamahalaang-lungsod ng Maynila at umaasa lamang sa pondo nito ang —kauna-unahang institusyong pang-edukasyon na nagbigay-pugay, dangal, pagkilala at katarungang-historikal sa Supremo!

Hindi maitatatwa na dahil sa mabuti, banal at dalisay na pasyang ito na ginawa at isinakatuparan nang nasabing eskuwelahan na ito ay naungusan, naunahan at nalagpasan din nila sa Karangalan at Pagkilala ang mga naglalakihan at dambuhalang mga paaralan tulad ng Pey Ups, Arteneo, PUP, La sail, Uste at iba pa, na may higit na pasilidad at malaking pondo; ngunit silang lahat ay dinaig ng isang bulilit na paaralan.

Maliit nga kung titingnan ang UDM, ngunit masasabi natin ng tuwiran at deretsahan na ang paaralang ito ay higit na mapagpasya, mapanghamon at may lakas ng loob na gawin ang nararapat para sa interes ng Supremo at ng kanyang Kilusang itinatag at pinamunuan, alalalong baga’y ang Dakilang Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan.

Sa kontekstong ito ay masasabi din natin ng walang alinlangan at walang pasubali na ang desisyon ng BOR ng UDM ay tunay na isang napakalaking paghakbang at pag-igpaw para sa mga indibidwal, mga tao, mga samahan at mga kilusang nagpapalagay, tumataya ng lubos at tunay na naninindigan na dapat na si Gat Andres Bonifacio ang matuwid at karapat-dapat na legal at pormal na ideklara nang mga kinauukulan o nang pamahalang sentral mismo — bilang opisyal, moral at legal na Unang Pangulo ng Bayang ito.[4]

Ito ang nasusulat at ito ang Katotohanan!

Ibig ko ding idiin at salungguhitan na ang Kursong Andres Bonifacio at ang Kilusang Katipunan ay kauna-unahan din sa ating kasaysayan na itinuturo sa UDM.

Kung gayon, marapat lamang na kilalanin ng buong balana’t publiko ang UDM, bilang kauna-unahang paaralan kung saan may asignatura o kursong gaya nito at ito ay kauna-unahan din sa buong kasaysayan ng bansang ito.

Mabuti at kapuri-puri ang mga bagay na ito, ngunit marahil ay itatanong ng mga siniko’t kritiko[5] ang ganito:

Mabuti at mahusay ang inyong programa’t ginagawa, ngunit: eh ano ngayon?

May implikasyon ba o anong signipikansya ng pasya nang inyong paaralan sa ating mga mamamayan at sa bayan?

Ngayong naabot na ninyo ang isa o bahagi ng inyong layunin, — masaya na ba kayo?

Ano ba ang kabuluhan o saysay ng ipinagmamalaki at ipinaglaban ninyong kurso na iyan?

Tugon:

Naniniwala kaming mga mag-aaral, tagasunod at tagapagbandila sa mga kaisipan ng Supremo at lubos naming pinanghahawakan na may malaking epekto at di-masusukat na implikasyon ang magiting na pasyang ginawa ng UDM sa ating mga mamamayan at sa buong lipunan.

Sa unang pagkakataon ay mag-aaral ang ating mga kabataan ng buhay, mga nagawa at sinulat ni Gat Andres Bonifacio.

Hindi na kailangang maging “squatter” o makipagsiksikan ni Bonifacio at mga Katipunero sa kursong Rizal[6] o dili kaya ay sa asignaturang Kasaysayan ng Pilipinas, sapagkat isang buong asignatura o kurso ang nakalaan para sa pag-aaral ng mga Anak ng Bayan.

Nananalig kami na dahil sa ganitong pangyayari ay maipapaliwanag na nang husto kung sino ba talaga si Maypagasa[7], ano o sino ang Haring Bayang Katagalugan at ano ba talaga sa esensya ang silbi’t saysay ng Kataas-taasang Kagalang-galangang Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan?

Sa Kursong ito rin ay maituturo at maipapaliwanag namin ng buong laya at may sapat na panahon ang kaibahan ng Kaisipan at Posisyon ni Dr. Rizal sa Kaisipan at Ipinaglaban ni Bonifacio at ng Bayan!

Ilan sa mga bagay na dapat ilinaw at ituro ng buong husay ay ang mga sumusunod:

Ano ang kaibahan ng Heroe sa Bayani?

Ano ang kaibahan ng La Liga Filipina sa Katipunan?

Ano ang kaibahan ng Nacion sa Bayan?

Ano ang kaibahan ng Rebolusyon sa Himagsikan?

Gayundin, at isa sa pinakamahalaga sa aking paningin, sa pamamagitan ng kursong ito ay nilalayon naming ituwid, itama’t iwasto ang mga kalapastanganan, ang mga kasinungalingan at paninirang-puri[8] ng mga punyetang ilustrado’t traydor[9] sa bayan at sa Himagsikan laban sa Ama ng Himagsikan mismo.

Umaasa ang may akda, na sa ginawang determinado at mapagpasyang hakbang na ito ng UDM ay maangtig nito ang damdaming makabayan at mapukaw ang kamalayang mapaghimagsik/mapagpalaya ng iba’t-ibang paaralan at pamantasan, hindi lamang sa Kamaynilaan, kundi sa buong Kapuluan nang sa gayon sila ay magsisunod na isa-isa o mas mabuting lahat na, sa halimbawang isinagawa ng maliit, ngunit mabuting paaralang ito!

Naniniwala ako na isangdaang taon mula ngayon ay tatanaw at lilingon ang mga bagong Pilipino, sa pangunguna ng kanilang mga Tunay na Mananalaysay at Lehitimong Historyador[10] sa araw ng Hunyo a-uno, taong 2015 at gayundin sa pamantasan ng Unibersidad de Manila upang ito ay bigyang pugay at ipagbunyi!

Ito ang aking nakikibakang pananalig!

Ito ang aking mapagpasyang paniniwala at mapaghimagsik na pagtataya!

Mabuhay si Gat Andres Bonifacio!

Mabuhay ang Kataas-taasan Kagalang-galangang Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan!

Mabuhay at Ituloy ang Himagsikang 1896!

MAYPAGASA!!!
Jose Mario Dolor De Vega
(Ang RadikaL, Anak ng Bayan, KKK)

Associate Professorial Lecturer IV
Humanities and Social Sciences Department
University College
Unibersidad de Manila
[1] Ang may-akda ay propesor sa Unibersidad de Manila at nagtuturo ng mga asignaturang Pilosopiya at Agham-Panlipunan. Isa siya sa mga pinalad na mga guro doon na unang-unang magtuturo ng Kursong Andres Bonifacio at ang Kilusang Katipunan.

[2] Ang may-akda bilang guro sa UDM at kinatawan ng Departamento Humanidades at Agham-Panlipunan ang siyang naging tagapamagitan at tagapag-ugnay ng nasabing paaralan upang sumangguni at humingi ng tulong, payo at suhestiyon kay Dr. Zeus A. Salazar na kinikilalang Ama ng Bagong Historyagrapiyang-Pilipino, tagapagtatag at pangunahing tagapagsulong ng Pantayong Pananaw at kinikilalang puno ng Bagong Kasaysayan. Sa ngalan ng aming paaralan at Departamento ay ibig kong magpasalamat sa kanya at sampu ng aming mga kasama’t kapatid sa Bagong Kasaysayan sa lahat ng kanilang tulong at ambag! Marapat lamang na malaman ng buong balana’t publiko na si Dr. Salazar ang siyang nagwasto’t nagtuwid ng unang Borador ng Descripsyon ng Kurso (Course Description) at gayundin, isinaayos at iwinasto niya ang Syllabus ng nasabing Kurso! Marami pong salamat sa inyo, Mahal na Dr. Salazar at Mabuhay po kayo!

[3] Ang Panukalang Batas Andres Bonifacio Act of 2011 o House Bill 4353 hanggang sa ngayon ay nakabinbin pa din sa Tongreso o Babuyang Pambansa at patuloy na kumakain ng alikabok.

[4] Tingnan ang “Andres Bonifacio and the 1896 Revolution” nina Propesor Milagros C. Guerrero, Emmanuel N. Encarnacion at Ramon N. Villegas na mula sa Sulyap Kultura na publikasyon ng National Commission for Culture and the Arts.

[5] Ito ang mga punyetang nilalang na mga makabagong ilustrado’t burgesya na tutol at laban sa lahat ng mga ginawa ng Supremo.

[6] Republic Act 1425 o Batas Rizal.

[7] Isa sa Sagisag-Panulat na ginamit ng Supremo. Ang isa pa ay Agapito Bagumbayan.

[8] Kabilang dito ang puna na si Andres Bonifacio daw ay mainitin ang ulo, mangmang, walang naipanalo ni isang laban noong Himagsikan at iba pang kasinungalingan at paninirang-puri.

[9] Numero uno na dapat tukuyin, pagbayarin at singilin sa mga kahayupan, kabuktutan, kasinungalingan at paninirang-puring ito ay walang iba kundi ang pekeng unang pangulo dawn g Pilipinas na walang iba kundi ang traydor, mamamatay-tao, takbuhin, duwag at oportunistang si Emilio Aguinaldo sampu ng mga hangal at dayukdok niyang Magdalong mga taksil sa Bayan at sa Himagsikan.

[10] Sandamakmak ang mga peke at nagpapanggap na “Historyador” daw. Yaong iba ay nagsusulat pa nga sa mga peryodiko, samantalang ang iba ay nakapag-aral lamang sa ibang bansa at pag-uwi dito ay nagsusulat diumano ng kasaysayan ng bansa, ngunit malayo naman sa kaluluwa o kalinangan ng bayan ang kanilang mga isinusulat! Bakit? Paano ba naman, pa-wers-wers lamang ang alam at hindi kayang magsulat gamit ang wika at lengguahe ng bayan mismo. Paano magsusulat ng kasaysayan ng Pilipinas ang mga gagong ito, gayong hindi naman nila kayang magsalita at magsulat gamit ang wika at lengguahe ng Bayan? Sa isang salita: mga peke, panggap, trying-hard at self-proclaimed so-called “historians” ang mga kupal na mga eng-eng na mga ito!

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[Blog] Pamantayan, Pag-iisip at Pagkatuto ni Jose Mario De Vega

Pamantayan, Pag-iisip at Pagkatuto[1]
ni Jose Mario De Vega

Vote for this article for the 5th HR Pinduteros’ choice awards…

Isang Pagtatangkang Pag-aaral at Anotasyon sa Papel ni Dr. Zosimo E. Lee: Unang Bahagi[2]

1. Paano natin masasabi na tayo ay malaya?

Kinakailangang may pamantayan upang masabi natin na tayo ay malaya.

Ang pamantayang tinutukoy dito ay nagsisilbing pundasyon o alituntunin o maaaring tukuyin na mas mataas na uri nang pamantayan.

Maaari ding sabihin na ang pamantayan o alituntuning ito ay tanglaw o gabay. Ito rin ay isang tagumpay mula sa isang pagsisikhay sa ating patuloy na pakikibaka’t pakikihamok sa buhay.

Mario De Vega

Kinakailangan ng sukdulang kaganapan, upang masabi at matukoy natin ng walang pasubali’t alinlangan na tayo nga ay umabot na sa isang punto o yugto na kung saan ay masasabi nating tayo nga ay tunay na malaya o ganap na!

Ang kalayaang ito ay nagtataglay ng dalawang aspeto o bahagi: ito ay isang proseso bukod pa sa isang ultimong kaganapan.

Ano ba ang ibig sabihin ng isang proseso na ito ay malaya?

Nangangahulugan ba na tayo ay malaya kung tayo ay kumikilos o gumagampan ng malaya at walang sagka?

O, masasabi ba natin na tayo nga ay malaya kung tayo ay nakakakilos ng malaya patungo sa isang layunin at mithiin?

May kinalaman o epekto ba ang kalayaang ating sinasabi sa nasabing proseso (kalayaang lumikha o maging malikhain, halimbawa) sa magiging bunga o produkto nang nasabing akto’t gawi?

Ano ba ang ibig sabihin ng kalayaang lumikha o maging malikhain?

Ano ba ang ibig sabihin ng kalayaan ng isang tao na magdesisyon o magpasya sa kanyang ganang sarili?

2. Ano ang kaibahan sa pagitan ng mga sumusunod: ‘matuwid’, ‘perpekto’ at ‘makatwiran’?

Ang pagiging matuwid, perpekto at makatwiran ay hindi lamang mga pamantayan, ang mga ito din ay mga punto o yugto ng kasukdulan at mga pagsusumikap na umabot sa kaganapan.

Ano ba ang ibig sabihin ng paggawa o pag-akto ng matuwid?

Kailan natin masasabi na ang isang akto o pagganap ay makatwiran?

Ano ang ibig sabihin ng paggawa o pag-akto na dalisay, lantay at perpekto?

Kailan natin masasabi na ang isang gawa ay hindi lamang mahusay kundi — perpekto nga?

Kailan natin masasabi na tayo ay gumagalaw, kumikilos at gumagampan ng makatwiran, patas, makabuluhan at parehas?

Ang tatlong birtud o katangian na tinukoy ko sa itaas ay mga pamantayan o sukatan ng mga halagahan.

Ang mga katangiang ito ay mga pamantayan nga, sapagkat sila ay ating ginagamit na kasangkapan bilang panukat o barometro upang bigyang-halaga o timbangin ang kalidad, sustansya at tunay na halaga, hindi lamang ang resulta o inabot ng ating mga pagkilos, programa at polisiya; manapa ay tinitingnan at sinusuri din natin mismo ang ating mga naging pagkilos, pag-akto at pagtalima…

Ang mga ito ay mga pamantayan, sapagkat tayo din ay kumikilos, humahatol at nagpapasya batay sa ating mga pagsusuri at pagtalima sa kanila.

Ang usapin ng Paghatol at Pagpapasya

Ginagamit natin ang pamantayan bilang basehan o salalayan para sa ating pagpapasya — bago tayo tuluyang magpasya.
Ginagawa natin ito nang sa gayon ay umabot tayo sa isang konklusyong risonable, alalaong baga ay matuwid at makatwiran.

Halimbawa, gamit ang ating pang-unawa nang pamantayan ng pagiging ‘matuwid’, hindi ba’t hindi mapapasubalian na tayo ay makakapagbigay ng ating opinion at kuru-kuro sa isang partikular na akto, gawi at pagkilos?

Gayundin, gamit pa din ang nasabing pamantayan, hindi ba’t nakakapagpahayag (at makakapagpasya) din tayo kung sa ating paningin ay makatwiran ba o hindi ang isang akto o gawi o kung ang nasabing pagkilos ay tila ba hindi matuwid o tiyak na hindi makatwiran.

Kapag tayo ay tinanong hinggil sa bagay na ito ay masasabi natin ng direkta na tayo ay umabot na sa nasabing pagpapasya o hatol gawa o gamit o bunsod ng pamantayan ng pagiging ‘matuwid’ at/o ‘makatwiran’.

Ang pagpapasya o paghatol na ito ay produkto nang ating personal na deliberasyon, pagninilay, paglilimi-limi’t pagdidili-dili batay sa interrelasyon at kapuri-puring ugnayan ng mga pamantayan, sa mga katangian at mga birtud at gayundin ng ating sariling mga pagtingin, pagtataya, pang-unawa at apresasyon ng lahat ng mga elementong nagsasalimbayan sa ultimong kabuuan nito…

Muli, ibig kong ihayag na ang pagiging matuwid, lantay at/o dalisay at pagkamakatwiran ay mga layunin din at manapa ay mga tagumpay na layunin, hangarin at mithiin!

Ang konsepto nang mga ‘pivots’[3] o pagbaling

Ang ‘pivots’ o pagbaling ay nagaganap sa ating pagpihit o pagbago nang ating galaw.[4]

O, maaari din marahil sabihin na kaya tayo nagbago ng ating galaw ay dahilan sa pangangailangan nating bumaling o pumihit — ayon o gawa nang pangangailangang hinihingi ng panahon at/o pagkakataon.[5]

Marahil, ito ay nagaganap din sa isang kadahilanang pekulyar at espesyal bunga ng actor na gumaganap sa nasabing sitwasyon o partikular na kondisyon.

Maaari din naman na nagaganap ang pangangailangan na ito batay o bunga nang sirkumstansya at iba pang mga karakter at elemento na nakapaloob sa nasabing pangyayari o karanasan…

Ang pagbaling ay nagdudulot din at nagbibigay sa atin ng pagkakataon na magbago nang posisyon (at paniniwala? prinsipyo?) na umakto’t pumihit sa higit na mas tamang akto’t-pagpapasya.[6]

Marahil, maaari ding ipagpalagay na kaya tayo bumiling o pumihit ay gawa nang pagpagkakataon na bunga ng nasabing panahon.

Kung gayon, masasabi natin ng tuwiran at hindi maitatanggi na ang ating pagbiling ay ang punto o yugto kung saan tayo pumihit upang magbago ng ating galaw at pasya.

Maaari nating tukuyin na may tatlong posibleng uri o tipo nang pagpihit. Sila ang mga sumusunod:

Kaganapan o instrumental, pamamaraan at katapusan at panghuli, bahagi at kabuuan…

Ang kaganapan ay ang punto o yugto nang pag-abot sa minimithi o inaasam na katuparan ng tagumpay, samantalang ang instrumental ay maaaring maging tulay o susi patungong kaganapan ng tagumpay; kahit pa nga ang instrumental ay hindi siyang kaganapan.

Ang pares naman ng pamamaraan at katapusan ay medyo kakaiba o naiiba ng kaunti, sapagkat maaari nating bigyang kahulugan ang rasyonalidad, halimbawa sa aspeto o mga katanungang tulad ng: ano ang pinakamagaling, pinakamabisa, pinakaepisyente o pinakaepektibong pamamaraan patungo sa isang partukular na katapusan?

Kung gayon, walang pagdududa na ang pamamaraan at katapusan ay may relasyon sa isa’t-isa na masasabi natin na isang uri nang relasyon o ugnayan na depenitibo o tiyak, sapagkat ang kanilang relasyon ay organiko o likas o alalaong baga ay natural sa isa’t-isa.

Gawa niyon, masasabi natin na ang pamamaraan ay nagagawang maimpluwensyahan ang mga magaganap o nagaganap na kaganapan, sa katotohanan na ang kalidad ng nasabing pamamaraan ang maaaring maging susi o magtakda o magdetermina nang kalidad ng kaganapang hinahangad.

Samantalang ang kasukdulan ay maaaring tumayo ng mag-isa, ang instrumental naman ay hindi nangangahulugan na ito ay maaaring umabot sa yugtong ibig natin; sapagkat maaari na ito ay tumungo o mapadpad sa kung saan na masasabi nating mainam at kapaki-pakinabang, ngunit kakatwa na naabot nito ang isang yugto o layon o destinasyon na hindi natin inakala, plinano o itinakda.

Tila ba ito ay nagkaroon na nang sarili niyang direksyon, layon at buhay — na kakatwa, ngunit mainam, sapagkat tulad ng naturan na — nagawa nitong umabot sa isang yugto na hindi naman natin orihinal na itinakda.

Ang bahagi at kabuuan ay mga pagbaling din at ito ay mapapatunayan natin sa ating pagtingin kung paano sila nakikipag-ugnayan sa iba’t-ibang entidad.

Halimbawa: Ang silid na ito ay parte ng isang gusali, ang gusali na ito naman ay matatagpuan o nakatayo sa isang tiyak na lokasyon, sa isang tiyak na lugar at ang nasabing pook na ito naman ay bahagi nang mas malaking kapookan.

Kaya naman, kung ibig nating maunawaan ng lubusan sa pangkalahatan ang konsepto ng bahagi, kinakailangan nating isaalang-alang ang kabuuan sapagkat silang dalawa ay magkabahagi o kabahagi at magkasanib ng isang kakaibang uri nang mas mataas na antas ng pananaw at mas malawak na tipo nang perspektiba.

