LIVE AND LET LIVE

Why is peace very elusive to find in this world? In Afghanistan, Pakistan, and now the Philippines, the claws of war are being raised and swished right and left to snuff out lives.

Yes, pacifism is what I advocate. I believe that every individual's life needs to be saved, and in every method available. If there are those who sow the seeds of war in our midst let us capture them and put them where they cannot harm anyone. But I would not use any gun, armalite or even a dynamite to bomb them out of their existence in this world.

Funny how those suicide bombers completely lose their sense of value of their own bodies and just think of killing masses of people, innocent and not innocent. What kind of religion would teach that -- not to value life? And what about boxing? Why is this not being outlawed when it seeks to destroy the human body systematically, and gets watched by millions like the Romans who salivated at the scenes of gladiators running for their lives or fighting with lions who would corner them in the maze of the Colosseum in ancient times.

I wonder why the Catholic Church has not even categorically stated any ounce of abhorrence over this so-called "sport" which even gets introduced to young boys aged 8 and above, or even younger. One time, I told a mother who was watching her son wearing gloves and boxing another young boy, "When he gets battered, especially his head, he would become so dull that he would not be able to understand a single lesson being taught in school. And so what would be the point for your sending him to school if his head has been violently shaken up and unable to think properly anymore?" There and then she pulled her son away and grabbed the gloves from his hands.

I think that violence, and that necrophiliac attitude, that love of death, is only bred by the environment. No individual is born with that hot taste to kill, or even just maim another being. It is how society is shaped -- if it allows violent games around, if it sees that war is justified, that to kill is all right, then we can be sure that the youth shall also imbibe those ideas and grow up not knowing what is humane and what is evil

So, martial law, an aberrant form of ruling, surely an authoritarian method of dealing with recalcitrant tribes, has been installed in Maguindanao to so-called curtail the rebellious followers of the Ampatuan clan, and of Mayor Ampatuan who is now incarcerated for having been involved in the massacre of 59 mostly women. The news is so horrific that reading the newspaper is like seeing blood spilling over the pages, so much so that listening to the radio news is very uplifting. The latter lifts us out of that pressure to imagine what horrible scenes surrounded the killing.

The main rationale for the imposition of martial law was that the followers were found massing up with high-powered arms, readying probably to save their leader from the clutches of the law enforcers. But then, is this the only way to deal with the crime? To introduce more iron fists and make the groups tow the line of peace?

We are not sure if we are being given the correct reasons; but nonetheless the new tactic makes us squirm with disgust as to how a very quiet entry of the tanks and soldiers into Maguindanao should now turn authoritarian resurrecting the days of Marcosian rule in the country.

Imposing martial law is a cop out, a lack of desire to seek all the best possible solutions. This is not the way governance should be. I seek a better, peaceful solution even with a foreign mediator if need be. Surely those who are funding the Muslim communities from abroad carry much clout to make the Ampatuan stay more civil, and not warlike.

In the last meeting of the Peoples' Primaries, Don Flordeliza mentioned that the great problem in Mindanao is warlordism which many dismissed before as too much overreading. But three days afterwards, the massacre of civilians happened in Mindanao and because of the machinations of warlords.

Now is the time for all peace groups to gather together and make their presence be felt, publicly. Meditation, praying, carrying flowers and releasing doves of peace -- all these should bring home the message that what God and humans have brought forth as breathing beings should be allowed to be free -- to think, to act, to speak. And should they commit errors, then let the collective spirit envelope them into submission and make them repent their ways.

Maybe being idealistic is no longer relevant. But so long as idealism can still instill the value of human lives, it can never be irrelevant.

"Buhay na hiram ating iuwi ng buo at matatag, may mapayapang paninindigan makatarungang pananaw sa buhay at paggalang sa karapatan ng lahat ng taong mabuhay."