Archive for the ‘Politics’ Category

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

I will greet anyone a Merry Christmas in general. If that person is Jewish I would greet that person a Happy Hannukkah. If someone greets me a Happy Kwanzaa (which I believe isn’t likely to happen any time in my life because I don’t know anyone here in my area (and I have plenty of African-American friends) who celebrates Kwanzaa) then I would greet a Happy Kwanzaa instead. The only thing that I have a problem in some ways is saying “Happy Holidays.”

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• Current Location: Home
• Mood: Christmas Spirit!
• Currently Reading: Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

You got to admit that my home state and I who gave the final numbers to Mr. Barack Obama’s electoral college votes that gave him the landslide victory. Go CALIFORNIA!

There is no liberal America, there is no conservative America. What we have is the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

- President Barack Obama

What Barack Obama said in this quote pretty much sums up what the centuries-old American motto of E Pluribus Unum truly means.

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• Quirky Asides: The Governors of Illinois and Delaware will have to choose replacements for their Senators, since Pres. Obama and V.P. Biden were elected in to the White House. On the other hand, I\'m glad this entire race is over.
• Mood: VERY Content!
• Current Location: Alameda, CA
• Currently Reading: CNN.com News

With quite a number of battleground states it can go one way or the other and most likely the election results may even end up a tie.

So, what happens when the election results did end up in a tie? If I can remember correctly from my U.S. history classes, the Constitution states that should the electoral votes do end up in a tie that the decision will be brought up to Congress voting, starting with the House of Representatives (?).

I should’ve done more research but this was just a spur of the moment that i decided to write down this short entry. Even if it did result in a tie I would still think that Obama may win the presidential seat. After alll, if the voting did elevate to Congress it’s most likely that Obama will be the victor. After all, majority of the House of Representatives are Democrats…?

Anyway, I’m not going to make any guessing or predictions or anything like that. All I can say is that we’ll just have to accept and live through the official result of this election. I know, we were all upset with the whole Florida voting recount with their flawed polling systems 8 years ago, but I do hope that we all learned a lesson from that particular day and have better, more efficient polling systems for a more accurate count.

I’m heading to my local polling place when I get home from work today since I live a few blocks away from there. Right now all I can do is pray that this entire country do decide wisely and praying that we do select the right individual for the next President of the United States of America.

• Mood: Excited (ELECTION DAY!)
• Current Location: Alameda (@ work)
• Currently Listening: KCBS Internet Radio (ELECTION DAY!)
• Quirky Asides: I noticed that California isn\'t that much important in terms of electoral votings anymore. Still we hold the most electoral college numbers so that should tell you something. (Prop #8 decision still undecided for me...)

About some months ago the California Supreme Court made homosexual marriages legal in Califonria, which was a huge, major moment for all the gays and lesbians all over the state, primarily in San Francisco (known as the “capital city” of the gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and transvestites), and ever since that made legal there were several same-sex marriages that occurred right away. Celebrities who were gays and/or lesbians (or bisexuals or transvestites) traveled all the way to San Francisco just to get married too.

But let me tell you something about California. Although we are a predominantly Democratic (liberal, pretty much) state, religion-wise California is predominantly a Roman Catholic state (after all, we have the renowned history of Junipero Serra, the Catholic missions that he built and established throughout California, and the El Camino Real), which means if you are a Roman Catholic you usually stick to Catholic values unless if you are able to separate church and state. Being a Catholic myself the Bible does forbid same-sex romantic relationships and marriages. I believe that as a Catholic, however at the same time I don’t believe it’s their fault for being gay/lesbian. Many of them were born that way, raised that way, and there are some who just chose to be one. Most likely they’re not Catholic or any other Christian, but I’m not going to make that assumption about them just like that.

Just this particular fact is one of the reasons why Proposition #8 was brought up and added in to the ballot for next week’s elections. Proposition #8, if passes, overturns the Supreme Court decision of legalizing same-sex couples and “restore” the true (or rather original?) definition of what a marriage is supposed to be— heterosexual, between man and woman. The Catholic Churches of California are one of the sponsors/endorsers of this proposition (and I’m pretty sure many other religious groups, not just Christians, also endorsed this proposition). If it doesn’t pass, California continues to keep same-sex marriage legal.

In Favor of Proposition #8…

• Conservatives – those who believe a marriage should only be between man and woman
• Religious – same-sex marriage is condemned in the Bible (or some other teaching/preaching recorded document from other religions)
• Parents – Same-sex marriage may end up being taught in elementary schools as in oppose to sex education?

In Opposition of Proposition #8…

• Homosexuals & Transgenders – equal rights for all and Prop. #8 is discriminatory and even going further as to being unconstitutional and against the law of diverse equality
• Liberals – same thing, equal rights
• Other Citizens – same-sex marriages shouldn’t get mixed up with religion. This is by choice, not compulsary.

I know I’m missing some things in there but that’s all I could think of.

Personally I am torn with this particular proposition. I am Catholic, like I said, but I’m one of the few people who is able to separate church and state. I believe that homosexuals and transgenders should have equal rights as everyone else on every aspect. My only problem here is that legalizing same-sex marriages pretty much changed the standard definition of marriage. Marriage is a sacred, special celebration of love and commitment between a man and a woman in love, which was what was defined originally. Now it had been re-defined to just a “contract” between partners to stay together and it’s not as sacred or as special as it is now.

In conclusion, I am still undecided. Maybe I should just skip this part and I’ll let the rest of the state decide.

• Current Location: Home
• Currently Listening: Untie Me by Manfred Mann
• Currently Reading: The Alchemist by Paolo Coelho
• series_part: 1

CNN Article: Men Charged with Plotting to Kill Obama

This is a good example of what a REAL domestic terrorist is, Governor Palin. They’re a lot worse than William Ayers and yet you let these moronic nuts come out of their shells, spreading hate all over the country thanks to you and your racist, fear-mongering supporters.

Now who’s “pallin’ around” with terrorists? (removal of the “g” from “palling” was intentional… you betcha!)

• Mood: Spiffy ^_^
• Currently Eating: Cheerios cereal
• Currently Reading: CNN.com News Articles
• series_part: 12