Lumalago at lumalawak ang ating pagtingin at pang-unawa sa tuwing tayo ay titingin o sisipat mula sa pananaw o perspektiba nang kabuuan at gayundin naman ng mga bahagi nito. Sa ganitong kaparaanan ay matutunghayan natin ang pagbubuo o pagsasalikop at pagsasanib ng mga bahagi patungo sa isang kabuuang buo at ganap.

Gayon pa man, ibig ko ding ipahayag na may mga ibang uri o tipo nang mga kabahagian na maaaring magbuo o sumapi o sumanib sa ibang uri o antas ng ibang mga kabuuan.

Nakatutuwa na sa oras na ito ay ating mabanaag, makita, mabatid at maranasan ay magugulat tayo na binabago nang pangyayari o penomenolohiyang ito an gating pananaw at perkspektiba, iyon ay kung magagawa nga natin na tingnan o sipatin ang mga kakaibang uri ng mga bahagi na ito mula sa perspektiba o pananaw ng iba’t-ibang uri ng mga kabuuan.

Iba’t-iba ang pagtingin sa tao ng iba’t-ibang mga Disiplina at Batis ng Kaalaman, mula sa Pisiyolohikal na Anatomiya, sa Anthropolohiyang Kultural, sa Sosyolohiyang Politikal, Pang-ekonomiyang-gawi at pag-uugali, sa Sikolohiyang Moral at iba pa.

Gawa o bunsod ng kabuuang pangyayari o manapa ay isang masalimuot na prosesong ito ay pinasusulpot nito’t nahahayag ang iba’t-ibang uri ng dimension at ito ay nagiging katanggap-tanggap, risonable at makabuluhan…

4. Ang Pagsasaalang-alang ng mga Bagay-Bagay

Ang isa sa pinakamakatuturang elemento o pmamamaraan sa usapin ng wastong pagtugon at paglutas ng problema o suliranin ay ang pagsasaalang-alang ng kung ano ba ang marapat at kinakailangan ikunsidera.

Marapat na tayo ay tumingin sa buong larawan ng isang partikular na suliranin, upang makita natin sa kabuuan ang lawak at hangganan nito.

Mahalaga ang proseso o pamamaraang ito upang makita din natin ang solusyon o posibleng mga lunas o tugon sa nasabing suliranin.

Sa pamamagitan din ng ganitong pagtingin at pagkilala sa suliranin natin maaapuhap ang mga kasagutan at ito nama’y magtutulak sa atin sa wastong pagtitimbang at pagsasaalang-alang ng lahat ng mga elemento, posibilidad, ibang uri ng pamamaraan at pagtugon at gayundin, ang ultimong pagtingin sa lahat ng maaaring mga katugunan.

Sa gayon, mapipili natin, marahil ang pinakamabisa, pinakamabuti at pinakawastong kasagutan sa nasabing suliraning ating kinahaharap!

Ito ay isang komprehensibong pagdamulat at paggagap, hindi lamang ng ating pag-akto’t pagganap, kundi pati na sa buong sitwasyon, tulad ng nasabi na, ng problema sa kabuuan nito at ng pinakamabisang lunas, matapos maisakatuparan at maisaalang-alang ang lahat ng mga mahahalagang mga bagay-bagay at elemento.

Sapagkat, ang mabuting pagkaunawa at pulidong pagkagagap sa konteksto ng nasabing problema ay nangangahulugan na tayo ay seryoso at matamang nag-iisip hinggil sa mga mapagpasya at importanteng elemento na kaabibat at gumagampan sa loob ng masalimuot na sitwasyong ating kinapapalooban at kinakaharap!

Kalabisan ng sabihin pa na ang isang problematikong sitwasyon ay kinakailangan ng isang masusi at masinop na solusyon, upang makita ito sa kabuuan kung ano ba talaga ang maituturing na sitwasyon o kondisyon sa pinakakabuuan nito.

Hindi po naman sinasabi na tanging ang kabuuan lamang ang mahalaga at mapagpasya, sapagkat ang katotohanan, hindi mabubuo ang imahe o konsepto o larawan natin ng kabuuan kung hindi din natin sinuri, tiningnan o isinaalang-alang ang iba’t-ibang mga bahagi nito!

Muli, nais kong ipahayag na kalabisan ng sabihin na sa anumang pagtingin sa anumang suliranin, hindi maitatawa na kinakailangan ding ikunsidera ang mga salik o iba’t-ibang bahagi nito; sapagkat hindi tayo makabubuo ng kabuuan, kung hindi tayo tumingin o titingin sa mga bahagi nito at gayon din naman, ang mga bahagi ay mapagpasyang sangkap, haligi o elemento ng isang kabuuan…

Ang pamantayang ng pagiging mabusisi at masinop, halimbawa ay nag-aatas sa atin na hindi lamang dapat maging maingat at metikuloso sa ating pagtingin at pag-aaral ng mga suliranin, manapa tayo ay inuutusan din ng nasabing panuntunan na maging mas bukas at kritikal ang isip, mapangahas, magkaroon ng malawak na pagn-unawa’t pananaw ng sagayon ay magtagumpay tayo na ugatin, tukuyin, madumatin at solusyunan ang nasabing suliranin sa isang komprehensibong pamamaraan…
[1] Papel na binasa ni Dr. Zosimo E. Lee sa Benitez Theater bilang isa sa mga pangunahing tagapagsalita sa Forum na inorganisa ng University of the Philippines-Diliman College of Education at Educational Foundations (EDFD341) Graduate Class na may temang: “Philosophy of Philippine Education: Challenges and Directions Amidst Globalization” noong ika-2 ng Mayo, 2015.

[2] Si Jose Mario De Vega ay Associate Professorial Lecturer IV sa Unibersidad de Manila at nagtuturo ng mga asignaturang Pilosopiya at Agham-Panlipunan. Dati niyang guro si Dr. Zosimo E. Lee sa Departamento ng Pilosopiya.

[3] Sa kanyang lektura, tinukoy o ginamit ni Dr. Lee bilang analohiya ang larong basketball upang ilarawan sa kanyang ilustrasyon ang gamit o konsepto niya ng “pivots” o pagbaling sa aking personal na pagbasa’t pagturing.
Sumasang-ayon ako sa aking guro sa halimbawang kanyang ginamit, ngunit ibig ko sanang dagdagan ang diskusyon hinggil sa bagay na ito.
Sa larong basketball, naipapamalas ng isang manlalaro ang kanyang galling at kasanayan sa nasabing laro sa pagpapakita niya ng maayos at kaiga-igayang paggamit ng kanyang pivot foot.
Ginagamit ang pivot foot ng isang manlalaro sa mga susmusunod na sitwasyon:
Una, upang makaiwas sa dumedepensa o bumabantay sa kanya;
Ikalawa, ginagamit din itong sorpresa o panlilinlang (tinatawag na “nakaw play” sa termino ng mga basketbolista;
Ikatlo, ginagamit din ito bilang pagtatago (hiding the ball) o pagdepensa sa bola laban sa kalaban o sa nagbabantay (nagaganap ito kapag nag-uubos na ng oras ang koponang lamang sa bilang); at
Ikaapat at pinakamahalaga, upang makaiskor o makapuntos ng hindi gayon kahirap.
Halimbawa, ang isang manlalaro na bihasa at dalubhasa sa paggamit ng kanyang pivot foot at maaaring pumihit o bumaling sa kaliwa (turning or spinning to the left) o kanan (turning or spinning to the right) o palayo sa depensa (ito ay tinatawag na fade away shot) o maaari din ang turn around shot (na maaaring turning or spinning either to the left or right) depende sa anggulo ng busluan (basket) at puwesto ng depensa.
Gayon pa man, anuman ang uri o tipo ng tira na gamitin ng nasabing manlalaro, hindi niya maaaring iangat o ihakbang ang kanyang pivot foot na ginamit, sapagkat ito ay paglabag sa alituntunin ng nasabing palakasan o laro. Tinawag itong “traveling” o “walking” o “dribbling without the ball”!
Kung kaya naman, muli, makikita natin ang kagalingan at kahusayan ng isang manlalaro na makaiwas sa depensa at makatira ng maayos (o “luwag” sa termimo ng mga basketbolista at makabuslo’t makapuntos — ng hindi lumalabag sa regal o panuntunan ng nasabing paligsahan.

[4] Ang ating pag-pivot o pagbaling ay nakadepende din sa kinakaharap nating sitwasyon. Halimbawa, batay sa ilustrasyong ginamit natin sa talibaba bilang tatlo, nasa plano ng isang manlalaro na gagamitin niyang pivot o pagbaling ang kanyang kaliwang paa, ngunit nakareact o nabasa ng depensa ng kalabang koponan ang ibig mangyari ng nasabing manlalaro na may hawak ng bola; kung kaya naman sapagkat “tukoy” o “basa” o kita na ang ibig niyang mangyari ay kailangan niyang umakto at isaalang-alang ang nasabing pangyayari.
Ang kanyang mga opsyon ay ang mga sumusunod:
Maaari niyang ipasa ang bola sa iba niyang kasapi o kamanlalaro
Maaari niyang pwersahin ang sitwasyon (ngunit ito ay maaaring mauwi sa isang pagkakamali o paglabag [traveling] sa alituntunin ng nasabing laro
O, maaari niyang baguhin ang kanyang plano na sa halip na gamitin ang kaliwa ay lumipat sa kanan ng hindi lumalabag sa reglamento ng paligsahan.
Ipinapakita sa partikular na sitwasyong ito hindi lamang ang kagalingan ng isang manlalaro kundi pati ang kanyang kakayahang basahin ang buong sitwasyon.
Gayundin, nagpapakita din ito ng pagiging malikhain ng nasabing atleta!
Pinanghahawakan kong ganito rin dapat ang ating pagtingin sa batas ng buhay. Kinakailangan nating iangkop at iugnay an gating mga plano, layunin at mithiin batay sa hinihingi ng mga panahon at pagkakataon.
Sa Sikolohiya, ito ay ang tinatawag na “adaptation to the situation” o “survival instinct”, sa Pilosopiya naman ay angkop dito ang konsepto ng Kairos na maaaring tukuyin bilang “pivotal play”, “crucial moment” o alalaong-baga ay “momentous event or the moment of the decision” at sa Siyensya-Militar naman ay tinatawag itong “rerouting of the war plan”.
Halimbawa, batay sa huli, kung hindi maaaring i-out-flank ang kalabang hukbo sa kanan nito ay kailangan o maaaring magpasya ang hukbong sumalakay o kumukubkob nito na umatake halimbawa kaya sa kaliwang bahagi o gitnang posisyon ng kalabang hukbo.

[5] Halimbawa, plano natin na magtungo ngayong araw na ito sa PUP gamit ang ruta mula sa Sucat hanggang Sta. Mesa gamit ang PNR train, ngunit sa kasamaang-palad ay napag-alaman natin na gawa ng aksidente noong nakaraang Linggo ay hindi pa gawa ang mga riles na nasira kung kaya naman, hanggang ngayon ay wala pang operasyon o byahe ang nasabing moda ng transportasyon. Wala tayong magagawa, kundi ang bumaling o pumihit pabalik kung saan tayo nagmula kanina lamang! Ibig sabihin, sapagkat walang tran na bumubiyahe ay mapipilitan tayong magbago ng ating direksyon o paraan ng pagpunta sa Sta. Mesa.

[6] Pumapasok dito ang konsepto ng pagbabago din naman ng ating paniniwala o pasya (change of mind? change of heart?) bunga o dulot ng ating realisasyon (realization) ng buong pangyayari at sitwasyon sa kabuuan nito. Nagbibigay din ito sa atin ng karampatang pagkakataon na magwasto ng ating inaakalang tamang posisyon na ipinakita sa atin ng pagkakataon na tila mali o baliko. Kung gayon, ito ang pinakamahalagang salik o aspeto ng pagbaling: ang pagbibigay sa atin ng pagkakataon na magwasto at magtuwid ng ating mga pananaw, prinsipyo’t paniniwala!

[Blog] Kalma sa Mahal na Araw by Mokong Perspektib

Kalma sa Mahal na Araw.

Jpeg

Hindi ako “practicing Christian o Catholic” ngunit ngayong mahal na araw na ito ay sasamantalahin ko ang mahaba-habang bakasyon upang makapagmuni-muni.  Sa iba, panahon daw ito ng repleksiyon. Sa relihiyoso, linggo ito ng pagninilay. Para sa ‘kin panahon ito ng pananahimik at pag-iisip. Kalma.

Mokong logo

Ika’tlong araw na ngang tanghali na kung gumigising. Halos pinagsasabay ang lunch at snacks sa hapon. Mag-aalas nuebe ng gabi kung maghapunan.  Mag-uumaga na kung matulog matapos ang panunuod ng dvds.

Bukod kasi sa pagpapakita itong may laya ang aking oras, dahil sa kahit kailan ko gustuhin o piliing magutom ay nagagawa ko, ay pagsasamantala ko ito sa pagkakataong iba sa pang-araw-araw na paghahabol sa oras, pagmamadali, pag-aalala atbp.

Hindi ang 12:00 ang magsasabing magtanghalian na ako- kailangang magtanghalian na ko. O kaya ang 1:30 na kailangang may tinatrabaho o dapat nang magtrabaho.

Kung ano ang bakasyon para sa king depinisyon?– ito ay ang kawalan ng pagmamadali, isang umaatikabong pagri-relax. Isang kalayaan sa tiktok ng orasan. Alisin mo ito ay anupa’t nagbakasyon ka.

Para sa ‘kin, kailangan ito ng lahat ng tao. Walang makapagsasabi na hindi nangangailangan ng pahinga.  Sa walong oras na pagtatrabaho sa isang araw na dapat ay apat lamang kung pagbabatayan ang isang makataong pagtrato sa mga manggagawa o empleyado.

Na dapat ay marami pa siyang magagawa sa iba pang mga oras bukod sa paghahanapbuhay. Dahil ang tao ay nangangailangan din ng mga aktibidad na kaniyang pinili para sa self improvement, development o pag-unlad at kasama dito ang pagkakaron ng sapat na pahinga.

Kung paanong ang mga bata ay dapat na may oras para maglaro at matulog upang lumaki agad ayon sa matatanda, ganun din naman tayong mga adult.

Kaya pag naumay sa panunuod ng TV, laro naman sa laptop at cellphone ang inaatupag o ‘di kaya ay ang pag-i-stalk sa mga fb ng mga taong kaaya-aya sa paningin. Ang sarap nang magagawa mo ang gusto mong gawin sa oras mo.

Para sa akin sa pamamagitan nito ay maiiwasan ang depresyon na kadalasan ay pinalala ng stress. Mga stress na dinudulot ng sobrang pagtatrabaho ngunit parang wala namang patutunguhan. Parang wala namang pag-unlad na naidudulot sa buhay. Na parang kahit anong sipag ang gawin mo ay matatagalan ka,mahihirapan, sa madalas ay mabibigo na makuha ang pangarap na buhay.

Bagamat hindi katulad ng regular na trabaho ang NGO work. Dito ay may relatibong kaluwagan, hindi ka pagagalawin ng sahod, ngunit ganun pa din, ginagamit ang 8 hour work bilang batayan ng propesyunalismo at regulasyon. Hindi negatibo, ngunit sa bandang huli ay makakaranas ka pa rin ng kapaguran, pagkabagot o pagkauyam at ika nga ng iba ay mas matinding stress. Ang pambalanse o bawi ng isang NGO work, nagagawa mo ang adbokasiyang gusto mo.

Naiugnay ko din ito sa pagpapakamatay ng isang kaibigan.  Sa ganitong kaso, walang ibang paliwanag akong naiisip at naririnig din naman sa iba, kun’di isang depresyon ang dahilan.  Kung paano at bakit mo kikitlin ang sariling buhay? Kung hindi dahil sa pagka-depress sa buhay at sa mga stress na hindi na kayanin ng isip at katawan.

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[Blog] Ang Pagpapatuloy ng Bulag na Pagdakila: si Jose Rizal by Jose Mario De Vega

Ang Pagpapatuloy ng Bulag na Pagdakila: si Jose Rizal, “Josie” at ang kagaguhan to the max ng ilan nating mga kababayan daw

Vote for this article for the 5th HR Pinduteros’ choice awards…

What the fuck is so sancrosanct with the name? What the hell is the matter with the name of the so-called national hero of this land that it cannot be a subject of an intellectual discourse and literary/virtual image? What is so sacred with the name Rizal?

Mario De Vega

Ayon sa ulat ng GMANetwork, Lifestyle/Art and Culture, “NCCA to study ‘Josie Rizal’ Tekken character issue, look at legal aspect”, April 3rd:

“The National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) said in a press statement Thursday that it is “studying what actions it may take on the issue of the name and image of Dr. Jose Rizal” being used for the “Josie Rizal” Tekken 7 character.

“NCCA Chairman Felipe de Leon Jr said the NCCA will be working with the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) to study the legal aspect of the issue.

“De Leon also said in the statement posted on Facebook (wala na ang statement daw na ito sa FB kaninang alas onse ng gabi nung pinindot ko! Anyare? Asan na?) that Dr. Leodenito Cañete’s opinion on “Josie Rizal” “is not reflective of the stand of the Commission” and added that Cañete “is not an NCCA official” nor is he a member of any NCCA national committee.”

Komentaryo:

Ano ang signipikasya ke si Machete, este si Canete pala ay hindi opisyal ng NCCA? Ano din ang pakialam namin kung siya man ay hindi kasapi ng pambansang komite ng NCCA gayong kahit siya ay hindi opisyal ay pinag-aaralan naman daw ng NCCA kung ano ang posibleng hakbang o aksyon na kanilang gagawin hinggil sa isyu ng pangalan at imahe ni Dr. Jose Rizal na siyang ginamit diumano para sa karakter ni Josie Rizal ng larong Tekken 7.

Ibig kong malaman, ano ang magiging batayan ng kanilang legal na hakbangin kung saka-sakali?

Nais ba nilang sabihin sa buong mundo na walang karapatan ang sinumang artista o alagad ng sining o manunulat o video game creator na lumikha ng karakter na malapit o kagaya o kauri o hango sa pangalan at “imahe” ni Dr. Rizal?

Pag-aari ba nang mga hunghang na mga yaon ang pangalan at imahe ni Dr. Rizal?

Nakalimutan na kaya ng mga hangal na ito na saan mang legal na hurisdiksyon na gumagalang, sumusunod at tumatalima sa unibersal na deklarasyon ng karapatang-Pantao (Universal Declaration of Human Rights) na ang karapatan sa pamamahayag at pagpapahayag ay mga karapatang hindi maaaring baliin o putulin o bawasan o labagin ng sinumang estado at pamahalaan na miyembro ng Nagkakaisang Bansa (UN) at ang mga karapatang ito ay hindi lamang iginagalang kundi manapa ay sinasamba’t ibinabantayog!?

Ibig ko ding itanong sa mga gago na ito, kung sakali mang sila ay magrereklamo o magdedemanda doon sa lumikha ng karakter ni Josie, ano ang kaso o sakdal na kanilang isasampa?

Nasaktan ang kanilang mga damdamin dahil sa isang karakter sa isang video game na ang tunog ng pangalan ay malapit sa kanilang ilustradong pambansang bayani?

Bwahahahahahahaha! Ito ay isang napakalaking katarantaduhan at lantarang kabuhungan!

Nais ko ding itanong, kung saka-sakali, saang korte nila isasampa ang kanilang tukmol at impertinenteng kaso?

Hindi ko maintindihan kung ano ang ipinaggagalaite ng mga eng-eng na mga nasyonalista daw na mga ito. Ano ba ang peg nyo na mga leche kayo? Push kayo ng push na mga punyeta kayo, eh ano ba ang ipinaglalaban nyo? Hindi ko carry ang lebel ng inyong mentalidad! Para sa akin, dapat kayong sunugin o dili kaya ay sabay-sabay na ipagbibigti doon sa Torre de Manila!

