State Of The Nation
The 80's punk band, Industry, had this to say in their song:
I see them marching off to war
They're looking so heroic
I'm told they won't be gone for long
But that's a lie and they know it
Ten thousand gone they won't return
Never to be seen again
Strategic games is all we learn in the end
But they say:
Don't you worry about the situation
(A message from the telephone)
They out there fighting for the state of the nation
(I'm waiting a chance to come home)
They always have to fight the alienation
(I realize I'm fighting alone)
When nightmares memories fades to dust
We'll get back on our feet again
This war has nothing to do with us
But somehow we're still involved in it...
There's no place like home
There's no place like home
There's no place I don't want to be anywhere else.
How ironic that a song two decades old can contain references that can strike a chord today. Think about it: the telephone, strategic games, alienation, fighting alone...eerie!
Tomorrow is another official holiday, one which was suddenly announced Friday afternoon by the Office of the President. However much she denies it, this move was to ensure that the expected huge turn-out of protesters during her scheduled SONA (State Of The Nation address) dwindles to a manageable number. Who can resist going out of town given the three-day weekend? It is going to be a very important speech in the tumultuous political life of Mrs. Arroyo as it will determine whether she still has the credibility to forge on.
It is a fact that the phenomenon of diaspora has reached an alarming level, that the already weak peso continues to devalue, that rumors of an impending military coup are rife, that rallies calling for the resignation of the president are staged almost on a weekly basis and that the prevailing air across the country is that of disenchantment and hopelessness. Generally, though, there is a sense of apathy. Gone is the spirit that inspired the EDSA Revolution. There appears to be no one in the horizon DECENT enough to take the cudgels and point us in the right direction. Are we destined to be another Argentina? I truly hope not.
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