stream of consciousness: August 2008

PHILIPPINE DAILY INQUIRER
On Target, Metro Section
Stopping an insatiable appetite
By Ramon Tulfo
First Posted 04:35:00 08/21/2008

There’s a saying among Christians and non-Muslims in Mindanao that if you give your hand to most Moros, they will want the whole arm.

President Gloria thought that by conceding part of Mindanao to these types, they would throw away their guns to live in peace.

The President, who’s part Mindanawon, should have known that appeasement would be taken as a sign of weakness.

Most Moros love war. Independence is just their excuse for waging war.

Give them Mindanao and they would want to have Luzon and the Visayas as well.

Fighting them would stop their insatiable appetite.

No, they should not only be fought, they should be crushed!

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I am just really freakin appalled how senseless people could be. Especially when it comes to what's supposedly "responsible journalism". This article was in the Philippine Daily Inquirer (follow the link above to read the full article) a supposedly (my new favorite word for this post) responsible and esteemed newspaper. After reading the article above, i just wanted to punch his nose and could not care less being called Fedayeen anymore (hah!). But I went to reflect and instead converted my wonderful frustration and anger to writing the PDI.

In which I wrote:

I wish to express my great disappointment at the article that I have copied.
Whether or not the supposed section is for opinions, PDI should still have not posted such an article that incites anger and discrimination to the people.
Coming from Iligan City, I have seen first hand what this kind of speech does to the people. This only increases the christian - muslim hostilities in this region.
Therefore we do not need anymore tensions coming from this kind of posts that would be read extensively through out the Philippines given your prestige as a newspaper.

What Metro people should understand (I am assuming the writer is from Manila since the section is named "Metro")is that the problem is far more complicated than just doing an all out war.
We have to take into consideration the legal claims of The Bangsamoro people. They have been indeed driven out of their ancestral domain, some could not enroll in schools who require birth certificates because birth certificates are not present in a Muslim setting, etc.
This is the historical reality of it,and not simply making "Independence as an excuse for waging war".

Before the hostilities, Iligan City is one of the melting pots of Mindanao where Lumads, Christians, and Moro's live together peacefully. We know by heart that a person who will say "that most moros love war" is just plain ignorant and crass to make such statements.
We have always believed that this is not a religious war because all religions seek peace and understanding. Instead, this is merely a political one.

I urge PDI to stricly screen your posts and condemn writings such as the one mentioned. It brings more damage to our already tattered homeland. Be more responsible.