BEING A CITIZEN

The word Filipino  comes from the name of King Philip II who ruled during the time of the invasion of Spain of Asia, the waters of our land, the time of competing with Portugal over which countries could be colonised. 

Along the same line, American  originated from the name of Amerigo Vespucci, an Italian explorer, chief negotiator of Spain in the 16th century. I will not go into detail as to how American  was derived from him as there are many sources in the internet about that. 

Now, apropos the issues surrounding the election of a president under the influence of a foreign country, it occurred to me that Americans maybe having a conflicting view of what is being an American. 

With so many commercial products being touted as American, like hamburger and chicken empires as well as cars and types of music, I must say that it could be very difficult instilling in anyone, politically, what would constitute as a truly ethical American political decision. Commercially, it would seem easy to label things as American, but when it comes to issues, what would we say are truly American responses or American standpoints?

It is difficult is it not? In the political arena, the most dominant are the two parties and an ordinary citizen would be either of the two. That much could be said of what is American. However with regard to the differences in terms of standpoints, I think we could run into problems. I met some Americans in 1991 who did not want to exercise their right to vote because they said, there was not much difference between the two. Then they asked me why I wa so interested in their politics at that time? My answer was the usual thing -- when America sneezes, we catch the cold, and some would even reply, influenza. 

What do these things signify? I think there is too much belief in the word "objective," in the western world. People are more apt to say that you cannot have one standpoint, that one has to be objective, meaning to say look at the problem from both sides of the coin. 

With the advent of hyper media, I think that looking in has become an understatement. People are drawn to conclusions by the overpowering glamour, the captivating glitter of media, so much so that it becomes too difficult to see who is lying and who is telling the truth, who is being honest and sincere and who is just trying to be attractive. 

I think that the presidential aspirant has woven an aura of legitimacy around his persona because of his use of the media, so much so that not many people do not want to put him in a questionable light. 

Just listen to the Voice of America news report over the radio. The VOA is a "United States government-funded multimedia news source and the official external broadcasting institution of the United States." (Wikipedia). I listen to it every 7 am here in the Philippines and it is concentrated on reporting about Trump, as if he has already been installed. Everything he says is reported. Meanwhile, as to what is happening to the opposition backed by the 2.7 million voters who we will soon know if vindicated or not, is not reported at all. 

The VOA in other words is trying to project a face of stability, that the transition from Obama to Trump will be done soon and everything reported is in preparation for the take-over. 

So Folks, do you see why it is so difficult to say what is being "American?"

We would like to think that to be an American is to have multi-diverse views of politics, not only socio-culturally and economically. We, from the Third World, must be able to draw our own conclusions from a varied array of facts and ideas. But the way media is isolating us from the real score abroad, the harder it is really to present a solid, ethical opinion of what politics should be.

I think cleansing of the airwaves and everything else has to be done if only to make everyone on this planet be a good citizen, a law-abiding citizen, a humane citizen, an ethical citizen, a citizen who will not sell his or her country to a foreign power. Being an American though, I know is being meticulous, perspicacious and careful when giving his/her stamp of approval to anything. I hope that is also done by the Electoral College members, faithful or faithless, who will choose the next president of the United States.. Deciding on the future of their country, it is imperative that they feel the pulse of the people.