A Coup or Not?
Snippets of information from the TV send my thoughts spinning into interesting directions about the "coup" attempt...

1. Apparently, early on during the incident yesterday members of the Magdalo group indicated that it was not a coup attempt. This was, naturally, ignored. I mean: "We've taken over a hotel with weapons and explosives and then made demands that gov't heads step down... but it's not a coup, okay?"
2. The government kept listing housing and pay as the primary grievances of the 94-95 groups, downplaying and generalizing the accusations we heard yesterday to correcting the 'graft and corruption' in the country.
3. General distrust in the group of ANYONE with a "flag rank" with few notable exceptions.
4. Despite concerns about who might've been behind the Magdalo group, it's fairly clear that the Magdalo group was far more organized and efficient than any political parties that attempted to take advantage of this event. It's clear the Magdalo group had their own agenda apart from the political players.
5. They're season veterans claiming that they've been betrayed by the country they've bled and died for, and fingered the highest military authority below the president as a ringleader.
6. Everyone seems to agree (except perhaps for a certain Defense Secretary and others in his camp) that there are legitimate grievances, but this was not the place or time to engage in acts such as this to force change.
7. While everyone points out the economic problems that this will cause, they argue that nothing will improve anyway unless the changes they propose are implemented... whereas in the long run, the country will benefit if they are.

Likely scenario:
1. Punish the heads of the "coup" to the full extent of the law.
2. Make minor but public concessions to the minor demands of the group, and belittle their primary demands and accusations.
3. Use the event to purge convenient political targets like Honasan and supporters of Erap.
4. Release lots of well-written PR crap to confuse and depress the rest of us.
5. Life goes on.

I don't agree with their methods as well, but would I tell these "idealistic" folks to wait for change from the stagnant and self-perpetuating bureacracy of our country if I met them? I have no answers. I suppose they've made their decisions and took action.

Perhaps more of us should take action if we still care about our country. If indeed there is still a country to care about.

No comments: