(Finally) Putting Tita Cory to Rest

I've received some feedback on my last blog entry (none of which you will read here since leaving my comments section blank has turned into some sort of tradition I now embrace) that gives me the impression I was a bit misunderstood. Or maybe I just didn't do a good job of writing what I was actually feeling and thinking.

Anyway, what I intended to do was to capture what I immediately felt the very minute I heard Cory Aquino had died - inexplicable sadness. After minutes of clicking channels and staring off into space, I eventually figured out why. Cory represented the last good things I remember about our country. She represented hope, change, and decency. Obviously she failed on the first two items; nevertheless she lived up to the last one.

Some people I know and have talked to scoffed at the reception that President Aquino's casket received on the streets last Wednesday. They saw it as ridiculous, as a desperate attempt at drama. I think some of them were actually subconsciously referencing my last blog when they said their piece.

Which is unfortunate since I vehemently disagree with them. If anything, my last blog explained (in advance) why the people reacted the way they did.

In the words of Chet from the movie "Kicking and Screaming", allow me to paraphrase myself.

We live in arguably the most cynical time in our nation's history. Our current President has gone completely mad, and worse, she doesn't even care anymore. She's reached a point where if she gave us the finger on national TV it wouldn't even faze us one bit. And we can't even find comfort with the fact that she's finally leaving (hopefully) because assholes and phonies of equal caliber are lining up for the presidency.

So when the last living remembrance of the last time we were proud of our country dies, OF COURSE PEOPLE WILL CRY AND WEAR YELLOW AND GO OUT ON THE STREETS. Well, unless the zeitgeist of cynicism has irrevocably numbed you, then of course you'd find it ridiculous and overly dramatic.

But anyway, what do I know? I'm just a fringe writer whose blog no one reads, so instead of beating my point to the ground, I'll let two infinitely more talented writers make my point for me. Unlike me, they wear glasses. Dark-rimmed glasses.

First of, read this column by Jessica Zafra: http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=493635&publicationSubCategoryId=84

Then for dessert, watch this incredibly simple and incredibly brilliant video by Lourd De Veyra:



Thank you. I now put this thing (and Tita Cory) to rest.