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Pink is the Color of Our Future

Pink is the color of our future

I posted this on social media recently, and I couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride, hope, and anxiety as I unabashedly took a public stand. To those who are not familiar with Philippine politics, the May 2022 Presidential Elections is crucial because the son of a dictator, plunderer, and kleptocrat is gunning for the presidency, with overwhelming support. The Marcos family has amassed billions (estimated at USD10B) and has spent years quietly revising history through social media with their army of paid trolls and proud supporters.

It is alarming, dismaying, and frightening how many people believe them or are willing to look past their lies. So many of our countrymen believe that Marcos Jr. will bring back the “golden years,” not realizing that his parents were responsible for pillaging our country of its wealth. They see the buildings and structures that stand as “proof” of the Marcoses’ greatness, but they look past the atrocities committed during martial law and the massive debt incurred to finance these projects and their own pockets. They perceive facts as “lies” and refuse to believe mainstream media, relying on personal anecdotes and stories shared on social media.

We value democracy because of what it stands for – a government for the people and by the people. But when those with power have worked so hard and spent so much money to keep the majority of our people in the dark by denying access to proper education and propagating misinformation, or when the system has been so cracked and riddled with corruption that most have become jaded against the possibility of good governance, can our democracy save us or will it end up betraying us?

If Marcos wins, the world will not end. But what value is left in a democracy that embraces plunderers with open arms? Where is the respect for truth and justice, which should be the cornerstones of any government? We are angry because none of this should be possible. And yet here we are, fighting an uphill battle for the good that’s left in our country.

They say we are causing division. That we are mixing politics with morality, as if these are concepts alien to each other. That we should let go of the past and move forward towards a united Philippines. But brilliant minds have said this over and over again in different ways- Unity should not be sought at the expense of truth and justice. Unity, without the essential roots of truth and justice, is false at best and disastrous at worst.

We cannot help but speak up and take a stand. We only wish that those who hear us will listen with an open mind, and make decisions based on what they know is right. There is no gray area. We may see the world through rose-colored glasses, but isn’t that better than settling for less? We have a real shot at this- a chance for a truly better tomorrow. Not better for any one individual, but better for the country that we say we love. When you love someone, you don’t settle for less unless you have exhausted all other options. Look at the sea of pink to see how many of us are fighting. We can win this, but we need you to stand with us.

💕

“All of us want what’s best for our children- so we need to vote for what’s best for their future. No compromises. No half truths or blatant disregard for the truth. We fight for what’s right, not what’s convenient or practical. Because if we lower our standards, then we set the bar lower for what our children can become. They can shine far brighter than we know, if we teach them that the world can be a much better place than it is right now. If we settle for less, we rob them of the future they could have.

The coming Philippine Presidential Elections will set the tone for their future. It can ignite our hope for a country that has been pillaged over and over from the inside out. Or it can break our spirits and show how our democracy has failed us. Each of us must take a stand- please let it be the right one.”

#KulayRosasAngBukas

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Start Them Young

Talk to your Kids about Politics

Start Them Young:

Discuss Politics with Kids

Do you discuss politics with kids? My parents didn’t, maybe because their parents never did, either. But I find that Kyle gets curious whenever he overhears adult conversations. He feels left out, and so I try my best to explain adult topics to him in ways he can understand. I remember that as a child, I would always feel like I was “too young” to understand certain things– and so I wouldn’t even try. It felt disempowering, soI never really took adult topics seriously until very late into adulthood. I figured I’d change that with Kyle.

Back in 2020 we talked about Trump vs. Biden. A few weeks ago, we talked about the bad president who stole a lot of money, whose son is now trying to become president again. And about the good vice president Leni, who we want to become the next president of the Philippines. Because she is good, and brave, and puts the country first. Whenever we see pink parols (lanterns) around, he says: “look mom, kakampink (the coined term for Leni supporters)!” 

The Brave Journalist Who Won the Nobel Prize

Last night, I told him about Maria Ressa. A brave journalist (who is like a good version of Peter Parker’s boss at the Daily Bugle), who tells the truth and fights against the bad guys. The bad president wants to put her in jail, but the people of the world saw that she is good and gave her the best prize ever: the Nobel Peace Prize! And in her speech, she said that we need facts. Things we can prove with evidence

“You mean like- fun fact: the anklyosaurus was a herbivore?”

“Yes! But if you say- Kyle is cute- that’s not a fact. It’s just an opinion. Because someone else might say, no, Kyle is not cute, he’s nakakata-cute!” *a play on the Filipino word for scary (nakakatakot)

“You mean like a debate, mom?”
“Yes, where did you learn that?”
“From Youtube- Evolution of Marvel Cartoons.”
(Good to know he learns things from his screen time lol.)

Truth, Democracy, and Equality

So Kyle, do you understand that without facts, there can be no truth? Because how will we know what is true if we can’t prove it? Everyone will be so confused! There can be no shared reality, meaning we will all believe different things. Then there can be no democracy or freedom.

“Mom, next time I will create drones to protect everyone from the bad presidents. Then I will win the Nobel Prize.”

“That’s good! You should try. Just keep doing good things to change the world for the better. And you need to be better. Maria Ressa also talked about the importance of equality. You know what equality means, right?”

“Equal, like in math.”

Yes. The world needs to be more equal. For example, there are too many bosses who are men. There should also be more bosses who are women. It’s dangerous for women journalists because when there are too many men, some of them don’t act nice. They act like bullies, and the women are scared to get hurt. So you- you need to be a gentleman ok? That means that you will be careful and respectful, especially to those who might be weaker than you. Men have more muscles and are physically stronger than women. So if you are not careful, you might hurt them. That’s why you shouldn’t hit mommy- you shouldn’t hit anyone at all!

“But only the bad guys?”
“Well, only if it’s really, really, necessary.”

“And you know, being a gentleman also means being careful with your words. If you keep talking about private parts, girls might get scared of you! (His favorite Filipino word is titi, which means penis. He finds it funny, especially because of this book we read). They will say- why does this boy keep saying titi?”

He paused for a moment and reflected on it, which I found adorable.

“I promise I’ll be a gentleman, mom.”

Believe there is good in the world. Be the good. Our children are truly our future- don’t be afraid to start them young. 

—-

If you enjoyed this, please feel free to share. We are also open to hearing your opinions, whether you agree with me or have opposing beliefs, I would be happy to hear from you.

💙

#kids #politics #talktokidsaboutpolitics #bethechange #startemyoung #mariaressa #leni2022 #neveragain

Photo credits to Rappler

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