Ang pagmamahal ba ninyo sa bayan o sa bayaning sa tingin ninyo ay nabastos ay naipapakita lamang sa ganitong pamamaraan?

Superpisyal at mababaw ang inyong nasyonalismo, sa aking pananaw!

Wala na ba kayong magawa (ang mas higit pa ngang tanong ay kung ano ba ang inyong makabuluhang ginagawa?) kung kaya’t pati ba naman isang likhang karakter sa larong Tekken 7 na ang pangalan ay malapit kay Jose Rizal ay pinag-aaksayahan ninyo ng oras?

Unang punto:

Kayo ba ay mga bopols to the core at mangmang to the max na hindi ninyo kayang makita ang naghuhumindig na katotohanan na si Jose Rizal at si Josie Rizal ay magkaiba?

Ang una ay totoong tao na nabuhay at namatay, samantalang ang huli ay isang likhang karakter lamang. Si Jose ay lalaki, samantalang babae naman si Josie!

Nasaan ang pangbabastos dito? Oh, dahil ba sa kaaya-aya (o maiksi, kaya malaswa?) ang kasusuotan ni Josie? Eh, kung pinagsuot kaya siya ng damit tulad ni Maria Clara, eepal pa din ba kayo?

Ikalawang punto:

Kung halimbawang gumawa kaya ng karakter na Andrea Bonifacio o Emily Jacinto sa DOTA, ganito din kaya ang inyong magiging reaksyon?

Aminin na ninyo ang katotohanan, wala lamang kayong magawa at kayo ay nutnutan ng pagka-bias kay Lolo Pepe.

Ang katotohanan, ang inyong nasyonalismong elitista ay nakabatay sa favoritismo!!!!

Ikatlong punto:

Nais kong muling itanong:

What the fuck is so sancrosanct with the name? What the hell is the matter with the name of the so-called national hero of this land? What is so sacred with the name Rizal?

Ikaapat na punto:

Bakit ba tuwing si Jose Rizal ang nasasangkot, ngunit ang katotohanan ay hindi naman siya sangkot, ngunit ipinilit ninyong sangkot ay tila kayo ay nababaliw at nabubuwang?

Sa isyu ng Torre de Manila, hindi pa ito tapos ngunit ano ang inyong pinaggagagawa (at patuloy na ginagawa)?

Ngayon naman ay ang isyu na ito na tulad sa Torre de Manila ay wala ding kakuwenta-kuwenta at totoong walang katuturan!

Hindi ko talaga maintindihan ang ilan sa ating mga kababayan hinggil sa kanilang masidhing pagtutol sa nasabing tore at doon sa video karakter ni Josie!

Iniisip ko, hindi ko lamang alam kung naiisip din nila, ano ba ang higit na mahalaga at mapagpasya sa buhay, kultura at kaluluwa ng isang bansa; yaong punyetang tore na yon o yaong bayani na nasa unahan nung nasabing tore?

Mahalaga ba kung matuloy o hindi ang karakter ni Josie sa buhay ng ating bansa? Nakasalalay ba ang dangal at reputasyon ng bayang ito sa karakter ng isang babae sa video game?

Daming suliranin ng kupal na bayang ito, bakit hindi yaon ang pagtuunan natin ng pansin?

Araw-araw tayong binababoy ng mga Beho sa loob mismo ng ating teritoryo, ano ang ginagawa natin hinggil sa bagay na ito?

Yaong talamak nating suliranin sa korapsyon, ano ang ating ginagawa upang dalhin sa hustisya ang mga putang-inang naglalakihang mga magnanakaw sa kaawa-awang bayang ito?

Sa pangyayari sa Mamasapano, muling ipinakita doon (ang matagal na nating alam) na hanggang ngayong ay mga tuta pa din tayo ng mga imperyalistang Kano, ano ang ating ginagawa hinggil sa karima-rimarim na katotohanang yaon?

Kung totoong tayo ay mga nasyonalista at tayo’y gumagalang kay Dr. Jose Rizal, bakit wala tayong ginagawa laban sa korapsyon? Laban sa mga arogante at ganid na mga Beho? Laban sa mga imperyalistang Kano?

Anong klase tayong bansa?

Ang nasyonalismo ba natin at pagmamahal sa bayan ay nakabatay lamang sa mga pangalan at imahe ng ating mga bayani?

Putang-ina! Ito ay oportunismo, hipokrasya at pekeng nasyonalismo! Walang saysay na pagmamahal kuno ito sa bayan!

Ang tunay na nasyonalismo ay ang mismong pagsasabuhay ng mga diwa, aral, prinsipyo, paniniwala at mga batayang pilosopiya ng ating mga bayani na kanilang ipinaglaban, pinagsakrispisyo at pinagpakamatayan!

Ang tunay na pagmamahal sa bayan ay literal na pagmamahal sa bayan, sukdulang ito ay umabot sa pagbububo natin ng ating mga dugo at pagbubuwis natin ng ating mga buhay!!!

Bakit tayo nagsasayang ng panahon sa usapin ng tore at video karakter?

SHAME ON US ALL!!!

SUMPAIN TAYO NG KASAYSAYAN!

HATULAN TAYO NG LANGIT AT NG BAYAN!

MULTUHIN TAYO NG TUNAY NA DIWA AT LEHITIMONG IMAHE NG TUNAY NA SI DR. RIZAL!!!!

Jose Mario Dolor De Vega

All submissions are republished and redistributed in the same way that it was originally published online and sent to us. We may edit submission in a way that does not alter or change the original material.

Human Rights Online Philippines does not hold copyright over these materials. Author/s and original source/s of information are retained including the URL contained within the tagline and byline of the articles, news information, photos etc.

[Blog] A Mockery and Travesty of Justice: The Continuing Persecution and Permanent Harassment of Anwar Ibrahim by the powers that be in Malaysia by Jose Mario De Vega

A Mockery and Travesty of Justice: The Continuing Persecution and Permanent Harassment of Anwar Ibrahim by the powers that be in Malaysia
by Jose Mario De Vega

I refer to the “Anwar Ibrahim guilty in sodomy case”, by the Guardian, February 10th with regard to the latest conviction of the Malaysian Opposition leader.

Mario De Vega

As of the moment, the Old Man or Uncle Anwar is now there in Sungai Buloh prison serving his newest five year jail sentence.

Last month, the 68 year old Anwar Ibrahim, the de facto Opposition leader, the hero of the Malaysian people of all walks of life, the greatest single threat to the 58 years of bureaucratically racial and despotically selective rule of the elitist UMNO and BN, the indispensable glue that unites Pakatan Rakyat (the Opposition Coalition), the global image of human rights violations in Malaysia, a fierce political fighter par excellence and a universally acknowledged prisoner of conscience — was once again declared guilty, this time by the so-called highest “court” in Malaysia.

Prison is not an unfamiliar arena and place of struggle for Anwar.

His first spell of jail was back in 1974, under the draconian Internal Security Act, when he was then a student leader, wherein he protested the prevailing hunger and poverty then in the country.

After the culmination of the first so-called Sodomy Trial, he was sent in prison from 1998/9 up to 2004.

Who would ever forget his picture with a black eye while he is in police custody?

Said photo shocked the world!

In 2008, he led the Opposition Coalition in nearly overthrowing the Federal government. That is the Political Tsunami that completely changed not only the ideological landscape of Malaysian politics, but also its political history and historical dimension.

For the first time in Malaysian political life and history — there is now a vibrant, growing, “young”, strong and genuine opposition against traditional politics, crony capitalism and single party rule for more than five decades.

March 8, 2008 — scarred the hell out of all UMNO and BN that they’ve decided that they have to do everything — at all cost — to end Anwar’s political career — by hook or by crook — in order to save their assets and asses.

The very frightening thought of PR defeating the administration in a democratic election, send such uncontrollable fear and undeniable paranoia to the powers that be!

Said fear and paranoia is not misplaced or baseless!

In the last General Election, the PR has garnered 53% of the popular votes, yet ironically by virtue of the abnormal and sinisterly peculiar form of Malaysia’s bastardized version of parliamentary system, Anwar and his allies was prevented by the prevailing “norms” and politico-racial set up of the establishment from duly forming the government.

This aberrant and highly unusual political fiasco in Malaysia did not escape the knowledge and attention of the international community.

The central substantive question that needs to be asked is:

Why PR who won the popular votes still remains in the opposition?

Or to put it in other words:

How could the true majority be in the minority and how could the minority be in control of the bloody government?

What the hell of the right of this “government” to rule the Malaysian people?

The whole thing boils down to the issue of political legitimacy and moral ascendancy in governance.

Again, to pose the inescapable question:

What is the political and moral right of the prevailing “government” to rule the rakyat?

The fear of the powers that be that that the next G. E. will put an end to their rule has led them to concoct the gravest and the most ludicrous political conspiracy ever made in the entire history of Malaysia. Their paranoia has also led them to perpetually persecute and habitually harass Anwar and his family.

They’ve systematically, since day one, portrayed the de facto Opposition leader as a sodomist, a gay, an immoral creature, a curse and a disgrace to the Malay race and a threat to the unity and diversity of Malaysian society.

They’ve tried to brainwashed repeatedly and in such notorious manner the entire country about all of these baseless charges and ridiculous accusation against Anwar by using all the resources of the Federal government, that is from the media (both print and online), the various television networks and other nefarious means available.

Yet, despite all of these dead rat shits and tons of mud thrown against Anwar, history has shown that the Malaysian people, does not believe the “government’s” evil lies, propaganda and slanders.

The following are the undeniable proof that the people believes in Anwar and subscribes to his reform agenda/struggle:

1. In 1998, for the first time in history, the Malaysian people went out of the streets, occupy Kuala Lumpur to show their solidarity to the sacked deputy prime minister.

2. While in jail, Anwar’s Reformasi Movement continues to grow and gather strength.

3. The volume of the people who greeted him when he was released from prison in 2004.

4. In 2007, he led the massive mammoth Bersih rally in the Malaysian capital.

5. March 8, 2008, as already noted, he inspired the political tsunami that threatened the status quo.

6. In 2009, he won a landslide victory in the Permatang Pauh by-election.

7. 2012, he led the Pakatan Rakyat in garnering the greatest popular votes for the Opposition Coalition.

Question:

Why after all of these feats, triumph and victories by Anwar and his allies with the support and solid solidarity from the Malaysian people, why the hell he is in jail?

Answer:

Because the powers that be in Malaysia, that is UMNO and BN and the rest of their impertinent so-called component parties are all afraid of Anwar and his vision for the Malaysia.

A Call to the Malaysian People

You want to change the system, you want a better life and a good society for your family and children, then I say to all of you; there is no more recourse available for all of you but the path of the Struggle.

In a word: to the streets! It is only in occupying Kuala Kumpur that you shall conquer Putra Jaya.

Onward to the Struggle!!!

ALL POWERS TO THE PEOPLE!!!

REFORMASI!!

HIDUP RAKYAT!!!
Jose Mario Dolor De Vega

Philosophy and Social Science lecturer
Unibersidad de Manila

All submissions are republished and redistributed in the same way that it was originally published online and sent to us. We may edit submission in a way that does not alter or change the original material.

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[Blog] The Paris Shooting: Barbarism, Terrorism and Hypocrisy by Jose Mario De Vega

The Paris Shooting: Barbarism, Terrorism and Hypocrisy
by Jose Mario De Vega

I joined the international community and the world in general in condemning to the highest possible extent and gravest degree the arbitrarily and heartless criminal and terroristic act committed by some bloody bastard freaks against the journalists (and two policemen) of the Paris-based satire publication Charlie Hebdo.

Mario De Vega

My heart and thoughts goes to all the victims and their grieving families of this horrendous and gruesome act of inhumanity, barbarism, terrorism!

Further, it is my fervent view that the said criminal act is an act of cowardice and idiocy of the highest order!

Needless to state, though those murderers managed to kill some staff and employees of the said magazine, I doubt if their idiotic action has achieved anything at all. They are dead wrong if they thought that their violence, their barbarism, their bullets will stop those satirists from further doing what they are doing.

History has shown that both the sword and the bullet (and the bombs) are useless and powerless in the face of the pen, which according to the saying is the mightiest sword ever invented and used by any protagonist and partisans.

Threats, violence and even death will not stop a free and questioning mind!

The perpetrators of this gruesome attack are evil creatures.

I hold those mindless and heartless killers as bastard freaks and bloody terrorists, not as Muslims or Blacks or foreigners.

Their crime has nothing to do with the so-called religion that they professed to have and fanatically proclaimed.

It is my fervent view that our focus and debate should not be on the religion of these terrorists, but rather on their idiocy, barbarism and inhumanity.

Their religion has nothing to do with their barbaric act.

As a former expatriate, a humanist and an atheist who has lived in Muslim-majority country, I was always treated with respect and open hospitality; that is despite the fact that they perfectly knew of my atheism. It appalled me and I find it so tragic that people or rather creatures with no real exposure to Islam can be so hateful of something they know nothing about. To reiterate, those bastard mass murderers are not Muslims, they are criminals and terrorists. That’s it!

Now, we should unite in our grief to stand against terrorism, otherwise we are letting the terrorists succeed.

Let me explain:

One of the victims, Ahmed Merabet, a policeman who was shot mercilessly by the terrorists, according to the reports is a Muslim of Algerian descent.

But for me, he is not a French police officer of Algerian descent neither he is a Muslim because the truth and the fact is that that brave man is a decent and kind human being.

The same is true of the hero of the Kosher grocery, Lassana Bathily. He is not a black man, he is not from Mali and he is also not a Muslim. For the truth is: he is a good and a courageous human being from the human community.

These two men has shown the world that goodness and being a good human being does not come from race, religion, ethnicity, etc. but from the greatness of their character.

They did the right thing not because they are black or white or because they are French or Algerian or that they have a religion or not, but rather they did what they did because it is the right thing to do regardless of the consequences.

In the words of Kevin Dolgin:

“I am French and American, but today I don’t want to be labeled as anything except human being. Everything else is incidental. This is a central—perhaps the central—tenet of humanism, and it is what caricature so eloquently illuminates. It can seem puerile to show some priest, prophet, or politician farting, but fundamentally what that does is to take the sacred, more-than-human figure and reduce it to what it really is: a human being, no more, no less. Ideologies elevate their leaders and gurus to superhuman status while reducing those outside the fold to subhuman status and so justify violence. Humanism makes this impossible—we are all just members of the same species, equal. It is the basis of our morality.

“As we polemicize and debate, don’t forget that the cartoonists of Charlie Hebdo were fighting for humanism in a way that was probably much, much more effective than anything any of us were doing—certainly more than anything I was doing. For years they knew they were in danger of losing their lives, and they did it anyway.

“I suggest the following: Laugh. Make fun of the enemies of humanism and thus the enemies of humanity. And help those who do laugh out loud.”

The marginalization, exploitation and isolation of the Muslims

I agree that majority of the Western powers and societies violate the rights of their Muslim minority, that they suffered discrimination, marginalization, exploitation, isolation, etc.

I also agree that the (continuing) actions of the Western powers, so as their allies, such as the invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan, the drone wars in Pakistan, Yemen, their meddling in the affairs of Syria, their hypocrisy and super double standards with regard to the Palestinian question and their super bias stand when it comes to the defense of bastard Israel, etc. has radicalized some of the Muslims today.

The continuing genocide being committed by Israel everyday against the Palestinian people has made the Muslim and Arab world rage and restless.

To quote the words of Chris Hedges:

“It is dangerous to ignore this rage. But it is even more dangerous to refuse to examine and understand its origins. It did not arise from the Quran or Islam. It arose from mass despair, from palpable conditions of poverty, along with the West’s imperial violence, capitalist exploitation and hubris. As the resources of the world diminish, especially with the onslaught of climate change, the message we send to the unfortunate of the earth is stark and unequivocal: We have everything and if you try to take anything away from us we will kill you. The message the dispossessed send back is also stark and unequivocal. It was delivered in Paris.”

Yet, though I agree with them on their/our hate and disgust of US imperialism and their bastard allies, I disagree with their terroristic act.

Fighting imperialism and discrimination using terrorism is also barbarism!

The Question of Freedom of Expression

As a Humanist and a son of the Enlightenment, it is my firm view that freedom of expression is one of the most basic of all human rights.

The Enlightenment is “a philosophical movement of the 1700s that emphasized the use of reason to scrutinize previously accepted doctrines and traditions and that brought about many humanitarian reforms.”

One of its lasting legacy and principle is the freedom of thought and the freedom of expression.

Though, said freedom was born in the West, it did not stop some Western countries, primordially the US from curtailing the said freedom especially if it blocks or advance their political agenda.

In the critical words of Corey Oakley:

“For the last decade and a half the United States, backed to varying degrees by the governments of other Western countries, has rained violence and destruction on the Arab and Muslim world with a ferocity that has few parallels in the history of modern warfare.

“It was not pencils and pens – let alone ideas – that left Iraq, Gaza and Afghanistan shattered and hundreds of thousands of human beings dead. Not twelve. Hundreds of thousands. All with stories, with lives, with families. Tens of millions who have lost friends, family, homes and watched their country be torn apart.

“To the victims of military occupation; to the people in the houses that bore the brunt of “shock and awe” bombing in Iraq; to those whose bodies were disfigured by white phosphorous and depleted uranium; to the parents of children who disappeared into the torture cells of Abu Ghraib; to all of them – what but cruel mockery is the contention that Western “civilisation” fights its wars with the pen and not the sword?

“And that is only to concern ourselves with the latest round of atrocities. It is not even to consider the century or more of Western colonial policies that through blood and iron have consigned all but a tiny few among the population of the Arab world to poverty and hopelessness.

“It is not to even mention the brutal rule of French colonialism in Algeria, and its preparedness to murder hundreds of thousands of Algerians and even hundreds of French-Algerian citizens in its efforts to maintain the remnants of empire. It is leaving aside the ongoing poverty, ghettoisation and persecution endured by the Muslim population of France, which is mostly of Algerian origin.

“The history of the West’s relationship with the Muslim world – a history of colonialism and imperialism, of occupation, subjugation and war – cries out in protest against the quaint idea that
“Western values” entail a rejection of violence and terror as political tools.

“Of course the pen has played its role as well. The pens that signed the endless Patriot Acts, anti-terror laws and other bills that entrenched police harassment and curtailed civil rights. The pens of the newspaper editorialists who whip up round after round of hysteria, entrenching anti-Muslim prejudice and making people foreigners in their own country. But the pens of newspaper editors were strong not by virtue of their wit or reason, but insofar as they were servants of the powerful and their guns.

“Consideration of this context not only exposes the hypocrisy of those who create the narrative of an enlightened West defending freedom of speech, it also points to the predictability and inevitability of horrific acts of terrorism in response. Of course we will never know what was going through the minds of the three men who carried out this latest atrocity. But it is the height of ahistorical philistinism to ignore the context – both recent and longstanding – in which these attacks took place.”

Let me be clear that what I am defending here is the Enlightenment principle of the freedom of expression of the 17th century, not the so-called freedom of expression of the imperial, decadent West of today.

Hence, it is my view that both the government (whether they belong in the West, the East or anywhere; whether they are democratic or not, de facto or de jure, legitimate or not, monarchial or otherwise, capitalist or socialist, etc.) and the terrorists has no right to attack, to curtain or limit the freedom of expression.

In the same vein, no class or group of persons or race or ethnicity or religious people (whatever or whoever they are) has the right to demand to be free from mockery, satire, criticism, parody, etc.

Freedom of expression simply means the right to offend.

A Call to Humanity

To some Western governments: don’t act as if you are concern in protecting journalists and defending the freedom of speech and expression. The whole world knows your hypocrisy and double standards.

To some of our Muslim brothers and sisters: please don’t be so sensitive and naïve. If your faith to your religious belief is strong and indomitable, then there is no amount of satire and parody that can shake your faith.

