 |
 |
| ON THE OTHER HAND |
| Onward, Christian Soldiers!
By Antonio C. Abaya Written July 11, 2007 For the Standard Today, July 12 issue The latest depressing news from and about Iraq numbs the soul and boggles the mind. Over the last weekend, more than 230 Iraqi civilians were killed, mostly in sectarian violence between Sunnis and Shias, including 150 killed in just one suicide truck bombing north of Baghdad .. Almost three million Iraqis - more than 10% of the total population of 25 million, have fled their country to Jordan , Syria and elsewhere to escape the violence. In some hospitals, 80% of the doctors and nurses are gone. The government of Prime Minister Noori al-Maliki is in danger of collapsing as two political parties have withdrawn from the ruling coalition. US Defense Secretary Robert Gates has warned the American public 'not to expect too much' from his interim report that will be released soon. Translation: despite the infusion of 30,000 additional US troops into the Baghdad area in a much ballyhooed 'surge' starting last January, the situation has not changed for the better. If anything, things have actually gotten worse, militarily and politically. The US military has recently been described by TIME magazine as �broken,� many servicemen demoralized by third, even fourth, deployments to Iraq , there being not enough troops available to fill up the occupation army. The number of US servicemen killed in Iraq has just passed the 3,600 mark, all but 190 of them killed in the months and years since President George W. Bush landed in a fighter-bomber on the deck of an aircraft carrier in the Gulf bearing the triumphal streamer proclaiming "Mission Accomplished" Those have got to be the Most Famous Last Words since "Don't Worry About It" were uttered by a sleepy lieutenant in response to a telephone call from his radar unit that reported spotting numerous unknown aircraft approaching Pearl Harbor at 7am of Dec. 7, 1941, after which he went back to sleep. Even after suffering a humiliating defeat at the hands of the Democrats in the midterm elections last November 2006, largely over the issue of Iraq . Bush cannot be budged from his inflexible position of "staying the course." Just a few days ago, more leading senators from his own Republican Party, fearful of their political future in the 2008 elections, urged Bush to change strategy and look for a way to bring home most the troops soon, as American public opinion continued to sour on his Iraq policy. (In the most recent CNN poll, 62% of Americans said they felt Iraq was a mistake.) Bush's response yesterday: "We will stay the course." In my article War for Oil and Israel, which saw print on Jan. 30, 2003, two months before the start of the US invasion. I argued that the neo-conservative war strategists in Washington were motivated by a) the desire to control the oil resources of the Middle East, and b) concern over the security of Israel , a bi-partisan common cause in US domestic politics. I used as negative proof of that proposition the almost obsequious attitude of the Bush government towards North Korea, which had a nuclear weapons and missiles program far more advanced than that alleged for Saddam's Iraq (which later proved to be non-existent.) The US has not bothered to invade or even bomb North Korea because there is not a drop of oil in the entire Korean Peninsula , and Pyongyang did/does not constitute a threat to Israel . In my article Understanding Bush (Oct. 13, 2003), I added a third compelling reason for Bush's Iraq and Middle East policies: the Christian Fundamentalists, also known as Christian Evangelicals, who constitute the biggest single block of unflagging political support for Bush, even as the rest of the American public gradually became disenchanted with his Iraq war. . Christian Fundamentalists - led by TV Evangelists Pat Robertson, John Hagee and the late Jerry Falwell - believe that the state of Israel is a creation of God, and that the final battle between Good and Evil, foretold in the Book of Revelations, has already begun. In the imminent Armageddon - named after the valley of Megiddo in Israel , - blood will flow, from Galilee to Eilat, and the entire population of Israel will be wiped out, except for 144,000 Jews. These 144,000 Jews will convert to Christianity, and this will be the signal for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. In the light of recent developments, this seems to be the overarching motivation for Bush, a self-described Born-Again Christian, more compelling than the neo-cons' geopolitical designs on the Middle East or the Jewish Lobby's protective embrace of Israel. The Christian Fundamentalists actually want Israel to be destroyed by the dark forces of the Anti-Christ, and they want most of the Jews - Christ Killers in the Christian imagination, from the Diaspora of 70 AD to the Auschwitz of 1945 � to be wiped out so that the 144,000 survivors can play their eschatological or apocalyptic role by converting to Christianity and thus bring about the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. In a special report dated June 29, 2007 in the truthout.org website, J. P. Briggs and Thomas D. Williams write: "President George W. Bush has become dangerously steeped in ideas of Armageddon, the Apocalypse, an imminent war with Satanic forces in the Middle East, , and an urgency to construct an American theocracy to fulfill God's end-of-days plan. �Army Lt. Gen William �Jerry� Boykin made headlines in 2003 when he said he believed America was engaged in a holy war as a �Christian nation� battling Satan. Adversaries can be defeated, he said, �only if we come against them in the name of Jesus.