By Michael Beltran
Must we completely distance ourselves from certain individuals who marched alongside everyone, but decided to take matters further than some would have liked? Must we be so quick to condemn and so slow to offer class solidarity when we find it uncomfortable to see a seething we cannot fathom within ourselves?
None of the young people involved in the skirmish earlier are members of progressive or activist groups most of us might be familiar with.
Wherever they come from, I don’t think they deserve to be belittled or conflated with DDS groups. I get that these kinds of displays are best merited by the political situation or by organized methods.
And I also get why some people fear the state backlash against this will create a chilling effect. But If there was ever a time to let your anger out, wouldn’t that be now?
I don’t discount the possibility of provocateurs, even a minority among them, kasi di ko naman talaga alam. I am sure that is an angle that some people are going to stick with.
Regardless, every bit of rage earlier (still ongoing I think) has been boiling for a long time, in the homes and streets of folk a lot less privileged than most of the intellectuals who rant on social media.
Sa kilusang masa, maraming taktika at magugulat ka na lang sa iluluwal niyang mga resulta. Hindi palaging organisado at hindi parating tumpak pero kaisang diwa pa rin. Susulpot ang mga aksyong maaring hindi angkop sa pamamaraan ng iba pa. Pero tama bang todong dumistansya agad, ilayo ang mga sarili na para bang hindi naman natin sila katabing magmartsa?
Sa totoo lang, yung pangungutya sa mga namato sa pulis kanina, at ito ang talagang nakakainis sa akin, may hibla rin ng pagiging matapobre eh.
Kinamuhian noon ng ilang bahagi ng publiko ang pagsusunog ng upuan sa PUP, ang pamamato ng itlog sa mga opisyal ng militar sa UP, at ang pag-occupy ng mga homeless sa pabahay sa Bulacan.
Pinagtanggol ito ng mga progresibo bilang wastong mga aksyong sumasalamin sa galit ng mamamayan. Ang kaibahan lang sa nangyari kanina, hindi bahagi ng mga progesibong samahan ang kalahok sa bakbakan.
Tiyak lalo pang aabante ang kamulatan ng mga nariyan kung mabukas sa kanila ang mga talakayan, kolektibong paggawa, atbp. May galit na sila eh. Sumasama na nga sa rally. Anong kasunod?
Whatever your feelings about this are, it’s clearly a sign. Maraming nagagalit. Sumisidhi ang galit.
The revolution already has an enemy. What it needs are friends.
Di naman to dinner party sabi nga. #