I also know that the West are violating your rights and dignity, but don’t act the way they act. Let us fight them in a reasonable manner. It doesn’t mean that because they are terrorizing us, we must also terrorize them. Then, end of the day, we are both terrorists and they will succeed in branding you/us are the terrorists, even though, ironically the whole world knows who the real and ultimate terrorists are!

We must at all cost always assume the moral high ground, no matter how hard it is!

To the bloody bastard terrorists (Some Western governments and the fanatics): your violence, bombs, bullets and guns will not stop the pen from writing against you. Our pen is mightier than your sword!

To Humanity: let us all join together and unite as One to stop this madness, what Gilbert Arhcar called as the “clash of barbarism”.

We must all fight and struggle for All Humanity!

The Hypocrisy of the World Leader’s March

I applaud the people of the world in coming into the open in defense of the freedom of expression and forge solidarity to the whole of Humanity, but I cannot help but wonder, why the hell they allow some bastard immoral and evil men to join the same and hence leads to bastardization a great world event?

What the hell is the moral right of Benjamin Netanhayu to join the world march in Paris? When the whole world knows that that son of a bitch is a mass murderer?

Further, why it is that the picture of the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel was omitted or according to some reports, photo shopped?

Is it because she is a woman and “it is a man’s world”?

This is a shame!

Question:

Where the hell is this so-called world leader’s march when Israel is wiping out, destroying to the ground Gaza and the satanic IDF are killing tens of thousands of the Palestinian people?

I weep for all those people that died in Paris, but if I may ask, is the world also crying for those thousands of people who died and still dying in Palestine?

Jose Mario Dolor De Vega

Philosophy lecturer
Unibersidad de Manila

All submissions are republished and redistributed in the same way that it was originally published online and sent to us. We may edit submission in a way that does not alter or change the original material.

Human Rights Online Philippines does not hold copyright over these materials. Author/s and original source/s of information are retained including the URL contained within the tagline and byline of the articles, news information, photos etc.

[Blog] The Mockery and Barbarism of Iran’s “Judiciary” by Jose Mario De Vega

The Mockery and Barbarism of Iran’s “Judiciary”
by Jose Mario De Vega

I refer to “Iran: Death Sentence for Facebook Posts”, the Human Rights Watch, December 2nd with regard to the “imminent risk of execution” of a 30-year-old man for “insulting the prophet”.

Mario De Vega

I concur with the Human Rights Watch’s position that “Iran’s judiciary should vacate the death sentence of a 30-year-old man who faces imminent execution for Facebook posts linked to his account.”

Eric Goldstein, the deputy Middle East and North Africa director said that:

“It is simply shocking that anyone should face the gallows simply because of Internet postings that are deemed to be crude, offensive, or insulting…”

“Iran should urgently revise its penal code to eliminate provisions that criminalize peaceful free expression, especially when they punish its exercise with death.”

As narrated by the said report:

“On November 24, 2014, Iran’s Supreme Court upheld a criminal court ruling sentencing Soheil Arabi to hang. The court transferred his file to the judiciary’s implementation unit, opening the way for his execution.

“A Tehran criminal court had convicted him in August of sabb al-nabbi, or “insulting the prophet,” referring to the Prophet Muhammad, which carries the death penalty. Arabi’s legal team has asked the judiciary to suspend the death sentence and review the case.

“Nastaran Naimi, Arabi’s wife, told Human Rights Watch that intelligence agents linked with Iran’s Revolutionary Guards arrested her and her husband at their home in Tehran in November 2013. They soon released her but transferred her husband to a special section of Evin prison that the Revolutionary Guards control, where they kept him in solitary confinement for two months, subjected him to long interrogation sessions, and prevented him from meeting his lawyer, she said. They later transferred Arabi to Ward 350 of Evin prison.”

Commentaries:

Did the so-called “supreme court” put into consideration the vital fact that the accused were kept in solitary confinement?

Putting or placing a detainee in solitary confinement is not allowed under international law.
Such practice is a grave violation of the International Declaration of Human Rights and the United Nations Convention against Torture.

I say that it is a violation of the Convention against torture, because isolating an individual detainee from the rest is a form of mental and psychological torture.

Worst, the bastard Iranian so-called Revolutionary Guards did so, in two brutal months.

Is the so-called court aware that the accused were subjected to long interrogation sessions?

Is the so-called court has any idea that besides the fact that the accused were placed in solitary confinement, subjected to long interrogation hours, he was also deliberately denied seeing and conferring with his lawyer?

All of these acts are violations of the constitutional, civil and international rights of the accused.

Base on all these violations to the rights of Arabi, he, as a matter of right is entitle to an acquittal!

Yet, the bloody idiotic and bastard court, instead of doing that not only affirmed the judgment of the lower court, worst it even inserted another offense or crime to the prejudice of Arabi.

Grave Abuse of Discretion

Vahid Moshkhani, the lawyer of Arabi, told Human Rights Watch “that instead of upholding or overruling the lower court verdict, the Supreme Court unlawfully added the charge of efsad-e fel arz, or “sowing corruption of earth,” to Arabi’s case. In addition to carrying a possible death sentence, the charge also forecloses the possibility of amnesty, he said.”

Commentaries:

It is a basic principle in criminal law, in all judicial trials, wherein said jurisdiction subscribe to the universal standard of justice and equity that a court which call itself a supreme court can only affirm or deny the judgment or ruling made by a lower court.

Said superior court, if it is truly fair and conforms to the international practice has no power whatsoever to change or modify or add up the allegation or the charge originally subject of the indictment to the prejudice of the accused.

Further, it has also no power to increase the penalty or punishment.

To illustrate:

If A were charged originally for the crime of acts of lasciviousness (example: touching the breast of a woman by-stander), he on appeal cannot be charge by the higher court by the crime of rape.

Acts of lasciviousness is a lesser offense, while rape is a capital crime.

It is a well-entrenched rule in criminal law that the accused is only mandated to answer or reply to the allegation as stated or stipulated in the original complaint.

To answer another charge or accusation not included in the original complaint will be a violation of the constitutional right of the accused to know the nature and the cause of the accusation against him or her.

The bias and incompetence of the so-called supreme court of Iran

Moshkani, Arabi’s defense counsel said that the Supreme Court “rejected his client’s defense that he had not written many of the Facebook posts and that he was merely sharing others’ views on the social media site.”

The question here is:

Is the mere act of sharing others’ views on the social media site enough for the authorities to arrest this man and charged him of “insulting the prophet”?

What kind of fucking “law” is this?

However, Iran does have that fucking “law”!

Article 263 of the revised Islamic Penal Code expressly “provides that a person who “insults the Prophet” while drunk or by quoting others, among other acts, will be subjected to 74 lashes and not sentenced to death.”

Nonetheless, when the lower court handed its judgment, which was reviewed by the Human Rights Watch, said court “relied on Arabi’s confessions and “available images and printouts” attributed to his Facebook page, and concluded that his actions “constitute clear proof” that he insulted the Prophet Muhammad and should be sentenced to death.”

Commentaries:

This is outrageous!

Art. 263 is clearly a blasphemy law which has no right to exist in any democratic and modern criminal statutes.

In the words of Robert Green Ingersoll:

“All laws defining and punishing blasphemy were passed by impudent bigots, and should be at once repealed by honest men.

“An infinite God ought to be able to protect himself, without going in partnership with State Legislatures.”

The Question of “sowing corruption of earth”

Comment/Question:

What the fuck is that?

It is a basic rule in law, specifically in Statutory Construction that if a law is so vague and so bloody ambiguous, that law carries no force or effect whatsoever for being so pervasive and plenary.

The Iranian authorities instead of sentencing Arabi to death should have acquitted or at least discharged him!

Jose Mario Dolor De Vega

Philosophy and Social Science lecturer
Unibersidad de Manila

All submissions are republished and redistributed in the same way that it was originally published online and sent to us. We may edit submission in a way that does not alter or change the original material.

Human Rights Online Philippines does not hold copyright over these materials. Author/s and original source/s of information are retained including the URL contained within the tagline and byline of the articles, news information, photos etc.

[Blog] The Barbarism and Inhumanity of the Indonesian police’s “virginity tests” by Jose Mario De Vega

The Barbarism and Inhumanity of the Indonesian police’s “virginity tests”
by Jose Mario De Vega

I refer to RT Question More, “Indonesia still performs ‘virginity tests’ on female police job applicants – HRW”, November 18th.

This is with regard to the barbaric practice still being committed by the police authorities in Indonesia subjecting prospective female applicants to a so-called “virginity tests”.

Mario De Vega

The whole damned thing is absolutely barbaric and said practice is undeniably inhumane to the very core!

I overwhelmingly concur with to the stern and firm contention of the Human Rights Watch that “Indonesia’s practice of subjecting would-be female police officers to ‘virginity tests’ is “discriminatory and a form of gender-based violence,” that has to be stopped.”

The associate women’s rights director at Human Rights Watch, Nisha Varia, in a statement said that:

“Police authorities in Jakarta need to immediately and unequivocally abolish the test, and then make certain that all police recruiting stations nationwide stop administering it…”

According to the report:

“The watchdog interviewed female police officers in six Indonesian cities to find out if women applying for a job in law enforcement still have to undergo virginity tests, despite previous promises by police officials to abolish the practice.

“The video with the interviews is now posted on the Human Rights Watchdog official YouTube feed. The women, hiding their faces from cameras and concealing their names, say they had to go through the pain and humiliation of the ‘two-finger test’, which HRW describes as an archaic and discredited practice.”

Commentaries:

I condemn on behalf of humanity the Indonesian police for their barbarism and backwardness in instituting and implementing this utterly ridiculous, outrageous and super idiotic practice.

I am also equally condemning the Indonesian government for allowing their stupid and mediaeval police authorities to carry out this farce of abuse and inhumanity.

This rubbish derogatory act is an act of degrading and dehumanizing women!

The so-called “virginity tests” is nothing but a vulgar display of power of an utterly parochial and primitive “authority”. Its aim is nothing more than to remind women that society is control by men, that it is patriarchal and that they are merely at the mercy and whim of men.

Ultimately, the aim of the said barbaric practice is nothing more but to exploit, discipline and place women to their “proper place” in society!

This is all rubbish, a farce and a complete nonsense!

It is my firm view and so held that besides exploiting women, the said heinous act is also a sexual violence against women!

Consider the testimony given by a 19-year old victim as recorded by the HRW:

“I don’t want to remember those bad experiences. It was humiliating. Why should we take off our clothes in front of strangers? Yes, [the virginity testers] were women, but they were total strangers. It was discriminatory. It is not necessary. I think it should be stopped.”

The so-called “virginity tests” includes the pain and humiliation of the so-called “two-finger test”.

In short, in order for the Indonesian women to become a member of the police force, she must first be fingered.

What the fuck!

This is sickening to the out most!

Let us consider the idiotic “logic” used by the sick and bastard police authorities in justifying this barbarism and dehumanization.

According to the national police’s official website, it is posted there that undergoing the said test is a requirement.

Further, “in addition to the medical and physical tests, women who want to be policewomen [sic] must also undergo virginity tests… So all women who want to become policewomen should keep their virginity.”

Commentaries:

I am wondering, what the hell does the said test got to do with the position or job of being a policewoman?

Are the Indonesian police implying that if a women is not fingered or no longer a virgin, she will not be a good police woman?

This is totally absurd and completely stupid!

It is my contention that the hymen of a woman has nothing to do on how she will discharge the burden of her function.

I am wondering does it occur to those bastards that there is a big chance and great probability that the very act that they are committing may lead to the shattering of those women’s hymen?

Are they aware that their very act may lead to the devirginification of those women that they wanted to be virgin?

The Associate Press quoted the Indonesian police spokesman Maj. Gen. Ronny Sompie who “urged people not “respond negatively” to the tests, explaining that they are done to ensure the applicants do not have sexually-transmitted diseases…”

As this idiot stated:

“All of this is done in a professional manner and did not harm the applicants…”

Comment:

This bastard does not know what the hell he is talking about.

I am wondering, if he’s daughter wanted to be a policewoman, will he allow his own daughter to subject herself to the so-called “virginity test”?

Will he allow her to take off her clothes, in front of strangers, who shall perform or administer the said test?

Will he allow her to undergo the so-called “two-finger test”?

I wonder what would be the answer of this idiot!

August 25th, last year, I had already condemned the education official of Sumatra with regard to their bastard proposal of virginity tests for teenage schoolgirls.

I am inviting the public to read my article, “Virginity and Morals”, published by the Human Rights Online Philippines.

Said barbaric proposal caused an uproar and country-wide protest, now I am wondering, how come Indonesia instead of learning from the said episode has become even worst. Then, it was the school children, now it is the prospective police woman! I am wondering who would be their next target — come the new year?

This is a shame!

As I’ve stated then:

“What does virginity got to do with education? Whether or not, a woman is virgin or not is immaterial, her right to education must not be denied!

“The law, whether local or international did not stipulate that education are exclusive for the pure and the innocent! The law does not distinguished; hence that idiotic so-called head of education district has no right to make a distinction!

“Education is a basic human and universal right and it is available to all regardless of their station and background in life!

“A woman may be chaste or already deflowered, but it is my firm view that her morality and sense of decency cannot be reduced solely by her hymen.

“Morality and ethics are not mere physical features, they are in truth and in fact, internal attributes; their source are from the individual’s inner character!”

I call upon the government of Indonesia, specifically to their newly sworn president, Mr. Joko Widodo to intervene and tell that bastard and idiotic national police director to cease and desist from instituting, implementing and carrying out that so-called “virginity tests”.

Mr. President as you yourself said during your Inaugural Address:

“We want to be present among other independent nations with dignity, with pride. We want to build our own civilization, we want to become a creative nation, a nation that contributes nobility to the world’s civilization.”

Jose Mario Dolor De Vega

Philosophy and Social Science lecturer
Unibersidad de Manila

All submissions are republished and redistributed in the same way that it was originally published online and sent to us. We may edit submission in a way that does not alter or change the original material.

Human Rights Online Philippines does not hold copyright over these materials. Author/s and original source/s of information are retained including the URL contained within the tagline and byline of the articles, news information, photos etc.

[Blog] Turkey’s attack on Secularism By Jose Mario De Vega

Turkey’s attack on Secularism

I refer to “Turkey imposes ban on piercings, tattoos in all schools” by RT Question More, September 28, 2014.

According to the said report:

“Turkey’s government has banned all school pupils nationwide from having tattoos or body piercings in a new dress code deemed oppressive and unenforceable, according to the law’s critics.

“While tattoos are not widespread among older generations, they have seen a surge in popularity amongst the young and secular sectors of society.

“The measure, imposed by the government and published in the Official Gazette on Saturday, also prohibited a number of other things such as dyeing hair, wearing makeup and moustaches and beards for boys, according to local media reports.”

Said government measure means that “students could be punished through reprimands, suspension or expulsion.” However, “if a student fails to get a tattoo removed the punishment is not yet clear.”

Mario De Vega

Commentaries:

I condemn this latest attack by Turkey’s powers that be on the secular fabric of their society. Previous to this, a measure was set that permitted the wearing of “Muslim headscarves in schools.”

I overwhelmingly concur with the critics of the government on their denunciation that these twin set of measures is undeniably “corrosive of Turkey’s secular ideals.”

Indeed, there is a reasonable ground to believe that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s “recent moves constitute steps towards the Islamisation of the country.”

I would to ask, what the hell is wrong with dyeing one’s hair? What the hell is wrong with wearing makeup? What is the problem with moustaches and beards for boys?

What the hell is the point or the purpose behind all of these measures and prohibition?

I have nothing against Islam, but if Turkey is true to what it proclaimed and says to the world that it is a secular country, then they must not only observe, but respect the vital principles of secularism and democracy.

On the Question of the Muslim headscarves in schools

The government has no right to impose to the student to wear the headscarves in school, in the same vein that the same government has no right to ban the same.

To impose to the people what the hell are they going to dress is a violation of their rights, in the same vein that to ban or to restrict what they intend to sport on or wear will also negate and impinge on their human rights!

If the people want to wear the veil, then so be it.

If the people did not want to wear the same, then let it be also, but to impose otherwise or to ban whatever they want is not within the power of the government that calls itself secular and democratic.

My view on this whole controversy is this: those women (whether they are Muslim, Sikh, Christian, Jew, etc.) who wants to wear that veil (or whatever headdress), then let them do so, so long as no one is forcing them to do so!

In the same vein, those women do not want to wear that (whatever headdress is that), then so be it. Again, so long, as long it is their will and no one is forcing or compelling them not to do so
It is my firm belief that the government has no right to legislate and regulate how the hell should or must women dress up!

The government does not own them, but rather they owned the government and so as their bodies!

The government exists to protect the rights of the people, not to trample and violate those rights, because the very moment the government does so, it loses it reason behind its existence!

On the Question of those people who says: Leave Turkey Alone

Answer: if Turkey truly wants to be a legitimate member of the international community, then they have to somehow follow and conform to the universal standard of norms and civilized conduct.

If they do not want, then I say to them: stop dreaming of becoming a full-pledged member of the European Union, because base on your unreasonable measures and oppressive prohibitions, I strong doubt if the EU will ever grant you full membership! So get real and stop your series of irrational acts!

On the Question of the Ban on tattoos or body piercings in a new dress code

I would like to reiterate and strongly stresses that the same is not only absurd and idiotic, but incontestably oppressive!

The immediate question there is: how the hell the authorities are going to enforce the said measure?

I agree with the Head of the Education Workers Union, Veli Demir when he said that “it was unenforceable because tattoos cannot just be taken off like an item of clothing.”

This is what he stated, as quoted by AFP:

“What is going to happen to those (pupils) who already have tattoos? This is not a decision that a reasonable person can take. It is a decision taken without careful thought…”

I completely agree with Mr. Veli Demir that this is an unreasonable decision that we’re undertaken by an irrational powers that be or mindless authority.

Indeed, said measures were decided without careful thought!

As he categorically expressed:

“It is a decision taken by an oppressive mindset. Education is all about contributing to a child’s development and protecting them…”

I am supporting their decision of appealing the said measure before “the Council of State over the dress code as it is against the Constitution, the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and decisions of the European Court of Human Rights.”

On the Question of tattoo and body piercing

The said report also highlighted that Mr. Erdogan “has expressed distaste for tattoos in general”. He even asked a young footballer, Berk Yildiz, in July to remove his and questioning: “why do you harm your body?”

Comment:

Mr. Erdogan, your body is yours and my body is mine. Whatever the hell I wanted to do to with my body, so long as I am not hurting anyone is my business and none of yours. You personally do not want tattoos and body piercing, that is your right, but to use your public position to impose your will is not right, because it will violate the constitution that guarantees the right of the people to our/their bodies and persons.

As the American would say: Mind your fucking business and don’t tread on me!!!

Jose Mario Dolor De Vega

Philosophy and Social Science lecturer
Unibersidad de Manila and Polytechnic University of the Philippines

All submissions are republished and redistributed in the same way that it was originally published online and sent to us. We may edit submission in a way that does not alter or change the original material.

Human Rights Online Philippines does not hold copyright over these materials. Author/s and original source/s of information are retained including the URL contained within the tagline and byline of the articles, news information, photos etc.

[Blog] Sino ba ang tunay na marahas? Sino ang mga tunay na hoodlums? by Jose Mario De Vega

Sino ba ang tunay na marahas? Sino ang mga tunay na hoodlums?

Ang munti kong sanaysay na ito ay hinggil doon sa isyu ng mga kabataang mag-aaral ng Unibersidad ng Pilipinas na sumalakay kay bantay-salakay na Kalihim ng DBM na si Butch Abad. Ang nasabing mga kabataan ay miyembro ng Stand UP. Naganap ang nasabing pangyayari matapos ang pagsasalita ni Budget Sec. Abad sa isang pasalita na inorganisa ng School of Economic.

Mario De Vega

Ibig kong ideklara na ako ay hindi kasapi ng mga nasabing mag-aaral, ngunit ibig ko ding sabihin ng tuwiran na sumusuporta ako sa kanilang ginawang hakbang at sinasang-ayunan ko ang kanilang ginawang aksyon!

