June 12, 1898. Aguinaldo waves the flag in a balcony overlooking innumerable spectators. Thus, the Philippine independence was declared.
June 12, 2011. Here I am, feeling like it's June 11, 1898. I know it's unreasonable, but then again, I'm not the only one who's feeling this way. And so, I'm going to ask the question that is asked over and over and over again: Are we really free?
According to Wikipedia, "[political] freedom is a central concept in Western history and political thought, and one of the most important (real or ideal) features of democratic societies. It has been described as a relationship free of oppression or coercion; the absence of disabling conditions for a particular group or individual and the fulfillment of enabling conditions; or the absence of economic compulsion.", and that "the concept of [political] freedom is closely connected with the concepts of equality, civil liberties and human rights, which in democratic societies are usually afforded legal protection from the state." Free of oppression or coercion. We know that, although there are no perfect government, our government is so rampant with their not-so-under-the-table tactics, their corruptions, their power plays, that some of us get used to these, and is resigned that this is just reality. Is that really it? Does it mean that freedom is just a philosophical idea, something that can be thought of but not really exercised?
Also, concepts of equality, civil liberties, and human rights doesn't seem to apply here, what with all those discrimination, media killings, massacres, poor standards for poor people, and politicized policies going on around.
Maybe I'm just feeling this way because I'm also used to these things, but maybe also because of the fact that I'm feeling this way that I'm still hoping for the time that June 12 will never make me feel this way again.
June 12, 2011. Here I am, feeling like it's June 11, 1898. I know it's unreasonable, but then again, I'm not the only one who's feeling this way. And so, I'm going to ask the question that is asked over and over and over again: Are we really free?
According to Wikipedia, "[political] freedom is a central concept in Western history and political thought, and one of the most important (real or ideal) features of democratic societies. It has been described as a relationship free of oppression or coercion; the absence of disabling conditions for a particular group or individual and the fulfillment of enabling conditions; or the absence of economic compulsion.", and that "the concept of [political] freedom is closely connected with the concepts of equality, civil liberties and human rights, which in democratic societies are usually afforded legal protection from the state." Free of oppression or coercion. We know that, although there are no perfect government, our government is so rampant with their not-so-under-the-table tactics, their corruptions, their power plays, that some of us get used to these, and is resigned that this is just reality. Is that really it? Does it mean that freedom is just a philosophical idea, something that can be thought of but not really exercised?
Also, concepts of equality, civil liberties, and human rights doesn't seem to apply here, what with all those discrimination, media killings, massacres, poor standards for poor people, and politicized policies going on around.
Maybe I'm just feeling this way because I'm also used to these things, but maybe also because of the fact that I'm feeling this way that I'm still hoping for the time that June 12 will never make me feel this way again.
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