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Nov 13, '07 10:14 AM
for everyone

A few hours ago, there was another blast in Metro Manila. This time, it was at the South Wing of Congress. I was watching the news on DZMM TeleRadyo. If you've watched this program, you know about the lower left corner that has the respones from the show's patrons that are sent in via text messages. One of them, during the news coverage of the blast at Congress, says something like: There were no sniffing dogs to detect the bomb dahil natakot yung mga aso sa mga buwaya sa Batasan.

It's not funny.

I'm a comic. And I like to be politically incorrect for laughs... and, well, because that's who I am anyway. My friend Gari described it as a healthy defiance. Anyway, I've had my share of awkward jokes but to the guy who sent that comment in tonight... it's just plain mean.

When a family somewhere is holding its breath for news about loved ones who may be among those being brought to the hospital or rescued under the debris, no joke is funny.

I don't care if you do not have people in your life with whom you could share those kinds of jokes that you had to send it out to the world. I don't care if no one else in your circle thought it was funny. I don't care if your unlimited text privilege ends tonight. You do not get to make trivial, on a news show, the tragedy of senseless injuries and deaths. To make a joke, at this time, and for public consumption is cruel.

Maybe tomorrow I'll laugh.

Maybe not.

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11 CommentsChronological Reverse Threaded

dingby wrote on Nov 13, '07

Hindi ko alam kung bakit wala akong pakikidalamhati sa pagsabog na naganap sa Batasan, maliban lang siguro sa pakikiramay doon sa mga inosenteng nasawi o nasaktan. Hindi ito magsilbi na kamulatan sa naway dakilang pag-iisip ng ating mga mambabatas, sa takot na nararanasan ng karamihan ng mamamayan, lalo na sa kanayunan. Ang pangyayaring ito ay magdudulot ng isang pagsasara, pagsasara ng kaisipan sa nangangailangang progresibong pananaw sa mga sakim at suliranin na patuloy na sumisira sa ating marupok na lipunan.

jpg587 wrote on Nov 13, '07

Heard the news, and am just happy and relieved that you and Ivy are safe.

kateteng wrote on Nov 14, '07

When i saw it i wished so hard that you & betsy weren't there at that time. ingat nlng..and i am enraged that security there isn't that tight. Any act of violence or terrorism isn't right. This is sad news.

madmaan wrote on Nov 14, '07

oo nga e. marami din sa mga nagpadala ng opinyon nila sa DZMM noon ay patungkol sa pagkagising ng mga mambabatas dahil sa nangyari. pagkagising saan?

sana sa posibilidad ng kamatayan, na sana matakot sila sa kabilang-buhay at sa hihinging kabayaran nito sa anumang pagmamataas at pangungurakot nila ngayon.

pero mas malamang, pagkagising sa isang nakaiinis na pagka-makasarili na kailangang mas maghigpit sa batas at mga patakaran para maprotektahan silang mga espesyal na mamamayan. Emergency powers? Human Security Act?

madmaan wrote on Nov 14, '07

Thanks, Kate at Ate Ai! I'm grateful that I'm safe and the people I know who work there, including Ivy, are safe.

As to the comment on security, I'm not sure yet where I stand. For one thing, would you like to go through rigorous security to enter the office of public officials? Should they or their offices not be the most accessible in the country? And do we really want part of our taxes to go to protecting our lawmakers when the idea of public service, of thinking about the other's plight should be their responsibility?

On the other hand, are people who have been elected, chosen by their constituents to represent them, entitled to privileges beyond any regular citizen? Are we to protect them who stand for our pillars of democracy, freedom, and rights?

It's a debate that is, in every election, waiting to be settled. Simply put, when our public officials earn the trust of the people that they truly are serving the public, then maybe I wouldn't mind protecting them for all my taxes' worth.

angelasigrid wrote on Nov 14, '07

Well said, Maan. I agree with you. I'm glad your're ok.

dyezebel wrote on Nov 14, '07

amen. be safe.

katroni wrote on Nov 14, '07

Same here, Maan. Being a government employee myself, the news about the Batasan bombing felt so "real." The possibility that the place where I work might be next, given the nature of our office and all, is not farfetched. Hindi mo na alam kung saan at kung kailan ka safe. Nakakatakot, at nakakapanghina.

Dasal na lang palagi. 'Yun na lang ang panlaban talaga eh. Ingat, fellow Tot.

sabquerubin wrote on Nov 17, '07

Grabe sunod-sunod ang mga di magagandang pangyayari sa Pinas ah. Ingat ka lagi Maan!

roudoctor wrote on Nov 16, '09

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