Nais kong ipahayag sa pamamagitan ng munting akda na ito na ako ay isa sa mga umaayon sa kanilang ginawang hakbang! Nais ko ding kondenahin ang mga nilalang, mga personahe at mga institusyon na pumupuna sa kanilang ginawa.

Narito ang ilang bahagi ng pahayag ng bente tres na propesor daw ng Unibersidad ng Pilipinas, School of Economics:

“We deplore in the strongest terms the violence perpetrated last Wednesday, September 17, by a group of protesters against Secretary Florencio B. Abad outside the UP School of Economics auditorium.”

Tanong:

Sila ba ay nag-deplore din sa kahayupang ginawa at patuloy na ginagawa ng administarsyong Aquino sa usapin ng DAP at PDAF na niluto ni Sec. Abad? Nais kong malaman, kinondena din ba ng mga propesor na ito si Sec. Abad noong idineklara ng Korte Suprema na labag sa Saligang Batas ng Republika ng Pilipinas ang PDAF at DAP?

Sabi pa ng mga kagalang-galang na mga propesor:

“Secretary Abad was leaving a just-concluded forum organized by the University Student Council. His way to a waiting vehicle, however, was blocked several times by protesters, who not only shouted slogans and invectives – par for the course at UP – but actually assaulted him by throwing placards and metal coins and physically laying hold of him, grabbing his clothing to prevent him from leaving.”

Tanong:

He didn’t die, right?

Dagdag pa nila:

“What is worse, some student “leaders” thought nothing of gloating about the incident and celebrating their hooliganism in mainstream and social media, as if it were some kind of victory. This incident is not a victory but a blow to UP’s honor.”

Tanong:

Ano ba ang ibig sabihin nila ng hooliganism? Sino ba ang tunay na hooligan at sino ang totoong hoodlum ng Bayang ito? Ano ang ibig nilang sabihin na: “This incident is not a victory but a blow to UP’s honor? Ano ba ang pagkakaintindi nila sa karangalan ng Unibersidad ng Pilipinas?

Ewan ko kung nakalimutan ng mga propesor na ito na sila ay nakatuntong sa UP at di sa La Salle o UST! Heto ang pahayag ni Ginoong Butch Tan sa kanyang Face Book Wall hinggil sa pangyayari:

“Note to Abad: Kung ayaw mo ng gulo tulad ng inabot mo sa Diliman, sa Loyola o sa Espanya ka pumunta. Maswerte ka hindi ginaya ng Stand UP yung taga Ukraine na inihulog ang politico sa dumpster (basurahan).

“Hindi ako fan of Stand UP. Tingin ko sa kanila Red Zombies. But I will say this: every creature has a vital role in the ecosystem. Even as bottom feeders. Stand Up merely acted out a dark fantasy held by many Filipinos who feel helpless and victimised by the regime’s taxation and spending policies. Sorry, Sec. Butchoy, No tea, no sympathy.”

Mismong si Sec. Abad na ang nagsabi na normal na ito sa UP! Kung siya na “biktima” mismo ay kumikilala sa bagay na ito, ano ang problema noong bente tres na propesor daw?

Heto naman ang pahayag ni Ginoong Joy Autencio hinggil sa mga eng-eng na yon:

“Silang “mayayamang matatalino” taga-UP na ipinagtatanggol si ABAD na author ng DAP, dumalaw sa UP kinuyog ng mga tibak di daw dapat binabastos ang dakilang bisita nila dahil ito ay di disente at labag sa gmrc (good manners and right conduct), bakit sino ba ang mas bastos walanghiya at balasubas sa bilyong pondo ng bayan?

“Kahit dineklarang ilegal ng SUPREME COURT pilit pinagtatangol na good faith naman daw kaya nagawa ng gobyerno ni Abad at Pnoy ang divertion ng mga budget ng iba’t ibang ahensya ng gobyerno. In good faith ba yan kahit alam na alam naman ng lahat kung ga’no ka corrupt at gahaman ang halos lahat ng mga pulitiko dito sa Pilipinas. Sige ipagtanggol nyo pa ang berdugo ng budget na imbis na tunay na mapunta sa URGENTLY NEEDED SOCIAL FUNDS ay napupunta lang sa mga buwaya at sagad sa ganid na mga pulitiko, PALIBHASA MASASARAP ANG BUHAY NYO, hindi nyo nararamdaman ang pagkawala ng budget ng gobyerno na dapat nailaan sa mahihirap na mamamayan. Kung tutuusin kulang pa nga yang ginawa at nangyari kay abad sa dami ng atraso nila sa Sambayanan. Kahit mag ala-Ukraine ang mga tibak dito sa atin kulang pa rin sa super kapal ng mga mukha ng mga pulitiko na yan gaya ni Abad.”

Hinggil sa karangalan ng Unibersidad ng Pilipinas: Hindi ko alam kung batid pa ba ng mga nasabing mga propesor daw ang papel na ginampanan ng nasabing Pamantasan sa kasaysayan ng Bayang ito. Wala pang Batas Militar noon, ngunit sa UP ay mayroon ng Diliman Commune.

Noong idineklara ang Batas Militar, ang UP ang siyang tumayo bilang mata at tenga ng Sambayanang-Pilipino noong napakadilim na yugto na yaon ng ating kasaysayan.

Kung kaya naman hindi ko maintindihan ang konteksto ng pahayag ng kasalukuyang pangulo ng UP na si Ginoong Pascual noong sinabi nya sa isang kalatas na:
“I have always maintained that as the country’s national university, UP must lead the debate on important issues confronting the country. UP must also uphold the time-honored tradition of dissent vis-a-vis questionable government policies. But debate and dissent, while articulated with passion, require evidence-based and reasoned arguments, and civility to and respect for those who hold the opposite view.”

Tanong:

Ano ba ang ibig niyang sabihin o ipakahulugan ng sinasabi niyang sibilidad? Yaon bang mga estudyante na sumalakay din kay dating Pangulong Marcos noong taong 1970, na nagtangkang hambalusin siya ng mga placards, sila ba ay mga hindi sibilisado?
Ang nasabing pagkilos na yaon ang nagpaputok ng pamosong Sigwa ng Unang Kuwatro!
Sina Bonifacio at Jacinto at mga Katipunero, noong itinatag nila ang Katipunan na naglalayon na wakasan ang kolonyalismong Kastila — sa anumang pamamaraan, sila ba’y mga barbaro at hindi sibilisado?

Ikinahihiya ko ang hindi lamang ang pahayag ng nilalang na yon, kundi siya mismo na sa aking paningin ay walang karapatang maging Pangulo ng Unibersidad ng Pilipinas! Kung gusto nya ng kanyang “sibilidad”, dapat ay doon siya sa Loyola o Espanya mamasukang pangulo at hindi sa Diliman, sapagkat siya’y isang kahihiyan!

Ibig kong sipiin sa kanya ang mga salitang sinabi ni Immanuel Wallerstein sa kanyang “Academic Freedom and Collective Expressions of Opinion”, The Journal of Higher Education, Vol. 42, No. 9. (Dec., 1971):
“The chief danger to academic freedom in the United States [University of the Philippines] today comes not from student disruption but from the self-deceptions of the professorate itself, because of its reluctance to take moral risks, and the resulting tendencies toward mandarinism, discrimination, and collegial pressure. I do not, however, condemn my colleagues but rather appeal to them to rethink their actions in the light of their ideals.”

Ano ba ang tamang akto o gawi ng totoong Pangulo ng isang Unibersidad?

Sa bahaging ito ay ibig kong sipiin ang mga pananalita ni dating Pangulong Salvador Lopez, (siya ang Pangulo noong panahon ng Batas Militar):

“While student activism often made me uncomfortable, the absence of it would have made me uneasy. As a life-long liberal who prefers an excess of freedom to a dearth of it, I also had constantly in mind the historic role of the University of the Philippines as the center of protest, dissent and criticism in our society.”

Sa aking paningin, gayon dapat ang pananaw at prinsipyo ng tunay na Pangulo ng Unibersidad ng Pilipinas!

Kailangan ko pa bang sabihin na kaya nagawa ng mga kabataang yaon ang kanilang ginawa ay dahil sa kanilang marubdob na pagmamahal sa mga mamamayan ng Bayan ito? Kailangan ko pa bang sabihin na ang kanilang isinagawa ay siya lamang nilang pagtalima sa panawagan ng Pambansang Bayani na nanawagan ng mga ganitong talaga sa katauhan ni Padre Florentino:
“Nasaan ang mga kabataang dapat mag-alay ng kaniyang kasariwaan, ng kaniyang mga panaginip at sigasig ukol sa kabutihan ng kaniyang Inang Bayan? Nasaan siya na dapat kusang-loob na magbuhos ng kaniyang dugo upang mahugasan ang napakaraming kahihiyan, ang napakaraming pagkakasala, ang napakaraming kasuklam-suklam? Dalisay at walang batik dapat ang alay upang tanggapin ang paghahandog!…Nasaan kayo, mga kabataan, na magsasakatauhan sa sigla ng buhay na tumakas sa aming mga ugat, sa kadalisayan ng aming pag-iisip na mabubulok sa aming mga utak, sa apoy ng sigasig na napugto sa aming mga puso? Hinihintay namin kayo, o mga kabataan! Halikayo sapagkat hinihintay namin kayo!”

Sagot:

Pinanghahawakan kong ang mga kabataang sumalakay kay bantay-salakay, kay Sec. Abad noong gabing yaon sa Unibersidad ng Pilipinas ay ang mga kabataang tumugon sa panawagan ni Lolo Pepe. Ngayon, dahil sa kanilang ginawa na pagkondena sa itim na prinsipe ng kurakutan at numero unong utak ng malawakang pamdarambong at nakawan sa kaban ng Bayan, sila pa ba ang marapat na taguriang mga hoodlum at hooligan? Muli, ang tanong, sino ba ang tunay na hoodlum, hooligan at marahas sa Bayang ito?

Sa yugtong ito, ibig kong ipahayag ang aking mariing pagsang-ayon kay Propesor Gerry Lanuza ng kanyang pinagwika sa kanyang Face Book Wall (kakatwa na tinuran nya ang mga salitang ito noong mismong araw ng anibersaryo ng pagpataw ng Batas Militar) ang ganitong mga salita:

“I am not insulted by student activists protesting angrily! I am however gravely insulted by students who, in the name of careerism, diploma worship, and submission to authority, choose to remain silent and go with the flow! Just because we are academics and you are students, doesn’t mean we are incapable of angry protests! Part of being a student and scholar is to be passionate even to the point of dying for what you believe! And a person, academic or not, who is not prepared to die for what she believes, is not fit to live!”

Hindi ko maintindihan ang mentalidad ng ilan sa eng-eng na Bayan na ito! Marami sa ating mga kababayan ang hindi gusto ang asta, kilos, galaw at gawi ng ating mga bagong sibol na aktibista. Marami ang naiinis at hindi gusto ang kanilang pagmumura at pagtutungayaw. Marami ang hindi gusto ang kanilang pagiging radikal at militante. Kasabay nito, mayroon din kumukuwestiyon sa kanilang mabuting-asal at kabaitan. Hindi ko maintindihan kung naiintindihan ba nila kung ano ang pagiging aktibista?

Ang sarap itanong sa pagmumukha ng mga matatandang mga walang tinandaan na mga ito na: “ano po ba ang mahalagang bagay o makabuluhang papel na ginampanan ninyo noong inyong panahon? Bakit po baboy pa din ang Bayang ito? Bakit po bulok pa din ang lipunang ito? Ano po ang naging silbi ninyo noong panahon ninyo? Sa tingin nyo po ba, kung nagawa o nagampanan ninyo ang inyong tungkulin noon, gagawin pa kaya namin an gaming ginagawa ngayon na dapat at marapat na sana’y inyong ginawa noon?

Sa ganang akin, tama si Simoun, ang mga nilalang na ito ay mga nangamatay na bago pa man sila mamatay, sapagkat kailanman ay hindi naman sila nabuhay ng buhay na may dangal at kabuluhan. Wala silang alam ni katiting sa konsepto ng Kalayaan, sapagkat sila’y ipinanganak sa pagkaalipin at magsisipaglahong mga alipin pa rin — hanggang sa wakas!

Ito sa aking paningin ay tumbok na tumbok sa isang sanaysay ni Renato Constantino na may pamagat na “Praents and Activists”, na lumabas sa Philippine GRAPHIC, noong ika 28, ng Abril, taong 1971:

“During our period of adjustment to the imperatives of the times, we of the older generations allowed material and intellectual influences to transform us into bases and pillars of the social order. Young activists reject these material and intellectual influences for they have developed insights in to the evils of the system; they have seen fit to rebel not primarily against the old generation as against the very system which the old seem to represent.”

Hindi ko maintindihan, ano ba ang problema kung salakayin ko at sabihan ko si Sec. Abad pala ng P___ MO sa pagmumukha nya, eh nutnutang kapal naman ng mukha nya at mas matigas pa sa marmol ang tigas ng kanyang apog? May epekto ba ang aking salita sa kanya? Naibalik ba ang lahat ng kanyang ninakaw sa Bayan? Nagagalit ang ilan, na ang mga aktibista daw sa ngayon ay nagmumura at nagtutungayaw. Tanong: Ibig kong itanong na mga P___ NYO: Ano ang inyong ginawa o ginagawa o gagawin hinggil doon sa limpak-limpak, bilyon-bilyong piso na nawawala? Ano ang inyong posisyon hinggil doon sa ulat ng COA na nagsasabing makalipas ang halos isang taon, ay hindi naman nakarating sa mga biktima ng Bagyong Yolanda ang tulong na dapat ay para sa kanila? Yaong suliranin hinggil doon sa mga biktima ng Zamboanga siege, hindi ba’t isang taon na rin ang bagay na yon? Masisisi ba ninyo ang mga kabataan kung sila ay magalit, magmura at maging radikal?

Nagagalit kayo na kami ay nagmumura, ngunit ibig kong malaan, ano ba ang inyong programa? Puro kaya puna at daldal, wala naman kayong ginagawa! Huwag ninyong kalilimutan, sapagkat nasusulat: Ang payapang pampang ay para lamang sa mga pangahas na sasagupa sa alimpuyo ng alon, sa panahon ng unos. Hindi lahat ng panahon ay panahon ng pananahimik, sapagkat lahat ng panahon ay panahon ng paghihimagsik.

Pangwakas, nagagalit kayo, mga P_____ nyo sa asal at gawi ng mga aktibista, kung gayon, ibig kong sabihin sa inyong lahat na ang inyong nasaksihan ay pasimula o patikim pa lamang; sapagkat hindi maglalaon, darating ang panahon na ang gagawin ng mga aktibista ay ikasasargo na ng inyong mga ilong at ikaduduwal ng inyong mga sikmura!

HATULAN NAWA TAYO NG BAYAN!!!

SUMPAIN NAWA TAYO NG KASAYSAYAN!!!

Jose Mario Dolor De Vega

Propesor ng Pilosopiya at Agham-Panlipunan Politeknikong Unibersidad ng Pilipinas at Unibersidad de Manila. Nais kong pasalamatan si Propesor Gerry M. Lanuza, ng Departamento ng Sosyolohiya ng Unibersidad ng Pilipinas para sa pagpayag na magbigay ng kumento sa aking sanaysay.

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[Blog] The Sedition Act is an archaic law being use by the powers that be to silence political opposition. By Jose Mario De Vega

The Sedition Act is an archaic law being use by the powers that be to silence political opposition

I refer to Hafidz Baharom’s “The Sedition Act kills rationality and intellect”, Free Malaysia Today, September 7th.

I overwhelmingly concur with the brilliant exposition of the writer and the lucidness of the various theses that he advance calling for the repeal of the said act.

As the he stated, “first and foremost, I would like to make it known why I’m calling for the repeal of this act” not because he is a supporter of the opposition, but because he wanted a sense of fair-play in the political arena as a whole.

Mario De Vega

Our commentator categorically stipulated that:

“I am asking for the repeal of the Sedition Act only because I find it very worrying that the government is using it to arrest educators and journalists as well.

“I have a passion for defending the Fourth Estate because I was once a part of that collective. Granted, there are media outlets that fidget to find proper angles to attract readers, but in the end the message in the stories published come entirely from who they interviewed.”

Commentaries:

It is my firm view and so held that the Sedition Act is an archaic and obsolete law being use and manipulated by the powers to silence, to coy and threatened not only the political opposition, but also the Fourth Estate and the Academia.

The Fourth Estate represents the media, while the educator represents the Academia.

From history we shall see that, more often than not, it is always the teachers and the journalist, which serves as the primary thorns or the bloody pain in the asses of the powers that be.

My view on the matter is the inescapable fact that such is the case by virtue of the truth that, a teacher is specifically in the position to see, in a bird’s eye view the rest of the social ills that affects society at large and the nation in its totality.

The same is true with the journalist. They are the one who gathers all the news and events that society needs to hear and learn. They are the one who are truly aware of the prevailing social reality.

Hence, it is not ironic that totalitarian states arbitrarily sent to the gaol, the dungeon, in jail and prison these kinds of people, because they are the one who embarrass the powers that be in depicting the true picture of the body politics.

The journalist will land in hot water for writing and/or reporting the brutal truth and the teacher may be dismiss from his or her teaching job because the same taught the inconvenient truth and the uncomfortable reality.

The Constitutionality of the Sedition Act

It is my firm contention that the Sedition Act is unconstitutional and inherently illegal by virtue of its contravention and grave violation of the Constitutional guarantee of the freedom of speech.

Article 10(2) of the Constitution which gave permission to Parliament to enact “such restrictions as it deems necessary or expedient in the interest of the security of the Federation or any part thereof, friendly relations with other countries, public order or morality and restrictions designed to protect the privileges of Parliament or of any Legislative Assembly or to provide against contempt of court, defamation, or incitement to any offence” — in my view undeniably defeats the very purpose of the Constitution.

The effect is that, it is no longer the Constitution that is supreme, but rather it is now Parliament which has absolute control and power to determine what they deem as necessary or expedient in the interest of the Federation.

This is an irony and a mockery!

In all civilized and democratic jurisdiction that subscribed to a republican form of government, it is a well-entrenched rule that the Bill of Rights, wherein the Freedom of Speech is one of its heart, can never be negated, impinged or diminished by any law.

The Bill of Rights is a defense given by the fundamental law as a shield and an injunction against the arbitrariness and the enormous power of the state.

Further, Article 10(4) also states that “Parliament may pass law prohibiting the questioning of any matter, right, status, position, privilege, sovereignty or prerogative established or protected by the provisions of Part III, article 152, 153 or 181 otherwise than in relation to the implementation thereof as may be specified in such law”.

I overwhelmingly concur that these portions of the Constitution which have been criticized by human rights advocates, who charge that “under the Malaysian Constitution, the test is not whether or not the restriction is necessarily but the much lower standard of whether or not Parliament deems the restrictions necessary or even expedient. There is no objective requirement that the restriction actually is necessary or expedient and the latter standard is much lower than that of necessity.”

Again, this is an irony and a mockery!

The purpose of the Constitution is to empower the people and to delineate the limit of the discretion of the powers that be, not the other way around!

As already stated and by way of a necessary reiteration the Bill of Rights is a guaranty against governmental arbitrariness and in all true democratic government, it is supposed that Parliament cannot pass ex post facto laws, stifle the freedom of expression, limit the political rights of the people and the citizens, impair the obligation of contracts, or curtail religious freedom.

Where can you find a Constitution that instead of empowering its citizens had rather delimited their rights?

What a shame!!!

Here are the lists of notable personalities, “key people hauled to court for sedition and criminal defamation” that were sued under the said draconian act, as reported by the Malaysiakini, September 8th:

Mohamad Sabu, P Uthayakumar, the late great Karpal Singh, Tian Chua, Teresa Kok, Abdullah Zaik, N Surendran, Khalid Samad, RSN Rayer, Rafizi Ramli, Azmi Sharom, David Orok, Safwan Anang, Ali Abdul Jalil and Nizar Jalamuddin.