� (ACA�s input: The Manchester Guardian reported in October 2003 that, talking about a Muslim militant in Somalia who had claimed Allah�s protection, Gen. Boykin said he knew that would not work because �I knew my God was bigger than his. I knew that my God was a real God and his was an idol.� Note: idols are strictly forbidden in Islam, but used profusely in Christianity, especially Roman Catholicism.) Despite his highly publicized rhetoric, Boykin remains Bush�s deputy undersecretary of defense for � (don�t laugh ACA) � intelligence. "Historians and investigative journalists following the 'end-time Christian' movement have grown alarmed at the impact it may be having on Bush's Middle East policies, including the war in Iraq, the on-going Israeli-Palestinian crisis, the strife in Lebanon, and the administration's repeated attempts to find cause for war against Iran... "Bush's own personal minister, Franklin Graham (son of Billy), has called Islam 'evil and very wicked... Let us use the weapons we have, the weapons of mass destruction, if need be, and destroy the enemy.'... "Respected journalist Bill Moyers says that for the religious figures around Bush, 'a war with Islam in the Middle East is not something to be feared, but welcomed - an essential conflagration on the road to redemption..'� It is estimated that 'end-time Christians' have up to 40 million followers, who no doubt make up most of the 28-30% of the adult American population who still support Bush, even as the rest of America have become disenchanted with him. "Though not all may subscribe to the doomsday theology, they are inundated with it in books, mega-churches, and on Christian broadcasting stations that reach millions upon millions of the faithful and are almost entirely dominated by end-time preachers... (Preacher Joel) Rosenberg, an 'end-time prophecy expert' .claims to make frequent visits to the White House "to help them understand what will happen next in the Middle East" and says that Iranian President Mahmoud Amadinejad tells the Iranian people that the end of the world is just two or three years away... "In his book American Theocracy, historian Kevin Philips, a former Republican strategist, explores the question of Bush's professed sense of 'divine mission.' 'I trust God speaks through me. Without that, I couldn't do my job,' the president told a gathering in 2004. . "Philips concludes that 'the president of the US may for some years have wandered into what we could describe as a period of personal theocracy, and he may have shaped US policy in the Middle East around a personal and radical interpretation of the Bible..� "One of the most influential end-time Christian ministers, John Hagee, with entr�e to President Bush, recently updated his book Jerusalem Countdown to highlight a coming war with Iran . It promises 'there will soon be a nuclear blast in the Middle East that will transform the road to Armageddon into a racetrack. America and Israel will either take down Iran , or Iran will become nuclear and attempt to take down America and Israel ...' During the Israeli invasion of Lebanon last summer, www.raptureready.com, the website for those anticipating ascension into heaven before the final battles, created a lot of excitement among believers. �Respondents thought the war in Lebanon signaled the start of theTribulations.� 'This is so exciting,' wrote one. 'I have been having rapture dreams and I can't believe that this is really it. ' 'We are on the edge of eternity,' wrote another.." "Historian Norton Mezvinsky is emphatic on one point: although a succession of Israeli prime ministers has courted the American end-timers and declared them Israel 's greatest friends, the Israelis don't accept the end-time theology one bit. They are also aware that it is anti-Semitic. For one thing, they interpret the Bible as claiming that only 144,000 converted Jews will be allowed to survive the Apocalypse. However, Mezvinsky says, the Israelis also know that the end-time Christian Zionists are a lobby that can deliver US support for Israel�s hard-line positions on arms, West Bank settlements, negotiations with the Arabs, and Iran... "Lynne Bundesen, author of three books on the Bible, vividly remembers a trip she took to Israel with an end-time Christian group that was affiliated with Pat Robertson. .The last stop in the tour was the valley of Megiddo , also known as Armageddon. 'The tour leader said, �Any day now this valley will be filled with blood,� and the women cried Hallelujah, and they all began to cry with joy. With joy, I recall to this day, standing on that hill overlooking that valley...' "Bundesen quotes the late Grace Halsell, journalism professor at Texas Christian University , who wrote in her book Forcing God's Hand: �The end-time Christians are not content to wait for the Apocalypse to happen. They want to bring it on.