Black or White*
*title by the King of Pop
Lots of things happened last Friday, June 26. Maliw debuted to great applause and buckets of tears at the Virgin Labfest. Editha Burgos, mother of missing activist Jonas Burgos, was in the audience, and she was the only person I could see from the sound booth. She was wiping her tears even at the start of the play. At the end, she embraced the cast members. She shook my hand and thanked us for helping stage the play. She said it was lovely. I didn't write the play, but I told her this was all for her.
June 26 was also the third year anniversary of the disappearance of student activists Karen Empeno and Sherlyn Cadapan. Linda Cadapan, Sherlyn's mother, will be watching Maliw this Tuesday.
Erick informed me that Farah Fawcett and Michael Jackson died. Hence, the title of this blog post.
Liz mentioned her mixed feelings when she read PDI's column for the day. Busy as I was backstage, I haven't had a chance to check the newspaper, so I asked her what it was.
Professor Randy David is ready to run against the President of the Philippines for a Congressional seat in Pampanga.
For some reason, the media has decided to dub this... issue... as 'David and Goliath,' referring of course to Professor David's name and his slim chances of winning against the president, and is not at all a cheap shot at President Arroyo's height.
The thing is, GMA is on the brink. The moment she steps out of office, she will be hounded by the thousands. Every human rights violation, every anti-people policy, everything will have to be answered for. There is not future scenario wherein this woman will retire to become a housewife. When you've got that much blood on your hands and more than your fair taste of power, you can't just let it go.
2nd district Pampanga must look so good for her right now. It's a means of escape. Outside the presidency, GMA has to find a way to regain immunity. If she can trade the presidency for a congressional seat, hey. At least she's still in power. She can stay in the safe halls of congress while the multitude is outside, braying for her blood.
That, plus this impending Constitutional Assembly. If the Con-ass gives way to a charter change --which we (that is, you and me, gentle reader) must do our utmost to stop-- it is possible that we shift into a parliamentary style of government. If that happens and the structure of government is reformatted, all congressional seats have a fair chance of becoming Prime Minister. Former presidents and future congresswomen get a shot at that.
She aligns herself with Doctor Doom, and hands over the earth to alien Skrulls.
What a brazen cunt. Who will stop her nefarious scheme?
Then, there is David.
Smart, a sociology professor, complete with a pornstache that makes him look just the right cross between academic and mortobike-riding devil. This is the face of a man who not only knows better than to give the Skrulls any chances, but he also knows that the Secret Invasion was a piece of shit.
"Not in my backyard," he said in his newspaper column. Professor David hails from Pampanga 2nd district. He is a registered voter and has spoken against GMA's shenanigans in the past. Recognizing perhaps the initial signs of a brand new type of political shenanigan, professor David stated that he is ready to stand in the way of GMA's ambitions. If she runs for congresswoman, he will run against her.
A public school teacher against the president of the country? He's got no chance. But it's the idea, isn't it? That some people will not simply lie down and let things happen. It's the exact reason why Nanay Edith, Nanay Linda, and Nanay Connie have not seen their children in years. Because their children did not simply lie down. They stood up against a giant faceless thing, and now they're gone. Dissapeared. And the mothers continue the search and struggle for justice, because we can't just let things happen.
Hey, professor David, speaking of justice--
This will be the specter that haunts you, Professor David, noble as your intentions may be. Not in your backyard, you said of GMA's political aspirations for your hometown, but your living room is no better.
Professor Katrina Macapagal of the Art Studies department asks Who's afraid of Sarah Raymundo?, referring of course to the other brilliant Sociology professor, the one who puts theory into practice. The reason for why her tenure was not renewed is still a mystery, and your department, Professor David, has kept unnaturally silent about the matter. You're not even a congressman yet.
Because of her convictions, Sarah has become the easy target of the beast that hides behind the university's liberal posturing; narrow-minded conservatism has reared its ugly head in the midst of proclamations of one hundred years of service and excellence. Contrary to popular perception, what Sarah's case reveals is that UP is a site of fierce ideological struggle, where those who advocate radical convictions are isolated and marginalized, even terminated, for unjust reasons.
Professor Danilo Arao of the College of Mass Communications pleads with Professor David.
Kung ang isang kwalipikadong guro ay hindi mo mabigyan ng hustisya, paano pa kaya ang milyon-milyong pinagkaitan ng kasalukuyang rehimen? Nasaan ang panawagan mo para sa government transparency kung ang mismong departamento mo’y pinagkakaitan ng impormasyon si Prop. Raymundo kaya hindi niya masagot ang anumang paratang sa kanya? Bakit ang paninindigan ng Departamento ng Sosyolohiya tungkol sa kaso ni Prop. Raymundo ay hindi naiiba sa nakabibinging katahimikang ipinapakita ng Pangulong nais mong kalabanin?
There's no such thing as plain black or white, Jacko. And you're wrong when you said it didn't matter. But you were talking about race relations, weren't you? This is a different thing all together.
