Destructive distractions
The ongoing word war of destruction in the Senate is an exercise in distraction. As the country continues to cope with the devastation brought about by Typhoon Yolanda, you would think that our Senators could devote their time to more productive endeavors. And to think that the two protagonists are senior members of the legislature who are acknowledged legal experts in their respective fields. Instead of engaging in “eye for an eye†lex talionis — legal parlance for the “law of retaliation†— they should perhaps focus on drafting laws for rehabilitation.
Without a doubt, the so-called “Clash of Titans†makes interesting viewing and reading. It has been likened to an action-packed teleserye drama complete with hate speech and grand gestures. If these words were uttered outside of the Senate hall, for sure they would constitute grounds for slander. Indeed, this is a clear case of abuse of parliamentary privilege and immunity so much so that their more sober colleagues are moving for the deletion of the “privilege†speeches from the Senate record. On the brighter side, at least the two kept their war to words as opposed to parliamentarians from other countries where disagreements can lead to physical brawls. But then again who knows how and when this spat will end?
This public washing of the Senators’ dirty laundry does not bode well for the institution’s image especially since it is still recovering from the PDAF scandal taint. And the Pandora’s box of serious accusations that have been let loose cannot be left uninvestigated. Otherwise, future Senate investigations may not be viewed with the same credibility and accorded the same respect. To the viewing voters, perhaps this is a timely reminder that we should be careful whom we vote for.
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Ironic and tragic: The news of American actor and Fast & Furious star Paul Walker’s unfortunate accident has been widely reported in the media. The fact that the star of a Hollywood franchise built upon street racing died while riding in the passenger seat of a Porsche Carrera GT (driven by professional racer Roger Rodas) which crashed against a light pole is ironic; passing away at the relatively young age of 40, in the middle of a still rising career, and after attending a benefit dinner to raise funds for the victims of typhoon Yolanda is tragic.
Walker was planning on becoming a marine biologist until his role in “Pleasantville†in 1998 made him a Hollywood star. It’s unfortunate, however, that with great fame comes great insensitivity. Since the accident, there have been numerous “hoax†posts on social media sites from people preying on the gullibility of his fans. Alleged gruesome photos of Walker and Rodas have turned out to be photoshopped. Certainly, the last thing his family and loved ones — especially his young daughter, Meadow Rain—need right now is to be subjected to such banality. Alas, such is part of the price of being in the public eye. By way of appreciation and small consolation, Resolution No. 577 was filed last Wednesday at the Philippine House of Representatives by Negros Occidental Rep. Alfredo Benitez to honor the late actor for his humanitarian efforts. Aside from providing financial assistance, his foundation, Reach Out Worldwide, had already organized and dispatched a group of 12 disaster responders to areas hit by typhoon Yolanda.
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Today in history: The United States is commemorating the 72nd anniversary of the surprise attack at Pearl Harbor in the Hawaiian island of Oahu which marked the start of World War II in the Pacific. The 110-minute, two-wave attack resulted in 2,403 killed, 1,211 wounded, 188 planes destroyed and a crippled US Pacific fleet that included eight sunk or severely damaged battleships.
For those old enough to remember the movie “Tora! Tora! Tora!†(“Tiger! Tiger! Tiger!â€), Commander Mitsuo Fuchida uttered these words upon flying over Pearl Harbor to convey the message to the Japanese navy that the attack was a smashing success. The day after, US President Franklin Delano Roosevelt remarked that December 7, 1941 would be a “date that will live in infamy†and the US Congress formally declared war on Japan. “Remember Pearl Harbor†become the battle cry of the Americans for the next four years.
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Greetings: Birth anniversary best wishes to long time faithful friend Angel “Mang Boy†Suarez and to high school classmate Jun “the man†Labadan.
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In memoriam: Long time political prisoner turned President (in the Philippines it is the other way around — Presidents become prisoners) Nelson Mandela who tirelessly fought to promote racial equality in his beloved South Africa passed away last Thursday at the age of 95. Imprisoned for close to three decades for opposing white minority rule, Mandela was praised by the country’s last white President, F.W. de Klerk, as a “great unifier who was able to understand and soothe the fears of white South Africans in the transition to democracy.â€
Paying tribute, Sir Anthony O’Reilly had this to say: “Few men tower, in modern history, with the moral certitude or the political wisdom, the forgiving patience or the lordly humility of Nelson Mandela.... It seemed, as the final, costly decades of apartheid wore on, that a peaceful transition was implausible and the likelihood of the country, of its history, delivering a leader strong enough and forgiving enough to subdue the fears and the anger of centuries was remote, to say the least. It can only be considered remarkable that against this history, and the most unlikely circumstances of a country with such profound racial, linguistic, ethnic and political divisions that a figure arose by some magical alchemy to codify by forgiveness a dispensation that is the root cause of all the prosperity that is now accruing to this country.†Rest well great Madiba!
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“I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.â€
— Nelson Mandela
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