�." So�.Onward, Christian Soldiers!. Onward to Armageddon! ***** Reactions to [email protected]. Other articles in www.tapatt.org and in acabaya.blogspot.com OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Reactions to �Onward, Christian Soldiers!� More Reactions to �Moro-moro in Maguindanao� More Reactions to �What�s She Smoking?� More Reactions to �What to Do?� �Traffic Problem in Lipa City � Sir, Thanks for this very incisive article. But I don�t get it. Have these fundamentalist preachers been so blinded by their fanaticism as to actually try to force the Second Coming of Christ? God forbid. I know enough of the Good Book to safely say that nobody on earth can predict when the end will come. I believe these preachers have a more sinister motive in mind, something that is totally against the teachings and precepts of Christ. Thanks again and more power. Bong L. Alba, (by email), July 13, 2007 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Hi Tony, Thank you for all your articles. We feel very helpless about the situation in Iraq . We can only be thankful we are not in the Iraqis� shoes. However, as Christians we cannot just sit by and do nothing. I propose we ask every Filipino (85-90 million) to pray for world peace in general and for Iraq in particular. I am sure 85 million rosaries daily can and will bring peace to Iraq . Secondly, I propose that talented writers like yourself could influence key leaders of the world to take action for world peace. I am sure you have the addresses of these people. Again, I am proud to have Filipino writers like you to awaken all leaders of the world to take action for WORLD PEACE. Mabuhay ka, Tony. Mabuhay ang Pinoy! Raffy Perfecto, (by email), BF Homes, Paranaque City , July 13, 2007 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Antonio, What a good article, I do not always agree with you but that is the most concise real summation of the question. Thank you so much for that and, as I said before, more power to your elbow. Regards, Doug Adam, (by email), July 13, 2007 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww I fully agree with your stand here, Mr. Abaya. The situation is such that I find it difficult to see the difference between Christian and Muslim fundamentalism. Both claim to be right using the same faulty and irrational logic. Though I still disagree with your many solutions to our country. It reminds me of Fascism and not much better than communism. (Communism is just another form of Fascism. So which would you have preferred, the fascism of Gen. Park Chung Hee in South Korea , or the fascism of Kim Il Sung in North Korea . Better yet, which has been more successful fascism? (Which would you have preferred, the fascism of Gen Suharto in Indonesia, or the fascism of the Parti Komunis Indonesia, which tried to seize power in 1965 by machine-gunning to death the entire high command of the Indonesian military (save one general who survived. (Which would you have preferred, the fascism of Lee Kwan Yew in Singapore and Mahathir Mohamad in Malaysia, or the fascism of Chin Peng of the Malayan Communist Party, who tried to seize power and impose a Maoist dictatorship of the proletariat? Better yet, do your really believe Chin Peng and the comrades would have created a more successful society than Lee or Mahathir, and if so, why do you believe so? (Who are the bigger fascists, Deng Xiaoping who ordered the massacre of student demonstrators on Tienanmen Square in June 1989, or Joma Sison of the CPP and Crispin Beltran of the KMU, who publicly applauded that massacre? (Just because some comrades claim they champion the downtrodden does not necessarily mean they really do. Or are you too na�ve to see through their claims? ACA) I also disagree with the book "Chitang, Somewhere" and your review of it. You've a tendency to over-romanticize history and lose objectivity. (Such as? If you do not state what exactly your complaint is, how can I respond to it? ACA). Mark Belo, (by email), July 13, 2007 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Tony, Amen! Jack Sherman, (by email), July 13, 2007 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Tony, I believe the Iraq conflict could not be resolved as long as the Muslim hatred is there and occupying forces ( US ) continue to remain in Muslim lands. We have seen this in Palestine where the Jewish settlers land-grabbed and chased the Palestinians out of their ancestral lands. If US continues a proxy war by telling Israel to nuke Iran and go after Hamas in Lebanon , conditions in the Middle East would get more unstable. Israel could bring us to the door of WORLD WAR III with one single step. China and Russia will oppose US and other countries would join them to curb US "imperialistic" intentions and military domination. Definitely the Arab nation will think twice before aligning themselves with the US . Ditto for North Korea to distance itself from China In due time the Evangelicals or far left Christians in the US will lose its political influence as the racial mix in the US population changes. The loss of Evangelical political influence affects