I don’t normally talk about the events happening in the Philippines simply because I’m not very up to date with the latest current events over there unlike my dad (who is still an avid loyal Filipino who still continues to keep in touch with the politics and the social problems going on over there until today). I’m not saying that I’m not proud or don’t want to be aware of the country where I was born and lived my childhood at, but most of the news I’ve read and watched coming from the Philippines were pretty much as similar as the ones I read and watched when I was still living there.

As you know, there was a massacre that occured in Mindanao, the southern island region of the Philippines. For those who are familiar with the country itself, Mindanao is predominantly Muslim, and there had been several decades that the Moros (the more appropriate/correct term for the Filipino Muslims?) were in a civil war with the Philippine government (and for those who know, the Philippines is predominantly Christian, to be more specific Roman Catholic) in order to gain independence as its own nation.

So, I stopped by CNN website to read some news and learned about a massacre that occured in Mindanao (Maguindanao province, to be more specific). From my understanding, this is primarily a political issue between two well-known Moro clans in Maguindanao running for the next governor of the province, the Ampatuans and the Mangudadatus, so technically, this isn’t even exactly a religious war.

Here’s another thing I learned about the Philippines whenever a major political election is about to come. Violent massacres, assassinations, and all other types of deadly brutal crimes occur at that particular time period. All the corruption and the backstabbing and then blaming outside parties for all these unforgivable events, blackmailing, etc. etc. And then after elections, there’s going to be protests, more violence, corruption, and the usual accusations from the opposing party (this and that candidate must have rigged the elections, we request a recount!!)

One way or the other, elections period in the Philippines was hardly a positive one. It’s like nothing good comes out of these elections, then again, hardly anything good comes out from Philippine politics in general.

When I read the article on CNN.com, I just laughed at majority of the comments left by users regarding the situation. Most of them are spewing hatred and prejudice against the Muslims and the Islamic religion, comparing them to the likes of al Qaeda and such when obviously most of them have been one or the other of the following:

• Never been to the Philippines or read/researched Philippine history in general. (Get over it, people! The Moros and the Christians in the Philippines have been in decades of civil war way before 9/11, so stop making assumptions, seriously…)
• Radical non-Islamic religious people who think that Christianity is the best religion around ever (though I’m Roman Catholic myself, Christianity doesn’t exactly have a “perfectly clean” history either. What the heck is the IRS then? Or maybe those fanatical wackos from the Westboro Baptist Church (though non-violent, they do incite a lot of discrimination, most notably towards the LBGT community).
• Radical atheists who, despite their non-beliefs to a supreme being, also believe that religions in general are the most evil thing in the world.
• Racists. Period.

Well, you get the picture. I will admit that I felt offended by the comments these ignorant users have been posting on. It’s like here in the U.S. where several skeptics are accusing the new president of being a Muslim (just because his (late) father was a Muslim?) or that his birth certificate is fake and that he was actually born outside the U.S. Get a grip, people, you’re all inciting hate regardless of how much you say that you are not racist. You weren’t like that when all the past presidents (which were all Caucasian) were overseeing our country, even when Dubya was in office, so please stop denying yourselves because you know it’s true.

I don’t know what on earth is wrong with the world today. It’s like we’re heading back to ancient history again with the ancient ways of thinking and philosophy.

• Current Location: Home
• Mood: Contemplative
• Currently Drinking: Green Tea Latte

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