Lots of things happened last Friday, June 26. Maliw debuted to great applause and buckets of tears at the Virgin Labfest. Editha Burgos, mother of missing activist Jonas Burgos, was in the audience, and she was the only person I could see from the sound booth. She was wiping her tears even at the start of the play. At the end, she embraced the cast members. She shook my hand and thanked us for helping stage the play. She said it was lovely. I didn't write the play, but I told her this was all for her.
June 26 was also the third year anniversary of the disappearance of student activists Karen Empeno and Sherlyn Cadapan. Linda Cadapan, Sherlyn's mother, will be watching Maliw this Tuesday.
Erick informed me that Farah Fawcett and Michael Jackson died. Hence, the title of this blog post.
Liz mentioned her mixed feelings when she read PDI's column for the day. Busy as I was backstage, I haven't had a chance to check the newspaper, so I asked her what it was.
Professor Randy David is ready to run against the President of the Philippines for a Congressional seat in Pampanga.
For some reason, the media has decided to dub this... issue... as 'David and Goliath,' referring of course to Professor David's name and his slim chances of winning against the president, and is not at all a cheap shot at President Arroyo's height.
The thing is, GMA is on the brink. The moment she steps out of office, she will be hounded by the thousands. Every human rights violation, every anti-people policy, everything will have to be answered for. There is not future scenario wherein this woman will retire to become a housewife. When you've got that much blood on your hands and more than your fair taste of power, you can't just let it go.
2nd district Pampanga must look so good for her right now. It's a means of escape. Outside the presidency, GMA has to find a way to regain immunity. If she can trade the presidency for a congressional seat, hey. At least she's still in power. She can stay in the safe halls of congress while the multitude is outside, braying for her blood.
That, plus this impending Constitutional Assembly. If the Con-ass gives way to a charter change --which we (that is, you and me, gentle reader) must do our utmost to stop-- it is possible that we shift into a parliamentary style of government. If that happens and the structure of government is reformatted, all congressional seats have a fair chance of becoming Prime Minister. Former presidents and future congresswomen get a shot at that.
She aligns herself with Doctor Doom, and hands over the earth to alien Skrulls.
What a brazen cunt. Who will stop her nefarious scheme?
Then, there is David.
Smart, a sociology professor, complete with a pornstache that makes him look just the right cross between academic and mortobike-riding devil. This is the face of a man who not only knows better than to give the Skrulls any chances, but he also knows that the Secret Invasion was a piece of shit.
"Not in my backyard," he said in his newspaper column. Professor David hails from Pampanga 2nd district. He is a registered voter and has spoken against GMA's shenanigans in the past. Recognizing perhaps the initial signs of a brand new type of political shenanigan, professor David stated that he is ready to stand in the way of GMA's ambitions. If she runs for congresswoman, he will run against her.
A public school teacher against the president of the country? He's got no chance. But it's the idea, isn't it? That some people will not simply lie down and let things happen. It's the exact reason why Nanay Edith, Nanay Linda, and Nanay Connie have not seen their children in years. Because their children did not simply lie down. They stood up against a giant faceless thing, and now they're gone. Dissapeared. And the mothers continue the search and struggle for justice, because we can't just let things happen.
Hey, professor David, speaking of justice--
This will be the specter that haunts you, Professor David, noble as your intentions may be. Not in your backyard, you said of GMA's political aspirations for your hometown, but your living room is no better.
Professor Katrina Macapagal of the Art Studies department asks Who's afraid of Sarah Raymundo?, referring of course to the other brilliant Sociology professor, the one who puts theory into practice. The reason for why her tenure was not renewed is still a mystery, and your department, Professor David, has kept unnaturally silent about the matter. You're not even a congressman yet.
Because of her convictions, Sarah has become the easy target of the beast that hides behind the university's liberal posturing; narrow-minded conservatism has reared its ugly head in the midst of proclamations of one hundred years of service and excellence. Contrary to popular perception, what Sarah's case reveals is that UP is a site of fierce ideological struggle, where those who advocate radical convictions are isolated and marginalized, even terminated, for unjust reasons.
Professor Danilo Arao of the College of Mass Communications pleads with Professor David.
Kung ang isang kwalipikadong guro ay hindi mo mabigyan ng hustisya, paano pa kaya ang milyon-milyong pinagkaitan ng kasalukuyang rehimen? Nasaan ang panawagan mo para sa government transparency kung ang mismong departamento mo’y pinagkakaitan ng impormasyon si Prop. Raymundo kaya hindi niya masagot ang anumang paratang sa kanya? Bakit ang paninindigan ng Departamento ng Sosyolohiya tungkol sa kaso ni Prop. Raymundo ay hindi naiiba sa nakabibinging katahimikang ipinapakita ng Pangulong nais mong kalabanin?
There's no such thing as plain black or white, Jacko. And you're wrong when you said it didn't matter. But you were talking about race relations, weren't you? This is a different thing all together.