the Jews more than any other religious denomination. Allah will be feasting and GOD will be outraged! Dr. Nestor Baylan, (by email), New York City , July 13, 2007 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Bravo!! Onward indeed- to Armageddon!!! Unfortunately- like the lemmings-- many will follow!! Alexander Po, (by email), July 13, 2007 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww How do I nominate you for the NOBEL PRIZE? Seriously. I think your enlightening...well-phrased and -researched writing deserves global attention. Prayers, and take care, Tocayo. Tony Joaquin, (by email), Daly City , California , July 14, 2007 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Sir, Do you have any reference with Mr.Franklin Graham's advices on war against Islam to the U.S. government? As a Christian, I believe that the war is never against the flesh, but the evil spirits that fill people. Fact is, there are also "Christian groups" that are also demented. Take the case of the Klu Klux Klan. A big number of them come from "Protestant" groups? Can you believe that? Point is, marami talaga mga tao na me tama sa utak. As for Islam, sad to say, have no solid leadership. The figureheads that they have are war freaks pa nga, Saddam and Osama. I dont know if Mubarak can be grouped with these two persons. Correct me but, when Mubarak died, the Israel-Palestinian war somewhat, lessened. Personally, the war against Muslim countries by the US is just politics and imagery. The bombing of the skycrapers in New York greatly affected the ego of America and they should send the message on who is the boss. I have Muslim friends that are great. Sa totoo lang, but I lament the fact that there is no credible Muslim leader that represents them, kaya nomadic ang tingin natin sa kanila eh. Thanks! Keep sending! Mike Delgado, (by email), July 14, 2007 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww This will never end, generation after generation as long as both sides do not sit and settle the differences with open minds. Thanks. Amedeo D. Chavez, (by email), July 14, 2007 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww . Tony, Scary isn't it. Appears like we are creating Armageddon and still do not or refuse to recognize it! When I say "we", it refers a lot to Bush and his Pax Americana (now reduced to an oxymoron). Iraq is another Vietnam , plain and simple! Then, it was the communists as justification. Today in Iraq , it is 9/11. Whatever, the costs are the same --- death and destruction at an unprecedented scale! But a difference, then a Johnson who realized his humanity soon enough. But today, a Bush who uses humanity to destroy it! Despite the apparent lessons of the past, we sophisticated creatures of today have not learned a single thing! Regards, Col Dennis Acop (Ret), (by email), July 15, 2007 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Manong Tony, I wish to share the attached articles with your recipients, "Bush Motives" was published in the Manila Standard Today on January 23, 2007. God bless. Jerry A. Quibilan, (by email), Santa Maria , Ilocos Sur, July 15, 2007 Bush�s motives A strategy usually fails if the goal is unclear or premised on false pretense/s. Take the case of the invasion of Iraq by the coalition headed by the United States . It is now the general belief of most educated and enlightened peoples of the world that there were no weapons of mass destruction to start with, which was the basis for the Iraq invasion. It is also believed the lost of the Republicans of their leadership in both houses of the U. S. congress was caused by the failed strategy in Iraq . On the first week of January President George W. Bush revamped his Iraq team responsible for carrying out his military and diplomatic strategies as he prepared to outline his new direction for the was that has raged for nearly four years. As he unveiled his new Iraq plan the Democrats urged troop withdrawals in months. One of his plans was to increase the troops in Iraq in direct contradiction to the desire of the Democrats. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has cautioned Bush to think twice before proposing a troop increase in Iraq , suggesting the new Democratic-controlled Congress could deny him the funding. President George W. Bush appears not to have read what was already written on the wall or has deliberately put some blinders on or maybe he simply doesn�t give a damn. Let�s hope that this is not so. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi should be heard and not taken lightly. My own perception is that, she, her fellow Democrats and even some Republicans will most likely frustrate Mr. Bush�s new policy direction in Iraq . Regardless of who are the new players in the Iraqi situation, his strategy has more chances to fail than to win if the stated objective is based on false pretense/s. Is the real objective to control the oil supply? If oil is the real objective of the United States in invading Iraq , then it can be assumed that the Declaration on East Asian Energy Security ratified by the 16 heads of state of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and its dialogue partners during the recently concluded 12th ASEAN Summit in Cebu was a correct response. To emphasize the point, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo performed a ceremonial signing of Republic Act No. 9367, also known as the Biofuels Act of 2006, at Malacanang on 17 January 2007. The big question is, �Will this take off?