critics

Have you seen this blog about Fernando Poe Jr.? If you put humor to Kate Vs. The Philippines, then that would exactly be it. :) I've had a very good time reading the entries. You might want to check this one out. (I'm also adding it as one of my favorite links later). And I quote:

"At sa lahat sa mga mamamayang nag tiwala at bumoto sa akin, ipinapangako ko na ibubuhos ko lahat ng galing ko sa pag arte bilang ika-labing limang Pangulo ng Pilipinas." -FPJ's Supposed Inaugural Speech

Anyway, here's Ahmad for his weekly editorials.

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"One question that I have been trying to answer for the past months, after reading some comments of your so-called "critics" (who have called the likes of us as monsters, facists, and most of all eletists), is Are we really a bunch of whiners who just wants to find someth ing to complain about all the time? In view of the events that happened in the past few days, I have an answer.

Before I go to the details of the events, I just would like to comment on what our new (but old) president said. That she will wake up every morning and work hard and we have to do the same that she also does her job right. On that she can bet that we will be. Because if there is any truth to the Jose Pidal expose to be brought out, or should I say any spills to be tallied, someones head is going to roll. I know, I know, this is probably what most of people today are thinking, now that it is "official" GMA won. Ergo what this counrty needs is a good critic. And I would like to say that we are not whiners, in fact we are not really complaining we are merely criticizing!

So what then is the difference between a critic and a whiner (as how some of our crtics puts it)? I for one never supported student activism that much in my days here in UP. Because I belived that the best way that a student can help his country is to stay inside the classroom learn a lot of things, and when he is ready he should contribute his knowledge gained to change the system. I guess if activism was an olympic sport the Philippines would get a gold medal for it. Not that I don't believe in what activists are fighting for, nor they should be heard. But lets face it SOME activist groups (I wont mention them but I think you know damn well who Im talking about), define their existence by complaining to someone especially to the president. And when they start to be rowdy and the anti-riot police begins to disperse them, they start looking for someone to call fascist. PROBLEM: Oil price increase SOLUTION: Blame it on the president. PROBLEM: Peso is devaluated SOLUTION: Blame it on the president. PROBLEM: garbage collection is delayed in my village SOLUTION: Blame it on the president. I can go on and on, but it all comes down to one thing. people always look for someone to blame why this country is so misserable. Hell! JV Bautisita even wants to blame George Bush for why this country is so misserable. I did not want to like George Bush myself, so what did I do when he delivered a speech in congress? I changed my channel. But what did he do? he attended the event only to let people know that he is gonna walk out! Pathetic. The thing is no matter what kind of prophet rules this country some of us will still be complaining and looking for someone to blame.

On the other hand, we critic. We dont blame people per se, but we address the issue here. For instance we don't just attack FPJ as an actor who is unqualified to become president, we attack the real issue here that he is being used by some selfish people for their own political interest, and some people passively accepts fallacious idealism that are being said. We also attack the passivity of some people who has the capability of scratching the surface of every issue down to its core and realize some fallacious arguments that are presented, but most of the time chooses not to. We believe that changing people is not the solution, its changing attitudes and culture. The bottom line is, the problem is the system, not really the people! Some of us live by the
like-this-country-the-way-it-is-or-find-another-one principle.

The real problem here is that our leaders try to treat us like we are dumb citizens who will just say Amen to what they say even if it is fallacious. This happens because we allow it. And when we realize that everything is screwed up we start looking for someone to blame. Living in a country is not the same as living in a rotten apartment, that if everything does not go well, you just pack up your bags and look for another one. We have to start living by this principle and stop being so passive. We can whine about it and complain to people in the streets all the time, or we can critic the real issue. That I shall leave up to you. " --Ahmad