I am wondering, if the powers that be truly subscribed to the principle of justice and equality, how come Perkasa, Ibrahim Ali and all of those fanatical and racist groups are not sued under the said nefarious act?

The Opposition Leader, Anwar Ibrahim as reported by the Free Malaysia Today, “Anwar hails “brave critics”, August 30th that:

“What’s the point of celebrating Merdeka day if we don’t have freedom from our own government? Merdeka is for the rakyat.”

It was also highlighted by the said report that:

“In recent days, N Surendran, Khalid Samad, RSN Rayer and Nizar Jamaluddin have been summoned to court on charges of sedition, following Teresa Kok and Tian Chua, who were charged earlier.”

I agree with the question of Hafidz Baharom that “how can it be seditious to offer an academic opinion? I don’t know. But I do know that if the authorities dig up what I’ve written in the past, they would probably start investigating me too.”

Further, I also concur with him that:

“I do not believe there should be any limits to education when it comes to generating intellectual discourse and study. We all know that knowledge is about challenging boundaries. Historically even, we know that the Islamic Renaissance period happened because there were scientists who dared to challenge boundaries.

“Are we going back to the age where Galileo was placed under house arrest for saying the earth orbited the sun?”

Justice George A. Malcolm wrote in one case that:

“The interest of society and the maintenance of good government demand a full discussion of public affairs. Complete liberty to comment on the conduct of public men is a scalpel in the case of free speech. The sharp incision of its probe relieves the abscesses of officialdom. Men in public life may suffer under a hostile and unjust accusation; the wound may be relieved by the balm of a clear conscience. A public official must not be too thin-skinned with reference to comment upon his official acts.”

Hence, it follows that the freedom of the people to freely express themselves is not only paramount but a vital part of a true blue democratic and republican government.

Indeed, “we should be forming a society where everything is discussed rationally, factually and intellectually.”

Therefore, instead of charging Azmi Sharom and other individuals under the Sedition Act, we should and we must dropped all cases and abolished (not merely to repeal) the sedition act altogether because it is a black stain to our laws and our nation, for in truth and in fact that stupid and impertinent act is an archaic law only being use by the powers that be to silence political opposition, harassed the freedom of the artists, impinged on academic freedom and frightened the intellectuals!

Jose Mario Dolor De Vega

Philosophy lecturer
Polytechnic University of the Philippines and Unibersidad de Manila

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[Blog] Obama and Netanhayu’s Israel in exterminating the Palestinian People is a Crime Against Humanity. By Jose Mario De Vega

The Joint War Criminality of Obama and Netanhayu’s Israel in exterminating the Palestinian People is a Crime Against Humanity
By Jose Mario De Vega

I refer to “Obama is a ‘war criminal’ for supporting Israel’s treatment of Palestinians – Cornel West”, RT Question More, August 06 with regard to the public speech delivered by a world-renowned dissident professor.

Mario De Vega

I overwhelmingly concur with controversial professor and political activist Cornel West when he publicly declared President Barack Obama a “war criminal”! I am also in complete agreement with his argument that this is base on the indisputable fact that it was precisely Obama’s “support of Israel and his drone policy make him complicit in the deaths of innocent people.”

According to the said report:

“The controversial activist made the comments at a pro-Palestinian rally in Washington, DC on Saturday, according to Talking Points Memo. West began his speech by pointing to the deteriorating situation in Gaza, where more than 1,800 Palestinians and more than 60 Israelis have been killed, criticizing Israel’s offensive in the region in front of a “Free Palestine” banner.”

Here’s a portion of Dr. West’s speech:

“There’s an intimate connection between mendacity and criminality, between lies and crimes against humanity…

“And what I want to say to my Black brother in the White House: Barack Obama is a war criminal – not because he’s Black, or half-African and white – but because his drones have killed 233 innocent children, and because he facilitates the killing of innocent Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank, and it would be true anywhere else.”

Commentaries:

I applaud the courage and the guts of the said professor in saying openly to the public what the general public and the world as a whole needs to hear, no matter how sad and brutal the truth is: and that is the undeniable fact that Barrack Obama is nothing but a war criminal like his predecessor, the utterly stupid Dubya!

Nonetheless, Professor West is absolutely correct in saying Obama is a war criminal not because of the color of his skin or by virtue of his cultural heritage and his ethnicity but precisely because he is allowing the utilization of deadly force and sophisticated killing machines and lethal technology in confederation and connivance with the Israelis in facilitating the systemic and mass killing and mass murder of the Palestinian people!

In a word: Obama is also guilty of genocide which is a crime against humanity in his support and defense of the Zionist Israeli fake state!

Incontestably, Professor West is also correct in saying that “Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is in the same category as his American counterpart”, because it is beyond dispute “that anyone who “chooses occupation and annihilation is a war criminal.””

Professor West categorically stated that:

“Benjamin Netanyahu is a war criminal — not because he’s Jewish, but because he has chosen to promote occupation and annihilation…”

“This is a human affair.”

I completely concur with Dr. West in his pronouncement with regard to the mass murderer Netanyahu that this freak is a war criminal, not because he is Jewish, but because he “has chosen to promote occupation and annihilation”.

In a word, Netanyahu is a war criminal, because of his acting worst than the Nazi and that he and his military are guilty of genocide, which are crimes against humanity.

The radical and prominent activist noted that the said rally’s main objective is to highlight the plight of the Palestinian people because their “humanity is rendered invisible in the corporate media.”

That is because the American media is controlled by the Zionist! Sad but true! Consider the argument of the stupid media in the US: If one will criticize the Israeli, they will immediately tag the said person of anti-semitism! That is not only an idiotic charge but a complete bullshit crap!

Do those bastards knew that the Palestinians and so as the Jews both came from the Semitic people?

According to Wikipedia:

“A Semite is a member of any of various ancient and modern Semitic-speaking peoples originating in the Near East, including; Akkadians (Assyrians/Syriacs and Babylonians), Ammonites, Amorites, Arameans, Chaldeans, Canaanites (including Hebrews/Israelites/Jews and Phoenicians/Carthaginians), Eblaites, Dilmunites, Edomites, Ethiopian Semites, Hyksos, Arabs, Nabateans, Maltese, Mandaeans, Mhallami, Moabites, Shebans and Ugarites.”

So, when those bloody bastard idiots talked about anti-semitism, what the fuck are they referring to?

Dr. West has shown his objectivity and further stressed that:

“I would be here if there were a Palestinian occupation of Jewish brothers and sisters, because it’s wrong, it’s unjust and we stand not with the level of skin pigmentation or ethnic identity; this is ethical, this is spiritual with political consequences…”

Hence, under the prevailing circumstances being face by Gaza “resistance under occupation” is justified!

This is not the first time that Dr. West has called Obama a war criminal. As the report clearly illustrated:

“Notably, West has called Obama a war criminal before. In May 2013, he told the Guardian that although he supported Obama during his initial bid for the presidency, he became disillusioned after seeing the policies put in place both domestically and overseas.”

Commentaries:

Same with the professor, I am also one of those millions of people around the globe who threw our support for Obama, yet after three years in office, I am also one of those who were disillusioned by his false promises and fake persona.

Instead of ending the so-called war on terror, he did not only continue the same, but worst further amplified it and made it more large scale and global. Though, he did not use ground troops, he maximize their technological warfare by using advanced planes and much sophisticated drones that killed a lot of civilians from Iraq to Pakistan to Yemen, and now to Palestine. Not included in the list is their covert war on Syria.

Same with his predecessor, Obama also did not give a damn to the Palestinian cause. In 2011, during his Address before the United Nations, he even hinted that he will veto the right of the Palestinian for an independent state.

While on the local front, he is powerless to control the corporations, the banks, the big business and all their cohorts to the prejudice of the American public, especially those who live at the edge of society.

Obama instead of realizing the American Dream has turn into the worst American Nightmare! Sad but true! The only difference between him and Dudya is that the latter is white while he is black, but on the level of political character and ideological persuasion — both are the same! Shame!!!

For in truth and in fact, Obama is nothing more than the protector of Wall Street and the genocidal illegitimate ‘state’ of Israel!

As Dr. West clearly pointed out:

“He’s just too tied to Wall Street… And at this point he is a war criminal. You can’t meet every Tuesday with a killer list and continually have drones drop bombs. You can do that once or twice and say: ‘I shouldn’t have done that, I’ve got to stop.’ But when you do it month in, month out, year in, year out – that’s a pattern of behavior.”

“I think there is a chance of a snowball in hell that he will ever be tried, but I think he should be tried and I said the same about George Bush. These are war crimes. We suffer in this age from an indifference toward criminality and a callousness to catastrophe when it comes to poor and working people.”

LET GAZA LIVE!

FREE PALESTINE!

FOR HUMANITY!

Jose Mario Dolor De Vega

Philosophy and Social Lecturer
Polytechnic University of the Philippines and Unibersidad de Manila

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[Blog] The Shooting down of MH17 is a Terrorist Act and a Crime Against Humanity. By Jose Mario De Vega

The Shooting down of MH17 is a Terrorist Act and a Crime Against Humanity: The bastard Americans must back off from the on-going international investigation
By Jose Mario De Vega

I am writing with regard to the catastrophic event that happened to MH17 concerning the horrible fate of the said ill-fated flight and the gruesome and horrendous deaths suffered by its 298 passengers.

It was sudden, totally unexpected and horrific way to die, to say the least!

I condemned, on behalf of humanity to the highest possible extent the evil and heartless perpetrators of these unmistakably demonic and dastardly acts of inhumanity and utter barbarism.

Mario De Vega

What they did, whoever the hell they are without the slightest shadow of doubt is an act of terror and incontestably a crime against humanity.

I am holding all of those bastard murderers responsible for this despicable and utterly disgusting international felony of universal scale.

The reports are pointing the blame to the so-called pro-Russian rebels who are fighting Ukraine in order for them to secede from the latter and eventually rejoin Russia.

Other reports are claiming that Russia is responsible by virtue of the fact that they are supporting those rebels and they are the one who had supplied them of sophisticated weapons.

While Russia is saying that it is not them or those rebels but Ukraine who carried out the attack.
They even stated that it was carried out by Ukraine in order for the said act to be blame on them.

The US and its Western allies are specifically pointing to Moscow as the ultimate brains behind this horrible event. They even offered some satellite map to back up their allegation. However, a Russian general from the Defense department categorically stated that the said map was a hoax.

Now, in the absence of clear, credible and convincing evidences, it is my view that we cannot jump the gun so to speak and immediately draw our conclusions.

It is on this great sense that I am supporting the call of both the Dutch government and the Malaysian authorities for an international, impartial and independent investigation to ferret out the whole truth with regard to this matter.

Said inquiry will collate all the pertinent data, relevant information and necessary and indispensable evidences that shall reconstruct the whole truth and reveal eventually who the real perpetrators are.

If after the said investigation, it will be validated that it was indeed those rebels, then the whole worlds must condemn them and hold them responsible.

The same is true, if the culprit is no other than Russia. They must answer for their murderous act.

Yet, if I may ask, what would be the reaction of the world if it turns out that it was Ukraine who fired that fatal shot, bomb or missile?

Will the world condemn Ukraine and hold them responsible?

What if the evidence further revealed that it was not only Ukraine, but they did their evil act with the help and/or connivance of USA, will the world condemn America and hold it responsible?

Barely 24 hours after the said tragedy, the Americans with their allies, are already telling the world that they have proof that it was the rebels who committed the said despicable act with the active participation of Russia.

Question:

How certain are they that their allegation is correct, accurate and indisputable?

May I remind the world of George Bush’s Mother of All Lies with regard to the so-called Weapons of Mass Destruction allegedly being hidden by Saddam!

Does the bloody world still remember?

Bastard America with its allies, the so-called “Coalition of the Willing” (murderers and killers) begun the so-called War on Terror base on a lie!

That lie plunged the Middle East and in a great part, the world into chaos, division, mistrust, distrust and hate!

We are still reeling from the said fiasco!

A warning to the international community and the whole war

Never again believe directly, on the spot and point blank range what the Americans are saying, because history will clearly shows that they have a consistent history of lies and calumny to justify their act of going to war. Incontestably, they love to kill people, because they are war freaks!

To quote from the article of David Redick, “13 Lies: An Abbreviated History of U.S. Presidents Leading Us to War”, The Activist Post, December 15, 2010:

“Below are the facts on how we got into a few major wars. Each one could be (and has been) a book, and many other smaller wars also could be shown, so please forgive the brevity. The format is: war name; the lying President and the year it started; the stated reasons/lies for the war; and the real reasons.

“1. War of 1812 (Madison, 1812) — Lies: In 1812, Congress declared war on England based primarily on their kidnapping (‘impressment’) of our sailors at sea. Truth: To drive England out of N. America, so the war started with our failed invasion of Canada at Detroit. DC “expansionists” took advantage and started incursions to acquire Spanish Florida, and Mexican Texana territories.

“2. Mexican-American (Polk, 1845) — Lies: Fight to defend our Texas border with Mexico. Truth: The disputes started when residents stole The Republic of Texas from Mexico. We invaded and took the northern half of Mexico, now our entire SW region of five states.

“3. Civil (Lincoln, 1865) — Lies: Fight to end slavery and preserve the union. Truth: The South got tired of economic abuse by the North and had a perfect right to secede. It was not a civil war and it was unconstitutional, illegal, and immoral for the North to start a war to stop them. The Northern states who had the votes to control Congress, wanted to retain the South as a source of cotton and a customer for their manufactured goods (hence the high tariffs on imports in southern ports). Slavery was ended later by the Emancipation Proclamation, but only in Southern states, because the Union wanted the slaves as soldiers. Lincoln was a tyrant beholden to the railroad and canal interests; he jailed journalists and draft resisters who opposed him. Yet, to this day he is revered as a great President who saved the Union.

“4. Spanish-American (McKinley, 1898) — Lies: Spain blew up the US battleship Maine in Cuba’s Havana harbor. Truth: Hearst publicized, and Teddy Roosevelt mobilized, to use the accidental explosion to take over Cuba by starting a war in April, 1898. We then invaded the Philippines in May and annexed Hawaii in July. A busy time for the beginning of Empire-USA!

“5. WWI (Wilson, 1917) — Lies: Join Europe to “Make the World Safe for Democracy.” Truth: Wilson was convinced to join by US and European industrialists who wanted to sell munitions and guns to the allies, and get paid when they won.

“6. WWII (FDR, 1941) — Lies; Defend the US from unprovoked attacks by Japan. Truth: FDR poked Japan until he got his “incident.” because he wanted to be in the war and prevent Germany from winning and emerge as a superpower (with 1. England and France under his control, and 2. Japan and Italy as buddies). FDR wanted the USA to be the only post-war superpower (with 1. Germany under our control, and 2. France and England as buddies)

“7. Korean (Truman, 1950) — Lies: Defend America. Truth: Truman and the Generals wanted a reason to have troops in the Far East area of our Empire.

“8. Vietnam (Kennedy, Johnson, 1964) — Lies: Johnson said Vietnam attacked our ships in the Gulf of Tonkin in August, 1964. Truth: The US didn’t want to lose the Southeast Asia region, and its oil and sea lanes, to China. This “attack” was convenient. Kennedy initiated the first major increase in US troops (over 500).
“9. Gulf War (G.H.W. Bush, 1991) — Lies: To defend Kuwait from Iraq. Truth: Saddam was a threat to Israel, and we wanted his oil and land for bases.

“10. Balkans (Clinton, 1999) — Lies: Prevent Serb killing of Bosnians. Truth: Get the Chinese out of Eastern Europe (remember the “accidental” bombing of their embassy in Belgrade?) so they could not get control of the oil in the Caspian region and Eastward. Control land for bases such as our huge Camp Bondsteel in Kosovo, and for the proposed Trans-Balkan Oil pipeline from the Caspian Sea area to the Albanian port of Valona on the Adriatic Sea.

“11. Afghan (G.W. Bush, 2001) — Lies: The Taliban we’re hiding Osama. Truth: To build a gas/oil pipeline from Turkmenistan and other northern ‘xxstan’ countries to a warm water (all year) port in the Arabian Sea near Karachi (same reason the Russians were there), plus land for bases.

“12. Iraq (G.W. Bush, 2003) — Lies: Stop use of WMDs — whoops, bring Democracy, or whatever. Truth: Oil, defense of Israel, land for permanent bases (we were kicked out of Saudi Arabia) to manage the greater Middle East, restore oil sales in USD (Saddam had changed to Euros).

“13. Possible Iran War (Obama, 201?) — Lies: They almost have an atom bomb; they are a threat to Israel; major killer of our troops in Iraq. Truth: Control their oil, defend Israel, and restore oil sales in USD only (they changed to add Euros and others). We created the regional conflict and shouldn’t be surprised that all neighbors (including our “friends” in Saudi Arabia) are helping Iraq. We exaggerate the threat to Israel, especially as Iran has allowed inspections and Israel has not.

“If you approve of the current Bush-Obama wars, but are resting safely at home, you should join the Army’s Chicken Hawk Brigade. There is no restriction on age or sex, and you will get an exciting front-line assignment promptly. Then, you won’t feel badly about sending others to fight your wars for oil, religion, and Empire-USA.”

If I may add, how about the US lies with regard to Cuba? Why is it that up to now, the bloody embargo is still there?

Question: Why is it that the Americans are so afraid of the Cubans?

Warning to the American public

The world has is much aware of the tricks, the lies and the methods of dramatics of your empire.
You can no longer fool or dupe the international community.

If it is true that you have evidence against Russia and those rebels, then why don’t you handed them to the international investigation?

Stop irritating Russia and forcing them to the bloody wall, because we don’t know what the hell is going on in Putin’s head and we don’t know what the hell he is thinking.

To the Americans, may I remind you that Russia is not Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Yemen, etc. if you will not stop from charging Russia and they give in to your provocations and hostilities erupt, then that conflict may lead to a full scale war, sad but true, then that war will be World War III and that may be that will be the end of all of us!

Suggestion:

It would be better if the bastard Americans will back off from this issue and not interfere with the on-going investigation by virtue of the undeniable fact that they do not have any credibility, civility and moral ascendancy!

Hence, to the US government: Back off!

Solidarity

My sincerest condolences and solidarity to all the love ones and families of all the victims of the ill-fated MH17!

May you all live forever!!!

Jose Mario Dolor De Vega

Philosophy and Social Science lecturer
Polytechnic University of the Philippines and Unibersidad de Manila

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[Blog] In defense and solidarity to the Palestinian People. By Jose Mario De Vega

The Naked Violence, Barbarism, Terrorism and Nazism of Zionism: In defense and solidarity to the Palestinian People
By Jose Mario De Vega

The Zionist argument to justify Israel’s present occupation of Arab Palestine has no intelligent or legal basis in history… not even on their religion. — Malcolm X

Palestine belongs to the Arabs in the same sense that England belongs to the English or France to the French. It is wrong and inhuman to impose the Jews on the Arabs. — Mahatma Bapu Gandhi

It would be my greatest sadness to see Zionists (Jews) do to Palestinian Arabs much of what Nazis did to Jews. — Albert Einstein

Mario De Vega

I am writing to express to the highest possible degree my gravest condemnation and categorical renunciation of the continuing military operation being conducted by the Zionist army against the occupied people of the Gaza Strip!

It is my firm contention without the slightest iota of doubt that the so-called state of Israel (which is a fake one and a misnomer) is the number one terrorist ‘state’ in the entire world next to the US and the UK.

Their evil concerted act of stealing the lands of the Palestinians is the greatest robbery in the contemporary history of mankind.

Their satanic act of oppressing, exploiting and killing massively to the point of eradication the people of Gaza and the West Bank is the gravest crime against humanity!