� We still have to see and feel the effect of the Clean Air Act of 1999.***** wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Tony: I forwarded your 'Onward, Christian Soldiers' column to Father Dave Smith (your son Hochi met him at the boxing gym where I teach kids to box), and here is his reply. Just thought you might like to read it. Jimmy (Pimentel), (by email), Sydney , Australia , July 15, 2007 RE: Onward, Christian Soldiers! Great (and depressing) stuff, my friend. Your classmate is an excellent wordsmith as well as an excellent analyst. How shameful that we Christians should be aligned with such a travesty. Fr. Dave Smith wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Too soon would be the comment to all the prophetic proclamation. The Bible says that the Temple of Jerusalem would have to be rebuilt first before "end of days." Christ, upon his return, according to the Bible would have to pass through the East Gate of the rebuilt Temple , which no longer exists. Two problems: The top of the mountain where the Temple was is now the site of Islam's Gold Dome. This can't be removed by Jewish Law which forbids destruction of any building belonging to any faith. Then someone said, the Temple can be built a few yards south of the Dome so it would face the original East Gate of the destroyed Temple . This is being considered as an alternative location for the Temple . So, friends, until then, the "end of days," the vision of the armies of the world besieging Jerusalem, its destruction which will be thwarted by heavenly angels at the last moment, the battlefield which will be the scene of the enemies of God fighting each other (like Iraqi Sunnis vs. Iranian Shiites, Lebanese fighting Hezbollah and Syriansting Hamas, Russians fighting the Checians, before the Chinese come to destroy the coalition of Russian, Iranian and Arabian armies surrounding Jerusalem at Meguido). Tch, tch, tch, too soon to say anything yet. As for Bush, the Bible says God choose both wise and fools to do his will. Even jerks and donkeys. Even murderers and prostitutes. We do not have the capability to understand God. So I suggest, we do not mix earthly values and earthy views with spiritual values and spiritual views. Render unto Caesar what is Caesars, and unto God what is God. Just my two cents' worth. Amen Lionel Tierra, (by email), Sacramento , CA , July 16, 2007 (If, as you say, �we do not have the capability to understand God,� then how can you say with any certainty that the Christian Fundamentalists are all wrong because Jesus Christ, �upon his return, would have to pass through the East Gate of the rebuilt Temple, which no longer exists,� according to the Bible which is claimed to be the Word of God?. Some American Christian Fundamentalists believe that the Second Coming of Jesus Christ will occur in midtown Manhattan . Since God is omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent, he can schedule his Second Coming to occur in both Jerusalem and Manhattan , as well as in any other places he pleases, such as Cubao, and we would never understand why, would we? ACA) wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Right now, I am grieving for what happened to our Marines in Zamboanga. Knowing what is happening around the world does not ease the pain for those orphaned families. Christians are no longer persecuted physically but spiritually. There is just too much evil, greed and self-centeredness around to rot the core. Please write something pleasant and hopefully optimistic once in a while. I know it is alerting to read your thoughts on what happened in the past to understand the fearful events of today. It widens my knowledge, but something nice sometimes help. It sounds like Armageddon. Pura Flor Isleta, (by email), July 16, 2007 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Tony, Do you actually believe that? Hmmm. Serafin Dudeo, (by email), California , July 16, 2007 (I do not know what �Hmmm� means. But if you do not believe me, then the least you should do would be to access www.truthout.org and read the June 29 article yourself regarding the Christian Fundamentalists. Better yet, google �Christian Fundamentalists Armageddon Second Coming� and add either Pat Robertson or Jerry Falwell or John Hagee, and you will find hundreds, even thousands, of articles about the subject, and you can go directly to their web sites. If you do not know how to surf the Net, ask a friend or a relative to teach you. There is no more excuse for being ignorant. ACA) wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Tony --- Your spot-on analysis of US foreign policy vis-a--vis Iraq , and the mention of America 's non-intervention in North Korea (because it has no oil reserves) immediately brought Burma to mind. There is a state (a failed one in many ways) which cries out for intervention so its oppressed people can finally be set free to run their country the way they wish. As the