Times are not normal.
Everyone will agree that we are living in dangerous times.
Consider the volcanic situation in the Middle East where any minute – if somebody presses the wrong button – an eruption of unimaginable proportions might take place.
(I am writing this on the day of national elections in Israel where the voters are said to be torn between re-electing PM Benjamin Netanyahu and installing a new leader in former IDF Chief of Staff Ben Gantz.)
But we do not need to look outside of our boundaries to find out.
I heard Pres. Rodrigo Duterte say the other day that he will declare a “revolutionary war” when his patience runs out.
It seems that the Chief executive has slowly but surely recognized the reality that the administration is like Don Quixote fighting the windmill.
Guy Fawkes, a member of a small group of conspirators who tried to assassinate the protestant King James I of England, is said to have uttered this: “A desperate disease requires a dangerous remedy.”
I think this all but describes what needs to be done in a sick society.
The unmitigated daily dose of toxic fumes from the various news media outlets who are more prone to air and print negative sensational stories because they generate more listeners and buyers and revenues are reflective of the country’s culture and behavior.
A couple or two mainstream broadsheets – owned by families of oligarchs in business and in politics – and even a handful of tabloids are identifiably the mouthpieces of anti-Duterte sectors with the manner they manufacture huge similar screaming headlines out to destroy the credibility of the duly-constituted authorities.
Very obviously, there is a sinister hand waving a baton as if conducting orchestral music where each of these media outlets follow as a dutiful member.
The rest of mainstream media, however, maintain their respective independent outlook, because they cling to the time-tested journalistic principles of objectivity and accuracy.
Suspicions are flying here and there that a global network of dirty rich billionaires based in the US is financially funding the downfall of governments that they perceive to be opposing its agenda.
In his first few months in office, Duterte had a late brush with the outgoing US Ambassador Goldberg that even resulted into a word war with the former Pres. Barack Obama.
The verbal tussle had become overblown which some nasty conspirators – here and abroad – took as a golden opportunity to launch anti-Duterte campaigns aimed at forcing him to step down.
His public announcement that he might just declare a “revolutionary war” against those who choose to fight government and conspire to undermine the stability of the administration was significantly threatening.
Duterte was referring to “enemies of the State.”
Maybe, there are those who might take this lightly because the President is oftentimes using figures of speech to blend with the issues.
I am inclined to believe Guy Fawkes. But let me be clear.
I am not in favor of a violent and bloody transformation.
But even God, I dare say, was forced to burn Sodom and Gomorrah because He did not see any one good person in the two cities.
Filipinos elected Duterte because they wanted REAL CHANGE.
If this REAL CHANGE translates to a revolutionary war that leads to a positive progressive life for the Filipino, then why not? (Email your feedback to fredlumba@yahoo.com.) 1 Ptr. 3:11-12: “You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming.” GOD BLESS THE PHILIPPINES!