To quote the words of Lilian Rosengarten of the Al-Awda New York: The Palestinian Right to Return Coalition Jews for Palestinian Right of Return:

“I was born in Frankfurt, I too am a refugee from Nazi Germany, and I am a Jew who must say no to apartheid, occupation, check points, stolen lands, racism and a desire for Jewish state only obtained through the suffering and bloods of Palestinians.”

Now, the devilish Zionist ‘state’ of Israel is once again bombing to the ground, round the clock the Palestinian people, specifically Gaza. It is beyond dispute that what they are doing is to wipe out the Palestinians from the face of the earth.

Hence, in a word, what they are carrying out right now is: genocide!

To quote the incisive and sharp analysis of the eminent radical professor, Noam Chomsky:

“Israel uses sophisticated jets and naval vessels to bomb densely-crowded refugee camps, schools, apartment blocks, mosques and slums to attack a population that has no air force, no air defense, no navy, no heavy weapons, no artillery, no mechanized armor, no command in control, no army and calls it a war.

“It is not war, it is murder.”

Just want to update the great professor that bastard Israel has now also bombed hospitals (See, “Israeli tank strikes Gaza hospital kill 4, scores injured – medics”, RT Question More, July 21st).

It’s been weeks now since the evil Zionist ‘state’ of Israel has unleashed their genocidal act.

According to the latest media report, the Palestinian death toll has already exceeded that of the 2012 ground invasion.

What breaks my heart is to see that majority of the fatalities and victims of this sophisticated carnage are women and mostly children, in a word: civilians!

I am heavily wondering how could this fucking world that calls itself civilized and humane could stand the sight of those dead young children of Gaza?

How could this fucking world which has created and legislated, a lot of so-called humanistic and international human rights laws tolerates the barbarism, evilness, madness, paranoia and unexplainable inhumanity of bullshit Israel against the people of Palestine?

Why?

What kind of fucking world is this?

Where the hell is the international condemnation of the people of the West?

Where the fuck is the supposed world-wide renunciation from the people of Europe and America?

It is on this sense that I am condemning to the utmost the uselessness and worthlessness of the so-called UN, which in my view must be called not as the so-called “united nations”, but the UNITED NOTHING!

Why? Because they are good for nothing! Palestinian children are being killed and butchered and massacred everyday and what they are doing? Meetings! Meetings! Meetings!

Bloody bastards, enough of your fucking meetings, do something!

The so-called sec-gen of this stupid organization is an idiot of the highest order! A couple of days ago, he offered his condolences to the Israeli government for their casualties (40), but this bastard idiot, did not offer the same to the Palestinian fatalities (it has reached 1,000)! (See “UN chief expresses condolences to Israeli regime”, PressTV, July 22nd and “Gaza Health Ministry: Palestinian Death Toll Tops 1,000”, by Nidal al-Mughrabi and Maayan Lubell of Reuters, July 26th).

What a fucking concept and/or gesture of “justice” and “fairness” is that?

Shame on him and shame on his fucking organization!

The sad fact that they cannot do anything to stop the on-going massive violence being committed by Israel has clearly shown their being an inutile, their bias and good for nothingness!

The so-called UN (United of Nothing) is a shame! If they still have some decency left with them, then the right thing to do is for them to move for the dissolution and/or abolition of the said organization, because they cannot carry out or discharge their primordial function which is to ensure world peace which is primarily the very reason for the establishment and/or constitution in the first place.

It is my contention and I am deliberately saying this that on the issue of Israel’s animosity and terrorism against the Palestinian people, the so-called UN (United of Nothing) is a curse and a shame!!!

Sad but true!

Needless to state, I am also condemning the US as the no. 1 protector of the no. 1 terrorist ‘state’ in the entire world which is no other than bullshit Zionist Israel! (See, John Heilprin’s “UN Rights Chief Warns of Possible Gaza War Crimes”, Associate Press, July 23. Said report states that: “Only the United States voted against the resolution championed by Arab nations. Another 17 of the Human Rights Council’s 47 member-states abstained.”)

Bullshit Israel is acting the way it is acting because bastard America with the acquiescence of UK is tolerating and allowing their on-going violence and continuing genocide.

Shame to all of them!!!

Nonetheless, I would like to highlight that everything is not lost for humanity! I commend and applaud those few countries, governments and organization would come out into the open to rebuke and condemn Israel.

Bravo to those South American countries such as Brazil, Venezuela, Bolivia and Ecuador for their solidarity to Palestine! (See, “‘Stop the genocide!’ S. American leaders condemn Israeli operation in Gaza”, RT Question More, July 20th)

Bravo also to the African National Congress (ANC) for comparing the Zionist to the Nazism! To quote a portion of their official statement:

“The rest of the world, including South Africa, will have no further trust in the methods they are using in the name of Jewish liberation.”

I am also equally condemning the so-called Muslim countries and Arab nations for their deafening silence and for their unforgivable betrayal and abandonment of the cause and struggle of the Palestinian people.

Shame to all of them!!!

I am specifically condemning Egypt for acting like a puppet, worst like a fucking dog of bastard US and criminal Israel in further isolating Palestine from the outside world!

Egypt has no right, whatsoever to say that they are Muslim or that they are Arabic! For the truth is that they are nothing but pimps and prostitutes of American imperialism and Israeli Neo-Nazism!

Shame to Egypt! They have no sense whatsoever of Humanity and Morality!

To quote from my article, “In defence of Palestinian Statehood”, The Malay Mail and the Sun Daily Malaysia, September 28, 2011:

“A few days ago, I completely lost all trust, respect and confidence with President Obama. I welcome his winning the presidency in 2008. I thought that by his victory, he would renounce his country’s aggression and imperialism! I was wrong!

“He was already eaten by the American system. That is why when he addressed the General Assembly of the United Nations to speak about the Palestinian question… though he did not uttered the word veto, it is clear from his statement that the Palestinian people would not get his support for their cause.

“I am wondering, why it took him six months to finally issue the condemnation. Further, while he condemned Syria for its brutality, he is not condemning the Israeli government for its brutalities being committed to the Palestinian people. Is this a case of selective justice? Or, perhaps double standards of the highest order?

“Other guilty parties in this issue are those so-called “brothers and sister countries” of Palestine.

“Who are they? They are those so-called Arab nations and Muslim countries. Yes, they are helping Palestine in its struggle. No question about it, so many economic aids has been given and countless humanitarian missions had been sent.

“However if I may I ask: how many of these countries and nations have recognised Palestine as an independent state? All they do is condemn Israel’s barbarism and militarism, US interference and UK’s inutility. The most substantive and utterly important thing to do is to recognise Palestine as a State and not merely as it is, a mere governing body.”

Nonetheless, it is but just that I must also commend and applaud the few Muslim countries that openly throw its lot to the Palestinian cause.

Bravo to Turkey, Malaysia and Chechnya!

I am also equally condemning to the fullest the various international main stream media, such as CNN, BBC and FOX News and others for their prostitution, their lies, their bias and favoritism.

The way they present and report the ‘news’ is not only a perversion of the truth but a mockery of the real thing that is happening.

Shame to all of them!

In the same vein, I would like to commend and applaud the few trustworthy media that are reporting the on-going genocide in an objective manner!

Bravo to Democracy Now, PressTV, RT and other small, but independent media outlet!

Lastly, I would like to commend and applaud all the people of the world who are protesting in the capital of their countries, from Paris to London to Karachi to Manila up to Nigeria to register their point to their bullshit governments and to show their solidarity to the Palestinian people!

For it is written, “you don’t need to be a Muslim to stand up for Gaza. You just need to be human”, because in the end, “it is not about religion”, for the undeniable truth is that: “it’s all about Humanity.”

In the immortal words of a great man, comrade Nelson Madiba Mandela:

“We know too well that our freedom is incomplete without the freedom of the Palestinians.”

Henceforth, the world must unite and stand as One for Gaza and the Palestinian people! For Humanity!!!

Jose Mario Dolor De Vega
Philosophy and Social Science lecturer Polytechnic University of the Philippines
and Unibersidad de Manila

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[Blog] Mr. Aquino’s attack on the SC over its adverse ruling on the unconstitutionality of the DAP may lead to a Constitutional Crisis. By Jose Mario De Vega

Mr. Aquino’s unpresidential act of unprofessionally attacking the Supreme Court over its adverse ruling on the unconstitutionality of the DAP may lead to a Constitutional Crisis
By Jose Mario De Vega

I refer to the Philippine Daily Inquirer report, “Aquino warns SC of clash”, July 15th concerning the nationally televised address of Mr. Aquino defending his DAP.

I say that Mr. Aquino’s outburst is undeniably an unpresidential act of attacking the Highest Court (also a co-equal branch of the government) of this Republic.

Mario De Vega

I am not saying that the so-called Chief executive have no right or cannot question the said Court’s ruling, yet what I am disgusted was the method used and the manner utilized by Mr. Aquino in defending his economic vision and/or national financial blue-print which primarily anchored on DAP which the Court struck down last week — overwhelmingly for its contravention of the laws and for its constitutional incongruity!

Mr. Aquino used the said televised speech as a platform to castigate the Court and lampoon its ruling by using words which in my view is not only unprofessional, but irrefutably unpresidential, bullish, unworthy of a statesman, uncouth and unmistakably immoral!

His utter disregard of the moral authority of the Court and his unmistakable disrespect of its findings and judgment are acts unworthy of the president.

His arrogance and being stubborn betrays his ignorance and silly idiocy, not only of the laws, but also of the most basic tenets of political ethics and general public morality of civil governance.

Consider the very words expressed by this creature:

“My message to the Supreme Court: We do not want two equal branches of government to go head to head, needing a third branch to step in to intervene. We find it difficult to understand your decision. You had done something similar in the past, and you tried to do it again; there are even those of the opinion that what you attempted to commit was far graver. Abiding by the principle of “presumption of regularity,” we assumed that you did the right thing; after all, you are the ones who should ostensibly have a better understanding of the law. And now, when we use the same mechanism—which, you yourselves have admitted, benefit our countrymen—why is it then that we are wrong?”

Commentaries:

Mr. Aquino, you are wrong because even if your intention is good, but if the means you are using are against the provision of the Constitution, the Supreme Court will do its duty to invalidate and/or declare your “acts and practices” unconstitutional!

On the Question of Threat and Bullying

Mr. Aquino, I cannot help but sharply observed that within your speech, why are you, in a sense, threatening the Supreme Court?

To quote from the blog post of Atty. Harry Roque, dated July 17th:

“I could not believe my ears. There he was- the President of the Republic—acting like the head of the Sputnik gang, with apologies to the gang.

“Sure, no one likes to lose. But when you want to reconsider a loss, you should argue on the basis of law and reasons- at least if its the highest court that you need to convince. But no, the President threw both reason and law and instead acted like a bully telling the members of the Court that if they do not reverse themselves on the DAP, he will ask the Legislature to remove them from office. He even taunted them to a fight, as if the Justices, because of their sheer physical age, could stand up to him.”

On the issue of the legality of DAP

Mr. Aquino you also used that Monday night address to defend the legality of your DAP by quoting a provision on the Administrative Code (Book VI, Chapter 5, Section 39 of the 1987 Administrative Code of the Philippines) and by citing an illustration (the parking zone) which in my view is not only stupid but incontestably impertinent.

Again, let me quote the legal analysis of Atty. Roque to dispute your baseless contention:

“And why did he think the Court was wrong on the DAP? He identified at least two points, both of which do not hold water. One, the administrative code purportedly empowers him to realign funds even on a cross-border basis. The problem with this submission is the elementary principle of hierarchy of laws. Even assuming that the administrative code authorizes him to resort the DAP, all laws must still conform to the Constitution, the latter being the supreme law of the land. Those that do not are declared by the courts as null and void ab initio, or without legal effect from the beginning.

“Second, he argued that at most, the DAP is akin to parking at a no parking zone in order to bring a dying patient to a hospital. Really? Since when did a culpable breach of the Constitution become akin to a breach of a minor local ordinance? Moreover, the Court identified a major breach of the Constitution as basis for invalidating the DAP; that is, that it usurped the exclusive power of Congress over the purse. The DAP involved more than a violation of an ordinance that could result in a parking ticket. The DAP was about the very essence of representative democracy: that there will be no taxation without representation and its corollary, that there can be no spending of public funds without the consent of the people acting through their representatives. That was the full impact of the ruling of the Supreme Court when it reiterated the doctrine in Demetria vs. Alba that the Executive could only realign savings to augment an existing line item and only within the executive or that branch of government that incurred the saving. To sanction what the DAP purported to do, which was to replace projects identified by Congress with other projects identified by the Executive would infringe on the power of Congress to pass the appropriations law which incidentally, is also an important part of the system of checks and balances institutionalized by the Constitution by having three co-equal branches of government.”

If I may add, it is also written on Article 7 of Republic Act 386 also known as the Civil Code of the Philippines that:

“Art. 7. Laws are repealed only by subsequent ones, and their violation or non-observance shall not be excused by disuse, or custom or practice to the contrary.

“When the courts declared a law to be inconsistent with the Constitution, the former shall be void and the latter shall govern.

“Administrative or executive acts, orders and regulations shall be valid only when they are not contrary to the laws or the Constitution.”

Hence, Mr. Aquino, the fact that your DAP is inconsistent with the Constitution it was declared by the Court unanimously as unconstitutional, for the Constitution is the Highest Law of the land and it is always Supreme!

On the Aquino Regime

I cannot understand the fact that you and your family who suffered gravely under the Marcos dictatorship, with the rest of the Filipino people why are you now acting like a dictator and a bully!?

Why?

Is it the case that ‘a good man’ like you has already turned into a Darth Vader? Does power truly corrupts?

Another issue, if one will deeply analyze the principle of DAP, its inner mechanism and how it works, one can immediately see that the same is nothing but the legacy of Marcos.

Sad but true! The question now is: So, Mr. Aquino, are you now the new Makoy?

Question:

What are you going to do, if on your Motion for Reconsideration, still the Court affirms its ruling?

What can you say to those idiots in Congress who filed bill that seeks to abolish the Judiciary Development Fund?

How about the threat of some moronic Tongresmen of the possibility of impeaching some Justices of the Supreme Court?

I do not know whether you are aware of all these nefarious moves and idiotic acts of vengeance and vindictive hints, but let me warn you and your regime, your acts of bullying the Supreme Court may lead to a Constitutional Crisis!

Is that your so-called “tuwid na daan”?

Jose Mario Dolor De Vega

The Radical

 

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[Blog] French gov and “European Court of Human Rights” has no right to tell women how to dress up. By Jose Mario De Vega

The French government and the so-called “European Court of Human Rights” has no right to tell women how the hell are they going to dress up
By Jose Mario De Vega

I refer to the AP report, “French Face Veil Ban Upheld By European Court”, July 1 with regard to the decision of the so-called European Court of Human Rights which has recently “upheld France’s law banning face-covering Muslim veils from the streets”.

Mario De Vega

Said case which is the first of its kind was “brought by a woman who claimed” that “her freedom of religion was violated”.

As narrated lucidly by the said report:

“The ruling by the Strasbourg-based court was the first of its kind since France passed a law in 2010 that forbids anyone to hide his or her face in an array of places, including the street. The law went into effect in 2011.

“The court’s Grand Chamber rejected the arguments of the French woman in her mid-20s, a practicing Muslim not identified by name. She said she doesn’t hide her face at all times, but when she does it is to be at peace with her faith, her culture and convictions. She stressed in her complaint that no one, including her husband, forced her to conceal her face — something of particular concern to French authorities.

“The court ruled that the law’s bid to promote harmony in a diverse population is legitimate and doesn’t breach the European Convention on Human Rights.”

Commentaries:

I perfectly understand the real reason of the French government in promulgating this law three years ago: that is for security (the threat of militants and terrorists) and for diversity (French culture and assimilation, etc.) yet, having said that, I question the propriety and wisdom of the court in arriving at their judgment.

The state has the right to defend itself from harm and injury. There is no debate on that. The government has the power to lay down rules, regulations and stipulations that the citizens must obey. The same is true most especially to the foreigners and immigrants who must comply and abide to the said laws in order for them to legally stay to the said society that are living in.

Nonetheless, I regretted that France (especially that so-called “court”), who’s culture, sense of civilization, judicial system and way of life which is being admired by the international community had made a big mistake with regard to this specific case.

They failed miserably to forge a sense of equilibrium and moderation in balancing the public interest (the right of the state to protect itself) from that of the right of the citizen (the right to choose and to decide willfully).

As reported, “under the law, women who cover their faces can be fined up to 150 Euros ($205) or be obliged to attend a citizenship class, or both.”

Further, “when enacted, the law was seen as a security measure, with veiled women considered fundamentalists and potential candidates for extremist views. Another concern was respect for the French model of integration in which people of different origins are expected to assimilate.”

Commentaries:

The two primary reasons behind the law is contradictory and in direct opposition to one another. The first one is aimed “at potential candidates for extremist views”, while the other is for integration and assimilation.

Question:

How the hell could France integrate people of different origin for purposes of assimilation if the said law behind the said aims is zeroing and/or targeting some people who are profiled or stereotyped or tagged or considered or suspected of fundamentalism and extremism?

I have no problem with the French authorities asking some women or people to take away their veil or head scarf or headdress on the ground of investigation, identification, verification and for purposes of documentation, but to give authority and power to those powers that be to arrest and accost and harass people and women who are wearing their veil, scarf and/or headdress on the street on their way to their places of religious worship in my view is a grave violation of their constitutional and international right to religious freedom.

In a truly democratic society, people are penalized, punished and condemned for the wrong acts that they committed, not for what they think and believe, because the right to think, the right to believe and the right to act on those beliefs are beyond state regulation and no government has the right to invade those rights!

Consider the idiotic conclusion reached by that so-called court. They justified their ruling by saying that the ban is a “choice of society”.

Commentaries:

Can there be a society without its inhabitants?

Does the bloody court have forgotten that no society can exist without its people and citizens?

Did they forget also that society is a mere collection of individuals that agreed to bond themselves?

When they speak of the choice of society, do they speak on behalf of the said society or are they speaking for that society?

To do or not to do

My view on this whole controversy is: those women (whether they are Muslim, Sikh, Christian, Jew, etc.) want to wear that veil (or whatever headdress), then let them do so, so long as no one is forcing them to do so! In the same vein, those women do not want to wear that (whatever headdress is that), then so be it. Again, so long, as long it is their will and no one is forcing or compelling them not to do so!

It is my firm belief that the government has no right to legislate and regulate how the hell should or must women dress up!

The government does not own them, but rather they owned the government and so as their bodies!

France and that so-called “court” in my view had indeed violated the right to religion of that woman petitioner and so as all the women being prejudiced by their “law”.

It is on this sense that I concur with the critics of the said ban, which includes human rights defenders and overwhelmingly agree with their contention that the law “targets Muslims and stigmatizes Islam”.

Said ban in my view is not only stupid but undeniably preposterous and sadly France has deviated from its glorious reputation and history from this ridiculous ruling of this impertinent court.
Louise Roug writing for Mashable, “Why France’s Ban on Face Veils Is Bad News for Women”,
July 3rd has brilliantly argued that:

“The ban is also likely to further stigmatize Muslim women — some of whom do choose to wear the veil.

““The argument that the law protects women has no foundation,” said Geneviève Garrigos, president of Amnesty International France, according to France24. “Many [Muslim] women wear veils of their own free will,” she said, adding: “The state does not exist to tell people how they should dress. Rather, it should allow them to make their own choices.” (Amnesty International supported the appeal by the woman who brought the case before the European Court of Human Rights.)

“In addition to the argument that the veil is degrading to women, French officials have asserted that the veil is an affront to French secular traditions. But that is clearly a slippery slope. For one thing, it negates the idea that different cultures and religions can live side by side. Plus, it raises questions about who gets to determine what are the right and proper cultural norms. Finally, there is a specious argument about terrorism and security: that the veil hides people’s identities. But so do certain hats, scarves and beards.”

What’s to be done?