world knows, a military junta (which arbitrarily renamed the country " Myanmar ") set themselves up after quashing the 1990 election which was won in a landslide by the leader of the Burmese democratic party, Aung San Suu Kyi. We also know that she's been in detention ever since, was given the Nobel Peace Prize and remains a formidable presence in that sad country. She's been called Asia 's Nelson Mandela and is universally admired. Hundreds of her followers have been killed and imprisoned, and the UN has censured the junta for its crimes, which include ethnic clensing of its minority tribes. But it's all been ignored, although there's been a lot of hand-wringing in the West, as there is over Darfur . An analyst has written that the US could easily invade Burma to get rid of the thugs running it and let the repressed democrats take over and rebuild the country. But of course, the Americans are fixated on Iraq and the rest of the Middle East , bogged down in a quagmire from which they're now desperately flailing about, to no avail. Probably because Burma isn't considered strategically important, the Americans prefer to turn a blind eye to all the human rights abuses happening in that unfortunate corner of Asia. What's equally disgusting is that ASEAN hasn't made much noise over that situation, while China and India trade with the Burmese generals, thinking that engagement will make them loosen their iron grip a bit. But it's all pie in the sky --- a travesty of justice, proof of man's never-ending stupidity. Isabel Escoda, (by email), Hong Kong , July 18, 2007 (Burma or Myanmar is an entirely different matter, Isabel. It has oil, but not in the same quantity as the Middle East . The reason the US has not invaded or bombed Myanmar is because it is not worth it, no matter how repressive its government may be. (Myanmar is also a client state of the People�s Republic of China: it provides China with an outlet into the Indian Ocean, so that China con confront India, its regional rival, from the sea, aside from across the Himalayas. China is building or has built a major naval base at the mouth of the Irrawaddy River accessible to the Chinese Indian Ocean fleet, has provided the Myanmarese military with tons of military equipment, and has upgraded the �Burma Road� between South China and Myanmar. (If the pro-Western Aung San Suu Kyi [she is married to a Briton] were allowed to take over, the Yangon-Beijing axis would be ruptured. It has nothing to do with �democracy.� ACA) wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww More Reactions to �Moro-moro in Maguindanao� (June 29, 2007) I like your reply to one of your readers' reaction to your column titled "RX to Moro-Moro in Maguindanao," wherein you wrote: (Look for a Filipino Lee Kwan Yew. If one is found, give him full powers. If no Filipino Lee Kwan Yew is found, turn the country over to the Communists. ACA) Could such a Filipino Lee Kuan Yew exist? The way I look at it, whoever takes power in our country is hungry. Ergo, that person would continue looting whatever is left to steal, and bully the opposition into submission. Whoever assumes power has learned ways to steal from his or her predecessors. It's a vicious cycle with no visible solution in sight. Perhaps we should invoke the intercession of Divine Providence to smite those crooks in power. Rome Farol, (by email), Highlands Ranch, Colorado , July09, 2007 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Hello Tony! Why do people express such amazement at the way Muslims in Mindanao vote? Why no surprises at all when Iglesia ni Kristo (INK) communities vote solidly for chosen candidates and exclude everyone else? Communist countries regularly vote unanimously for lucky candidates. Those statistics cited by one of your readers, Choi Opitena, are not impossible. Think of Maguindanao, or any part of Mindanao whose voting pattern you don't agree with, as a combination of an INK and a communist community. You don't like it? Then change the system. I am not aware that Muslims in the Philippines have much say on the formulation of electoral procedures in this country; these are mainly creations of politicians from Luzon who comprise the most influential block in our country's governance. Muslims, like everyone else, will drive a truck through a loophole in laws or policies. The election process and canvassing of votes in Maguindanao and other questionable Muslim-dominated places underwent the same legal procedures as in other places. Even if it bothers a lot of people, its all legal until proven otherwise. When we point an accusing finger on the shenanigans in Maguindanao, we should try to remember that three other fingers are pointing at ourselves. Herminigildo Gutierrez, (by email), July 10, 2007 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Your article was nicely written and brought out the truth. My feeling is this: Most, if not all, members of the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches of government in the Philippines ....including nearly if not all heads of department and/or sub-department running every move or action in the country are LAWYERS. Could this be the hidden reason behind we have a corrupt government because they