WHY TURN DEMOCRATIC?

Dear Friends,

Good morning. I would like to raise a discussion issue among all
democratic societies in the world. We have already walked past the
crossroads whether to turn communist or democratic. Today, there are
more gigantic countries opting for a democratic government than
communist, not only in the western hemisphere but in Asia, the Middle
East and Africa. We are no longer afraid to choose of which path to
trod on. We know where we want to go.

Unfortunately, the forces stopping us from influencing other countries
to turn our similar path are so strong that sometimes we tend to think
that a decent turn to democracy, where no lives will be lost cannot
happen in our lifetime. These forces include dogmatism, messiahnism,
and sexism. Unlocking dogmatic thoughts, especially in those countries
where conservative religious beliefs hold sway is like taking the bull
by the horns. We are threatened with annihilation, destruction and
even a hellish descent. Messiahnism on the other hand exists in those
countries whose idea of existence is spreading their influence,
whether through arms selling, through financial blackmail, or even
outright invasion. Sexism is rife, especially in that part of the
world where women are covered from head to toe.

Hence, we, the little people of the world, whose influence could only
be exercised within the cyberspace are in a quandary right now. What
kind of relationships can we form given this set-up? Are we to be meek
citizens of the world, just plodding through from day to day in our
economic struggles and just think through our family's survival? Or
are we going to side with a strong force and "bahala na" let fate
decide if the future will make this force win in the end?

I do think that the citizens of the world, our kababayan abroad are
truly suffering from this dilemma. They cannot turn highly political,
meaning, writing, marching and shouting for their beliefs without
foreseeing the consequences of their actions on their jobs, and
eventually on their families' status in the home country, our
Philippines.

Thus, their drive to sow democratic seeds at every turn is thwarted by
the fears of the consequences, not only on their own lives but their
families' and also the country's I suppose.

I do think that now is the time for us to be much stronger in facing
opposition to the spreading of democratic rule in every country. We
should work for all the freedoms inscribed in the UN Declaration of
Human Rights. We can no longer afford to be fencesitters and allow the
forces of reaction to block our and others' path to these freedoms.

Yesterday, I was translating many of the words of Helen Keller into
Pilipino and what struck me was her love of humanity. She was a gifted
writer, despite her blindness and she saw through that the most
difficult thing to do is to make those who have think of those who
don't have. Yes, her view of the world was broad, encompassing not
only those whose voices she could not hear and whose faces she could
not see, but others whose fate she could have encountered by reading
braille books. Helen was born and raised in the early 1900's and yet
her political understanding was very sharp and her beliefs belonged to
the world as lack, hunger, thirst, were prevalent during her time not
only in America but elsewhere in the world.

In this regard, if Helen, born blind and deaf, could be a staunch
advocate for those whose freedoms have been trampled, how much more
should we exert effort, we who are born with all those features that
allow us to read as many books as we can, and listen to a plethora of
voices and sounds to help those who are in need?

And only a democratic government allows this to happen. It cannot
happen in a fascist nor a country under martial or permanent party
rules. It can only happen under a government run by people whose
beliefs run parallel to what we know as a free society.

Therefore, I believe that at this time, the only thing we must focus
on is how to spread democratic beliefs and strengthen them in the
societies we lives in and in other societies through development of
like-minded inclinations. Let us not mince words whenever our desire
to let others "partake of the cake" or to enjoy life as it is, is
dismissed or derided at every turn. Instead, though painstaking, let
us deepen our resources of intellectual defenses and work for a
peaceful persuasion of others to see the truth, the viability and the
respect accorded each one in our attempt at achieving our aims.

We must now allow the temptation to go with the herd, to allow those
stronger than us to define our lives and principles, but rather have a
peaceful engagement through and through. For it is only in respecting
others' right to exist that we can also live and enjoy the benefits
that we are having now. However, we should also care for others to
receive justice in their lives and be one with them in seeking their
own free and happy space in life.