Unfortunately, “the judgment cannot be appealed since it was handed down by the Grand Chamber of the European Court.” Nonetheless, it is my take that the matter is not yet over. The said woman, “a 24-year-old French woman of Pakistani origin had brought the case before the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, arguing that the original 2011 French ban on face-covering veils, intended to protect her against oppression, instead violated her rights to freedom of religion, expression and assembly, and was discriminatory” can bring this issue of humanistic and universal importance to the United Nations.

Article 18 of the United Nations INTERNATIONAL COVENANT ON
CIVIL AND POLITICAL RIGHTS expressly provides that:

1. Everyone shall have the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. This right shall include freedom to have or to adopt a religion or belief of his choice, and freedom, either individually or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in worship, observance, practice and teaching.

2. No one shall be subject to coercion which would impair his freedom to have or to adopt a religion or belief of his choice.

3. Freedom to manifest one’s religion or beliefs may be subject only to such limitations as are prescribed by law and are necessary to protect public safety, order, health, or morals or the fundamental rights and freedoms of others.

4. The States Parties to the present Covenant undertake to have respect for the liberty of parents and, when applicable, legal guardians to ensure the religious and moral education of their children in conformity with their own convictions.

Therefore, anyone who is aggrieved by the stupid and preposterous French law banning the wearing the veil can invoke this international law and sue France before the United Nations.

To France, shame on you and quote the words of Louise Roug: “So much for Liberté, Égalité and Fraternité.”

Jose Mario Dolor De Vega

Philosophy and Social Science lecturer
Polytechnic University of the Philippines and Unibersidad de Manila

All submissions are republished and redistributed in the same way that it was originally published online and sent to us. We may edit submission in a way that does not alter or change the original material.

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[Blog] “Prof” Lolong as the lapdog of stupid CHED: The Betrayal of a soulless creature and a uselessness of a good for nothing government agency. By Jose Mario Dolor De Vega

“Prof” Lolong as the lapdog of stupid CHED: The Betrayal of a soulless creature and a uselessness of a good for nothing government agency
By Jose Mario Dolor De Vega

I refer to Dr. Lisandro “Leloy” Claudio’s “CHED is not targeting Filipino language instruction”, Rappler, June 19th with regard to the raging controversy spawned by CHED’s Memorandum 20 series of 2013.

Mario De Vega

According to Leloy’s central baseless charge: the “emotionally-charged, ill-informed nationalist polemics about the national language move us away from more productive debates.”

Question:

When he talks about more productive debates, what is he referring to? His rubbish and good for nothing essay?

For the benefit of the people of this land, let us dissect bit by bit the garbage article of this character which in the view of this author, without the slightest degree of emotion is a creature without a soul or identity.

This is his opening statement:

“The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) has recently received a lot of flak from teachers and activists for Memorandum (CMO) No. 20, series of 2013 – a document that outlines the new General Education (GE) for colleges and universities.

“Unfortunately, reporters and pundits have reduced this 22-page memo into a convenient sound bite. They claim it removes the mandatory teaching of Filipino/Tagalog from tertiary level curricula. Because of this simplification, people have been led to believe that the CHED has put the national language in danger. It has not.”

Commentaries:

Who the fuck is the one who is engaged in simplification?

When the intended victim, those professors who shall be affected by the stupid memo asked the CHED for clarification, what the hell shall happen to them, that good for nothing government agency told them something to this effect: “no worries, you may be out in college but you can teach in high school”.

Such a rubbish pronouncement!

Is it that easy?

To his assurance that the national language was not put into danger, then why killed or abolished the Filipino subjects in Higher Education?

Do I have to remind this so-called pol-sci “prof” the provisions of Article XIV, Sections 6 to 9 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution that clearly stipulated that the national language of this republic is Filipino?

The same constitutional provision also stated that it is the duty of the government to develop and to cultivate the said language.

Is this their way of developing and cultivating the national language? That is by killing and abolishing those subjects being taught in colleges and universities all over the archipelago?

Wow!

Then, this creatures’ follow up is this:

“Let’s see what the document has to say, and consider how educational institutions can implement it.

“The memo, with the subject “General Education Curriculum: Holistic Understandings, Intellectual and Civic Competencies,” is not primarily a text about language instruction. Rather, it presents the outline of a new GE curriculum, more advanced and more interdisciplinary than ones currently in place. For instance, it mandates the teaching of courses like “The Contemporary World,” “Ethics,” and “Understanding the Self,” which depart from the discipline-based courses we have now (disclosure: I am helping design one of the CHED GE courses). Instead of, say, taking a basic Psychology class, a student will instead take the course on the “self,” which would be taught through various perspectives and disciplines. At Ateneo de Manila, we envision the course to be team-taught by psychologists, sociologists, anthropologists, philosophers, and political scientists.”

Commentaries:

That so-called Ched prof, stated that: “Let’s see what the document has to say, and consider how educational institutions can implement it.”

Question:

Nowhere in his article does the 22 pages memo was highlighted! So, when he says that “let’s see what the document has to say”, what the hell is he trying to say? When he and the document that he says that he claims to say something does not say anything?

Bloody hell! This reminds me of the lyrics from a song: “you say it all, when you say nothing at all”. Bwahahahahahaha!

If “the memo, with the subject “General Education Curriculum: Holistic Understandings, Intellectual and Civic Competencies,” is not primarily a text about language instruction”, then what the hell is the issue with regard to the issue or question of language?

Is this creature saying that the bloody memo under consideration is but a mere outline of a new GE curriculum?

I do not think so! There is more to that! It is my firm view that the said memo has a sinister objective and dark aim and that is to obliterate eventually the Filipino language to the prejudice of the people and the nation!

This guy, without first settling the issue on the question of the dispute on language even claimed that the new GE curriculum is “more advanced and more interdisciplinary than ones currently in place.”

Question:

I am heavily wondering, what is the basis of his assumption that it is more advanced and more interdisciplinary?

It is because you massacred and reduced the GE subjects from 60 to 36 units, does it makes your curriculum more advanced and more interdisciplinary?

I do not think so! I never believe in the length of the study, but in the depth and breadth of the endeavor! The government can even make the High school education up to ten years, but as long as the pressing problems being confronted by the whole educational system is there — that would be in vain and incontestably useless and worthless!

Sad but true!

Or, is it because, as you yourself said: a student who is taking a basic Psychology class “will instead take the course on the “self,” which would be taught through various perspectives and disciplines.”

That is good and laudable, but how can you execute or implement that goal?

Where can you hire a professor who can teach the concept of the “Self” on its political sphere, its philosophical dimension, its economic aspect, sexual part, spiritual area, psychological view and military angle?

Are you going to teach the concept or the idea or the term “Self” in all the spectrum of the different branches of knowledge in one course in one sitting?

Holy cow!

This creature also bragged that at the Arteneo de Manila, “we envision the course to be team-taught by psychologists, sociologists, anthropologists, philosophers, and political scientists.”

Question:

Do you also include there the Sikolohiyang Filipino perspective?

Then, this prof stated that:

“As you can see, these courses are advanced. The reason why colleges can now teach these courses is a function of the K-12 adding two more years to the basic education curriculum. Because of this, many of the courses that used to be taught in college will now be taught in high school. These include courses on languages.”

Commentaries:

This portion of that creature’s article in my view is one of the main problems.

It is clear from the foregoing that he and his CHED are the only creatures who see the aims of their memo as advanced.

Again, how the hell could their courses be advanced when in truth and in fact their memo did not have a comprehensive and contingency plan that will address the effects of their programs, such as the: Why it is that “many of the courses that used to be taught in college will now be taught in high school”?

I am inviting the attention of the public to the Philippine Daily Inquirer reports, “P29B not enough, say teachers” and “House urged to probe dropping of Filipino as a college subject”, both dated June 25th.

The first report deals with the certainty being faced by those teachers who will be affected by this move, while the second pertains to the fear and apprehension of the various stakeholders with regard to this act of the CHED!

Here’s is prof’s “rationalization” with regard to the said bloody memo:

“CHED’s memo cannot be understood outside the context of K-12. If we are scaling back language instruction in college, it is simply because we are intensifying language instruction in basic education. Instead of a first year of college where a student takes Filipino/Tagalog units, he/she will have two more years of basic education, which will allow him/her more time to study Filipino/Tagalog. The net effect is, in fact, an increase in time and resources devoted to the study of the national language.”

Commentaries:

Whether the bloody CHED memo can be understand or understood inside or outside of the context of K-12 is immaterial and irrelevant and only a stupid soulless freak like this idiot will even cite that, because that is a completely non-issue to this whole raging controversy.

For the benefit of our people and so as this moron, the main problem and the central issue with regard to this matter that led to the national debate is: WHY THE HELL THAT FUCKING CHED MEMO HAS TO KILLED FILIPINO AS A SUBJECT AT THE HIGHER LEVEL OF INSTRUCTION AND EDUCATION?

Second main issue: WHAT THE HELL WILL HAPPEN TO ALL THOSE PROFESSORS, ACROSS THE COUNTRY THAT ARE TEACHING THE SAME, UPON THE EFFECTIVITY OF THIS SUPER STUPID memo?

How could there be “an increase in time and resources devoted to the study of the national language” when you and your bastard CHED has effectively killed Filipino as a subject and as a discipline?

I have no issue with them, “intensifying language instruction in basic education”, but the central and primordial question there is: why the fuck you are not doing or supporting the same tack when it comes to higher education?

“As you may have already gleaned, the CHED memo does not unfairly target Filipino/Tagalog. All language instruction will be brought down to basic education, including English reading, speaking, and composition. In asking the CHED to have mandatory Filipino language instruction in the college curriculum, advocates are, in effect, calling for the outright privileging of Tagalog over English. None of them advocate returning both Tagalog and English instruction.”

Commentaries:

This prof stated that, “as you have already gleaned”, gleaned what? Ah, that the “CHED memo does not unfairly target Filipino/Tagalog”?

Question:

If the said bastard memo did not unfairly target the national language, does it mean that it does targeted the same fairly? Then, how fair is the way it targeted the national language?

Wow! What a stupid play of words or worst, idiotic using of words! I am wondering: is this creature truly a prof?

On the question of the privilege on language

No one among the oppositors, objectors and all those people who disagrees with the stupid CHED memo has called for the privileging of Tagalogs over English.

That charge or claim of this so-called prof is not only malicious, but undeniably misplaced and a complete lie!

What the opposition simply asked is, again: WHY KILL AND ABOLISH THE FILIPINO SUBJECTS IN HIGHER EDUCATION?

Where the hell does that issue of the privilege come from?

Answer: only from the impertinent and malicious mind of this so-called prof, who is an “informed” ‘nationalist’ and emotionally stable freak!

What a shame!!!

“Most pundits have also been concerned about Filipino teachers possibly losing their jobs, while neglecting the fact that English teachers face a similar dilemma. But will Filipino teachers really lose their jobs? Not necessarily.”

Commentaries:

To that phrase what “possibly losing their jobs” this creature is talking about? It is not a mere possibility, but indeed an impending reality, ironically based on the stupid CHED memo this guy is defending!

I wonder, what this creature means when he says that those Filipino teachers who will be affected by the implementation of the said bastard memo will not necessarily lose their jobs? Is he reading the papers? Did he truly read the 22 page memo that he is talking about?

My humble suggestion to this so-called “prof” is to attend the hearing of the House of Representatives higher education committee, in order for him to realize the truth and perhaps, he may come to his senses (that is, if he has one)!

Nonetheless, assuming for the sake of the argument, if one can construe it as one that those teachers will not necessarily lose their jobs, the question there is: does it follows that they might or that they may?

Let us listen to his “explanation”:

“Losing a course to teach is not tantamount to losing your job. Teachers teach more than one course. For example, under the new CHED GE, I will no longer be able to teach my beloved Philippine politics course, but this doesn’t mean I’ll be out of a job. Between now and 2016, I am developing Ateneo’s version of the CHED course on the contemporary world. Similarly, teachers who used to teach Filipino language may train themselves to teach the course called “Art Appreciation,” which would benefit from scholars familiar with Filipino literature and aesthetics. The rhetorical and compositional skills of Filipino teachers would also be useful for the course called “Purposive Communication/Malayuning Komunikasyon,” which, like all the other GE courses, may be taught in Tagalog. Will this retraining take time, effort, and money? Sure. The question is if it’s worth it.”

Commentaries:

I agree with so-called prof that “losing a course is not tantamount to losing your job”, but the question there is: why you and your CHED and the bloody government are fucking my course?

To the assertion that “teachers teach more than one course”, yes, perhaps that will apply to the majority of teachers; but how about the minority? Henceforth, the question there is: how about those teachers who only teach a single course? What the hell will happen to them?

Further, may I know what this guy meant by a course? Can a Political Science professor teach mathematics, physics, biology, and P.E.?

Another question: What will happen to a professor who has a Doctorate in Filipino, can he or she teach another subject, let say, Introduction to Political Science with Governance and Philippine Constitution? That teacher or professor is an authority when it comes to teaching the simuno and panaguri, pandiwa and pang-uri, but can he or she teach and discuss comprehensively the distinction and the differences between the Doctrine of Qualified Political Agency from that of the Principle of the Separation of Powers to that of the Rule on Checks and Balance?????

Some would say, yes they can! But, can those “super profs” teach those subjects thoroughly, in-depth and with authority? Can they truly teach those subjects with justice?

I agree that a Social Science professor can teach a variety of subjects, but how about those professors who only mastered the different Filipino courses/subjects?

The “solution” or suggestion of training, retraining, etc. is questionable, to say the least!

Question:

Who will educate the educator? Who will teach the teachers? Who will train and retrain the trainees?

Bwahahahahaha!!!

Consider the scenario proposes by this “character”:

“…teachers who used to teach Filipino language may train themselves to teach the course called “Art Appreciation,” which would benefit from scholars familiar with Filipino literature and aesthetics. The rhetorical and compositional skills of Filipino teachers would also be useful for the course called “Purposive Communication/Malayuning Komunikasyon,” which, like all the other GE courses, may be taught in Tagalog.”

Commentaries:

Jesus, Joseph and Mary! Holy cow! What the fuck is this? What the hell is this?

So, a Filipino teacher who devoted himself/herself to the perfection and mastery of his/her subject “may train themselves with the course called “Art Appreciation””! I doubt if those Filipino teachers will appreciate that!

Imagine a Filipino professor who has a Degree in Filipino, a Master and PhD on the said course, that in order for him or her not to lose his or her job, he or she needs to train and/or retrain and then teach the subject Arts Appreciation?

What the fuck happened to the so-called field of specialization and area of expertise? How about that so-called vertical articulation thing?

So that bastard CHED memo wants to make some professors as master of all, jack of all trade?
That’s a big pile of shit!

I’m wondering, will the time come also that a Philosophy or Sociology or Anthropology or Political Science professor will need to have training in order for them to teach vulcanizing, carpentry, animal-husbandry, etc?

Again, the question: who will train who?

The bastard CHED memo without the slightest iota of doubt is bastardizing not only the national language, but undeniably demeaning the status and condition of the Filipino teachers and professors who are teaching the Filipino subjects!

My position on this matter is clear cut: what we need to do is to further study, develop and cultivate the national language, not to kill and/or abolish it!

To quote the full exposition from one commentator, gyverthegreat (taken from his comments on the article of “prof”):

“The teaching of collegiate Filipino does not revolve around grammar, syntax and tenses. A simple perusal of the course offerings of UP KAL for instance would tell us that indeed Filipino is a not a mere language course. Filipino is a literature and culture course. For instance, would you learn about Pop Culture literature in elementary and high school? The answer is no since literature studies in elementary and high school comprise of selected works such as Ibong Adarna, Florante at Laura, NMT and EF and if you are lucky or still remember Banaag at Sikat or at least a summary of it.

“Collegiate level Filipino courses expose the ordinary Filipino college student to other writings which would have been deemed improper study for a child or adolescent – stages of growth where censorship is greater. For example, in UP, we have Pan Pil 19 where literature is tackled in the context of sexuality and gender. Have you ever wondered why it is deemed more taboo to say ti** or p*k* in Filipino than say p*nis or v*g*na? (Forgive the auto-censorship because Rappler may refuse to post this). These things and much more are addressed in collegiate Filipino. Another example is Pan Pil 40 where works from 1946 to present are discussed. Do you think that Filipino literature was the same in structure and/or narrative pre-war and post-war? Do you not think that such questions and topics are legitimate areas of study that we are better off as a society to address them by mandatorily teaching them to college students?

“We enter college with a different (and a hopefully more mature) mindset than say elementary or high school. Teaching Filipino in the collegiate level matches that mature state of mind and addresses burgeoning questions that we may not have thought of or were too afraid to ask when we were in elementary and high school.

“This is why people easily mistake and misapprehend the value of college-level Filipino courses. We think teaching Filipino can be foregone because to most of us it is just a language course. On the contrary, it is in fact a valid, legitimate, important, and critical course that should be taught from elementary to college.”

On the Question of Identity

I am inviting the attention of the public to refer to my article, “Ang CHED memorandum Blg. 20 bilang akto ng Pagtataksil sa Bansa at hakbang ng Pagpatay sa Kaluluwa ng mga Mamamayang Pilipino”, published by the Human Rights Online Philippines, June 22nd to see my discussion on the relation and importance of the national language to that of the identity and soul of the nation.

To quote the comments of Ms. Elena Malgapo-Domingo from Rappler’s, “Should Filipino be scrapped from the college curriculum? Is Filipino a subject only for K-12 and below? We ask netizens”, June 28th:

“Wow. What’s up with the very vocal abhorrence for the teaching and learning of Filipino/ Pilipino. Have we really lost sense of our own identity? Ganito na ba talaga ang pagtrato natin sa sariling atin. Our heroes must be rolling in their graves right now. Roots, people, roots. Respeto naman para sa kultura at pambansang pagkakakilanlan, sa mga ninunong nagtaguyod ng bansa natin. To look at the problem this way is to disgrace our forefathers. Identity plays a crucial role in one’s placement in this globalization thing. I hate the word, the stigma attached to it, but honestly, we can never ever be globally competitive if we can’t even rise as a nation.

“This kind of attitude is doing disservice to our ancestors. This, clearly, is one of the reasons why growth continues to be stifled in our country. Wala tayong pagpapahalaga sa ating pinagmulan.”

The Propriety and Legality of the said memo

I joined the various stakeholders, the Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino and the Tanggol Wika Coalition to question before the Supreme Court the constitutionality and morality of the stupid and bastard memo issued by CHED!

It is my firm view that the Highest Court of this land will strike down that memo for being unconstitutional, immoral and improper for being a traitor not only to the Constitution but most importantly to our History, to our Ancestors and Heroes and to the whole nation!

In my conclusion, let me quote the illustrious words of wisdom of a great Filipino writer:

“Ang kaisipan ay hindi maihihiwalay sa wika. Kapag ang kaalaman ng wika ay hindi sapat, ang pag-iisip ay pigil, may hadlang at hindi makadaloy nang maayos. Kapag ang isang tao ay nanghihiram ng isang wikang banyaga sa kanya, sa pagpapahayag ng kanyang sarili sa paano’t paano man, ang bahagi ng kanyang isipan ay hiram din at lubhang mahalaga at kulang ang sangkap ng kanyang individualidad o kakanyahan ay nawawala. Hindi mapag-aalinlangan ang paglalahong pagkalinangang ito ay bunga ng matagal at patuloy na kapabayaan sa mga wikaing pamparupok na siyang likas na paraan ng pagpapahayag ng katutubong kalinangan.”
Genoveva Edroza-Matute, “Walo at Kalahating Dekada ng Isang Buhay”

DOWN WITH ched memo 22!
Jose Mario Dolor De Vega

Philosophy and Social Science lecturer
Polytechnic University of the Philippines and Unibersidad de Manila

All submissions are republished and redistributed in the same way that it was originally published online and sent to us. We may edit submission in a way that does not alter or change the original material.

Human Rights Online Philippines does not hold copyright over these materials. Author/s and original source/s of information are retained including the URL contained within the tagline and byline of the articles, news information, photos etc.

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