know how to BEND the law? I am not pointing at lawyers as the cause or the root-cause of the problem in our country. As a former OSHA compliance officer and former regional manager, I believe it is the SYSTEM that is the underlying culprit. I remember too well when I was asked to provide safety and occupational health training to the DOLE inspectors in northern Luzon (year 2000). After a few hours talking about electricity, chemicals and chemical reactions, noise and noise monitoring, accident investigation and reporting; I noticed that no one asked a question. So, I asked if there was anyone in the class who was an engineer (civil or electrical) or anyone who understood what I was talking about. The response was: "Sir, we are all LAWYERS." I asked why all of them are lawyers and no one has the basic background to conduct a comprehensive accident investigation of the fatality that occurred inside the Baguio mining facility (the accident happened a week earlier)? The response was: "we are hired to protect the government from lawsuit...." Again in this case, it was a SYSTEM failure. In fact, they had a big unopened box of industrial hygiene and safety equipment in the storage room. It was not opened because no one knows how to use any of the "tools of the trade" or have someone to train them. So, I spent the afternoon giving basic equipment training. Rudy Hermosa, (by email), July 01, 2007 PS: My sincere apology to any lawyer who feels my comment is not warranted. Nothing personal... wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww More Reactions to �What�s She Smoking?� (July 02, 2007). Tony: From where I sit, the Philippines is not doing too badly really. So long as we have fiscalizers like you to remind cowboys like president Gloria Arroyo and some of her ranch-hands to keep on the straight and narrow. The APEC Summit will be on soon here in Sydney . Are you coming to do a coverage? It would be a sentimental visit for you, too, and I know you will find it different from the Sydney you saw at the 1956 Olympic Games, before you joined me at Northwestern University in Chicago . Remember? I love you, brother. Jimmy (Pimentel), (by email), Sydney , Australia , July 15, 2007 (Thank you, Jim, my brother. But the only time I ever visited Sydney was in April 1994 when the Economics Department of the Australian National University invited me to read a paper on the Philippine Economy, part of its yearly Asia Pacific Briefings, held at the ANA Hotel, Sydney. Love to return someday. Sydney is such a beautiful city. Tony) wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Dear Tony, Perhaps the next 4th (?) president, after Arroyo leaves office, may transform this country into the likeness of the early stages of Singapore when it was emerging as a nation. Arroyo was probably making a prediction not under the influence (of alcohol or weed) but rather creating an air of optimism that future political and business leaders will be there in two decades to make this country recover from catastrophic illness if not rise from the grave! Dr. Nestor P. Baylan, (by email) New York City , July 16, 2007 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww More Reactions to �What to Do?� (July 04, 2007) Tony, I certainly agree with Lydia Echauz that there is hope when each of us does his/her share. In fact, this is the essence of Good or Responsible Citizenship, which is contributing one's share to the good of the community and the country. It is an initiative I will undertake after organizing the Pilipinas Heritage Foundation since the two would be complimentary to each other. It was also my contribution on Participatory Democracy to our Ideology Committee in MANINIDIGAN! headed by the late Jimmy Ongpin 22 years ago! Lastly, I agree with Mr. Bobby Tordesillas anent the obese columnist who wrecks his chair. Amazing why the STAR gave him a column when he does not deserve one. It must be his long relationship with the owners. By the way, this sophomoric columnist had even previously broached the idea in the internet (prior to his joining the STAR) of Mayor Belmonte as a potential president of the Philippines ! Regards. Ric B. Ramos (by email), July 16, 2007 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Is there really hope for changes? The way I see it, what we are having are just suggestion and opinion but in reality, to fulfill these tasks are next to impossible. Thanks. Amedeo D. Chavez, (by email), July 16, 2007 wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Hi Tony, This is my reaction to your reaction (reprinted below) to my reaction to the �What To Do?� article in your column. First of all, I should tell you that I am not a regular reader of your column because I get the news from Philippine Star and Business World subscriptions and daily e-mail feeds from bbc.com, cnn.com, Washington Post, and New York Times. I occasionally surf the online editions of local dailies like Inquirer.net and mb.com.ph. I happened to read your �What To Do?