The Game of Our King

I see the board clearly. Two neat lines of shiny white figures on one side mirroring their dark twins at the other end. Each figure in this kingdom board has a role to play and they know it.

In the front rows are found the pawns; government clerks and soldiers, drivers and gardeners, cooks and staff sargeants, etcetera etcetera... all meshed into one stoic row of obedient, one-directional robots; doomed to die on the middle board like mindless CAFGUs waiting for landmines to explode at their steady advance.

The second row house the elite. Hemmed in by two towers manning each corner, the officers and cabinet members, the congress and the senate, the landlords and the tycoons, the mayors and their dutiful clones, plus all who perceive themselves as higher than someone else....dwell.

Their position is enviable.Unlike the lowly pawns, their moves have greater reach and therefore expel more power.

In the middle of this elite row are two strange figures. One is the queen. She is the most powerful of all. Gifted with an almost indefinite armory of moves, she sits beside the king, whom she deems pathetic and lame. He can only move one at a time; like a turtle painfully crawling in the mud-filled battlefield that is the board. At most times during the battle, his only moves are designed for one thing: evading capture.

Whew! Chess is really deeeep. :)

Post Election Blues

When discussing the disappointing results of the elections, where clearly incapable people where elected, I do not subscribe to the idea, that we as a people, deserve them because "what we reap is what we sow".

Personally, I hate to be bunched up like leafy green vegetables. I did not vote for these idiots. Sad as I am when my choices didn't make it, I am just content in the fact that I PARTICIPATED in the election process. I believe in my right as a citizen to vote. I exercised this right, along with the millions of people.

Now, if one does not agree with the results, do we cry to the heavens and declare that the majority is wrong, short of implying that they are downright stupid?

It is not their fault. Did you honestly believe for a minute that the ruling elite would allow their candidates to play dead and lose?  Remember that since time immemorial, Philippine politics has been the common playground of politicians who protect their interests. Just read the papers.  The will go at great length to protect these.

So why blame the voters? Is it saying that your opinions are better? By concluding that "what we reap is what we sow", we collectively treat them as a whole. In turn, it disrespects the right of each and every one of us.   Remember, every individual has her story. Perhaps yours is above the rest… you think.

So, enough of this bull (I’ve been hearing this since college.)  Let’s not train our sights on the people who merely exercised their RIGHT as citizens.

Instead, let’s focus on DEMANDING that these so-called politicians become true to their service mandate. If they fail at this, we should then, this time as a "bunch" banish them from their lofty places.