Can the pleasantries. The actions of the protesters at the BOR meeting last Wednesday in UP Diliman were not the actions of civilized people. (video from QTV here) Nakakahiya talaga.
No less than the UP Diliman University Student Council Chairperson-elect, Rainer Sindayen, was shown on the news screaming at UP Los Banos Chancellor Luis Rey Velasco and blocking his way into Quezon Hall.
While their grievances were legitimate - the loss of student representation in the Board of Regents is a big problem - the way in which they lashed out at UP officials brought their cause down to the level of anarchists hungry for attention. Kulang sa pansin.
Screaming at a UP Chancellor on national television, regardless of a legitimate cause, is downright disrespectful. Throwing paint at him, however wracked with anti-student decisions his record is, cannot be - must not be - condoned, for these are the acts of barbarians. These are the actions of uneducated people.
These are not the actions of students from the University of the Philippines.
A noble cause such as fighting for student rights and representation, calling for a more accessible education for the poor, decrying an ever-shrinking budget for education, and exposing the detrimental actions of the UP administration, is only hurt and diminished by the application of such violent and barbaric protest actions.
I am a UP student, and I feel ashamed for the actions of my schoolmates. However much I support their cause, I cannot - I will not - support the actions of these people.
As such, I take offense at this Facebook group/event "apologizing" for the events of March 24, 2010. I almost signed on, seeing that this was "A Public Apology from the UP Community". I was about to join, until I read the supposed "apology" more carefully and saw that this was no apology at all but a justification of the shameful actions of the protesters at the BOR meeting.
Granted, throwing paint is not the same as shooting unarmed civilians with automatic rifles, or bashing them with riot shields, or with hauling media personnel off to prison without warrants, but isn't this where it all starts? Before, they threw eggs at former AFP Chief of Staff Hermogenes Esperon. Now, its paint balls at UPLB Chancellor Velasco. What's next, Molotov cocktails?
The Board of Regents, UP President Emerlinda Roman, and UPLB Chancellor Velasco have much to answer for, yes. They have never really listened much to students before, but do you really think that they will listen to us now after that barbaric display at Quezon Hall?
The entire nation looks to us Iskolars ng Bayan as their hope for the future. Even with the ever-rising tuition rates, the people's taxes, rich and poor both, still support our studies. Is this what we want them to see as the result of their support? Is this what they are paying for?
But maybe I may be just taking it a bit too far. The welfare of the people is hardly served by such violent, theatrical, media-grabbing behavior as throwing paint on people. The welfare of the people is not served by screaming at people. And I assure you, concern with "civil gestures" is not apathy, it is a sign of restraint, of respect, of a civilized and educated person who doesn't need to scream and throw paint balls to have his or her voice heard.
I believe that no one in UP is apathetic. We get bombarded with issues every day in our classrooms, in our hallways and in our streets. I believe that everyone cares or at least knows about the issues. However, not everyone goes out to the streets to rail and chant and clash with riot police. Not everyone wears red and carries placards and posters. And not everyone screams at UP officials and pelts them with paint balls.
Not everyone has such shameful behavior as the protesters last March 24.
No less than the UP Diliman University Student Council Chairperson-elect, Rainer Sindayen, was shown on the news screaming at UP Los Banos Chancellor Luis Rey Velasco and blocking his way into Quezon Hall.
While their grievances were legitimate - the loss of student representation in the Board of Regents is a big problem - the way in which they lashed out at UP officials brought their cause down to the level of anarchists hungry for attention. Kulang sa pansin.
Screaming at a UP Chancellor on national television, regardless of a legitimate cause, is downright disrespectful. Throwing paint at him, however wracked with anti-student decisions his record is, cannot be - must not be - condoned, for these are the acts of barbarians. These are the actions of uneducated people.
These are not the actions of students from the University of the Philippines.
A noble cause such as fighting for student rights and representation, calling for a more accessible education for the poor, decrying an ever-shrinking budget for education, and exposing the detrimental actions of the UP administration, is only hurt and diminished by the application of such violent and barbaric protest actions.
I am a UP student, and I feel ashamed for the actions of my schoolmates. However much I support their cause, I cannot - I will not - support the actions of these people.
As such, I take offense at this Facebook group/event "apologizing" for the events of March 24, 2010. I almost signed on, seeing that this was "A Public Apology from the UP Community". I was about to join, until I read the supposed "apology" more carefully and saw that this was no apology at all but a justification of the shameful actions of the protesters at the BOR meeting.
We do not apologize, however, for our militant actions; again, we wish to emphasize that the inconsiderate leadership of the Roman administration has left us with no other choice but to confront it head-on.How much of the UP Community really shares this sentiment? How many UP students support this blatant justification of violence to support one's protests? Isn't this the very thing we all fight against? Whenever police violently break up rallies, whenever soldiers shoot at protesters, Mendiola, Hacienda Luisita, Manila Peninsula - aren't these the very same things this "apology" condones and justifies?
Granted, throwing paint is not the same as shooting unarmed civilians with automatic rifles, or bashing them with riot shields, or with hauling media personnel off to prison without warrants, but isn't this where it all starts? Before, they threw eggs at former AFP Chief of Staff Hermogenes Esperon. Now, its paint balls at UPLB Chancellor Velasco. What's next, Molotov cocktails?
The Board of Regents, UP President Emerlinda Roman, and UPLB Chancellor Velasco have much to answer for, yes. They have never really listened much to students before, but do you really think that they will listen to us now after that barbaric display at Quezon Hall?
The entire nation looks to us Iskolars ng Bayan as their hope for the future. Even with the ever-rising tuition rates, the people's taxes, rich and poor both, still support our studies. Is this what we want them to see as the result of their support? Is this what they are paying for?
We apologize further for the apathy of those in our ranks who seem to be more concerned with civil gestures rather than the welfare of the people.The "civil gestures" this "apology" belittles are the very things which separate our society from barbarians and savages. Taking it further brings us closer to justifying the actions of terrorists - one man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter, right? - who kill and destroy "for the welfare of the people". Is this what the UP Community really supports?
But maybe I may be just taking it a bit too far. The welfare of the people is hardly served by such violent, theatrical, media-grabbing behavior as throwing paint on people. The welfare of the people is not served by screaming at people. And I assure you, concern with "civil gestures" is not apathy, it is a sign of restraint, of respect, of a civilized and educated person who doesn't need to scream and throw paint balls to have his or her voice heard.
I believe that no one in UP is apathetic. We get bombarded with issues every day in our classrooms, in our hallways and in our streets. I believe that everyone cares or at least knows about the issues. However, not everyone goes out to the streets to rail and chant and clash with riot police. Not everyone wears red and carries placards and posters. And not everyone screams at UP officials and pelts them with paint balls.
Not everyone has such shameful behavior as the protesters last March 24.
