Rethinking the launching of the SILENT SOCIETY

by Wilhelmina S. Orozco

The Silent society was launched yesterday, May 19th at the Christ the King Compound in Quezon City. The aim of the group is to empower the voters by making them hold sacred their votes. Keep them secret.

This move, is harnessing that "creative force to transform the nation and manifest goodness in all segments of society including government through the pwoer of silence, armed with a tool for goodness called the Katapatan card." The card makes the individual reflect and pray on goodness.

The objectives of the group are laudable, to hold the vote sacred. But to keep quiet as to who one will vote is defeating the very essence of democracy, to my mind. Democracy means gathering collective effort at bringing about a society free from hunger, thirst, and ignorance, among others. To keep mum as to who would be the best person/s or even party/ies that can help attain that, is to be defeated already in the polls.

Maybe the group has to rethink its core values -- exercising suffrage cannot be purely meditative, nor reflective. Reflection can only come about for about 30%. To realize the desired effect of having leaders who will guide us to prosperity, freedom and better understanding of our life and this world, is to interact with everyone, to debate, discuss, and to analyze, such activities so necessary for shaping a society.

So elections 2010, cannot be an exercise in meditation or reflection alone, but also engagement with groups that are working for the same objectives that will benefit the majority of the Filipino people.

Suffrage is exercising the mind, the spirit and the body (which includes emotions) that will take action.