� article because it was forwarded to our ex-P&Gers e-mail loop by Ernie Aragon. I am not, as you tagged me, a �subway expert� -- I just read the subway idea in your list of what to do. But because of my work experience, I am familiar with feasibility studies, investment decisions and allocation of resources; and I am aware of the complex dynamics in the process of defining, analyzing and solving multi-sector problems. I can sense the difference between discussion of critical problems in search of immediate solutions and endless if not pointless discussion of problems with no time frame for deciding on the actions to be taken to solve the problem. Most of all, I know that a problem cannot be solved just by suggesting a solution.(But it has to start there. ACA) My barber does not know anything about �hydrogen fuel cells, methane from garbage, the electric tram system in Europe, run-off elections in France, computerized elections, export-oriented economies in East Asia, the Internal Security Act in Singapore and Malaysia, the role of charity in Islamic culture, pilot-less aircraft, and topographical maps�. But he has a lot to say about the local political and entertainment world. He thinks he knows a lot because he listens to the commentators in radio and TV, reads the columns in the newspapers in the barbershop and talks about his thoughts if encouraged by his customers. Obviously his thoughts are influenced a lot, for better or worse, by the commentators he heard and columnists he read. (Ergo it is not true that the ideas I suggested can commonly be heard in barbershops, as you so haughtily dismissed them. ACA) Frankly, I do not know why you concluded that my desire to read columns written with �depth, breath and seriousness of thought� is a case of �colonial mentality�. Where and why did the Great White Fathers come in? You lost me there. If you want to know, I liked reading some local columnists (like Max Soliven, Teodoro Benigno, Amado Doronilla, Jarius Bondoc, Boo Chanco, A.R. Samson, Marivic Rufino, Ambeth Ocampo, etc.) because I learned something from reading their columns even if I did not agree with some of their views. I wish our newspapers will have more intelligent columnists like them. With all due respect to the journalism professionals in our country, I think most of the articles in the opinion columns in the more than twenty broadsheets and tabloids in our country are rehashes of old issues or written without �depth, breath and seriousness of thought�. It will be interesting if a professional journalism body like the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism can make a study and release a report on the present state of column writing in Philippine newspapers. I think our problem of rapid population growth should have a high priority in the list of what to do to improve our country. Our population now is around 90 million and still rapidly growing. Every beginning of school year, we have a crisis in providing the additional teachers, schoolrooms and textbooks needed be able to cope with the increasing number of students entering the public school system. It is no wonder that the quality of education in our country has been deteriorating. It is also no wonder that the number of OCWs (now more than 8 million) has been increasing every year because new jobs cannot be generated fast enough to absorb the increasing number of new job applicants. Media can spur the discussion of this problem the way they do with political issues; but surprisingly they are almost mum about this problem. Pray tell, why do columnists (like politicians) do not want to dwell on topics about Planned Parenthood the way they rant and rave about ousting Gloria? Gloria will be gone by 2010. At the current growth rate, the population of the Philippines is estimated to be about 120 million by 2025. Just imagine how the state of education and the number of OCWS will be then. I think you will do our country a great service if you can be in the leading edge in informing newspaper readers about the population issue. (You obviously do not know that I have written more than a dozen articles on the population issue, from September 2002 to May 2007, all archived and arranged by category in www.tapatt.org, and have incurred the ire of conservative Catholics for doing so. ACA) Nonoy Reyes, (by email), July 16, 2007 P.S. I am impressed by your diligence and patience in answering all e-mails. Very few can do that. wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww Traffic Problem in Lipa City Dear Mr. Abaya, I am a regular recipient of your emails and I learn a lot from them. I'm glad to be in your email list. I have also read some of your articles concerning traffic management, particularly your suggestion for the Sales Bridge/Lawton Road/Pasong Tamo Extension intersection. I fully agree with you. Lipa City has a new Mayor, Oscar Gozos, and I happen to be close with them. We are now trying to address the traffic problem in Lipa City and maybe you can likewise contribute your two cents worth. I'm sure you have been to Lipa and have experienced the traffic first hand. Thank you and more power. Dinno A.Cabanban, (by email), July 16, 2007 (I was last in Lipa City last March, but I did not experience any unusual traffic build-up while we were there. But send me by fax a sketch of the traffic problem and I will try to find a solution for it. ACA) OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO |