PRAYING FOR PEACEFUL ELECTIONS

It is very difficult posting at this time. Someone has removed the picture image icon where I can paste one that will illustrate what I wantto say. Nonetheless, this will not stop me from communicating with you Folks.

A new era in politics is arising in the country.We are now at the crossroads, where we can either throw all our principles to the wind and go by the "pera-pera" mentality or truly stick by the principled route of electing the people who would espouse the peoples' causes.

It is very disheartening that a woman president should be the prime example of everything wayward in politics -- buying off loyalties, and twisting our laws in order to secure her victory at the polls as congress representative.

Now I ask, do we lack icons, models of Filipino women politicians who could really be called the best public servants? Does the world lack those women who could be put up as the great change agents in bring about a peaceful world?I don't think so. But now I throw these questions to all the women in the women's movement. I think we should think up of strategies to make sure that the women who are catapulted to power do not become corrupt and instead think of the welfare of the people, of the environment. We should always be on guard against misdemeanors that could lead to authoritarian and gangsterish ways.

Everyone has a right to vote and be voted upon.That's a dictum in democratic politics. But that right does not include twisting the arms of the voters to win, or buying their votes, or promising them rewards, afterwards. None of them. Instead, every vote cast should be done so in the spirit of freedom --freedom of thought and action of the voter. Do these sound like tall orders?

I can hear some cynical comments about the outcome of the 2010 elections. People seem to be wary about "no-el" and that the creation of a military junta could be in the offing to perpetuate the status quo. But some sectors also say that there are restive stirrings among the armed groups --both left and right. It would be suicidal to stop the elections at this time. And the ordinary folks think of it, feel it, as a time to make a lot of money too, not just to change the faces of those up there. Elections mean for them a new life - no matter if it is just another mangungurakot somewhat like in the movies -- you change the villains, and the heroes, but the story is the same.

Still others say that the 2010 elections could be the bloodiest for us. And they have already started with the Maguindanao massacre. Which other places would be besieged by violent conflicts among competitive candidates?

For our part, we who belong to the non-governmental organizations, we who are joining the elections to achieve meaning in our lives, what can we do to make 2010 a peaceful year for transition of leaderships?

At this time, we should already be strategizing how to make the candidates we want be known by the people. By December 14, when the Comelec would be announcing the final list of candidates, we need to make sure that our candidates shall win in the elections.

Winning means 1. the people knowing and liking our candidates who should be morally upright and know good governance; 2. seeing that the proper votes for them are counted; and 3. seeing that the winning candidates take their seats and protests are minimized.

Most of all, let us pray, pray hard that everything is done peacefully.

(AFTER 20 MINUTES OF POSTING, THE ICON APPEARED. VOILA, MAGIC!)