(Lack of) Indignation Over The Maguindanao Massacre
Some people are making an issue out of the absence of online displays of indignation over the recent killings in Maguindanao. Had it not been for the admonishing comments left by these indignant netizens on blog posts totally unrelated to the massacre I wouldn’t have noticed the absence. I guess I wrongly assumed that the usual starters of online indignation would already be on it after all it’s been three days already.
Now, that’s quite interesting, isn’t it? The lack of widespread display of indignation. Makes you wonder what happened to the “always-indignant-over-something” crowd.
Many months ago this particular class of netizens jumped on the bandwagon we’ve all come to know as the Pangandaman-De La Paz Brawl. Inspired to action by a one-sided account from the daughter of the supposed victim, these people inundated cyberspace with their expressions of righteous anger aimed at the “guilty” party. Of course, we now know how that whole controversy unfolded. It turned out the “aggrieved” party did not exactly go to the online court of public opinion with clean hands.
There have been other instances where these netizens found it necessary to show everyone the power of their indignation. Two of the most talked about that I can remember are the Nation of Servants brouhaha and the most recent, the case of the undistributed relief goods.
I suppose the stark contrast between the volume and speed of delivery of reactions to the relatively minor events stated above and the Maguindanao Massacre is what prompted one particular netizen to leave the following admonition and similarly worded comments on various blogs.
For pity’s sake, the worst Philippine tragedy in my lifetime, worst than Garci, Ondoy, the “accidental” killing in Paranaque, etc has just happened. You’re talking about other things? People in Mindanao who believe that unarmed women and journalists are fair game for their grisly hobbies, and just as bad, the completely inappropriate slow reaction by government when they should’ve left no room for doubt that they would act. This happened in your country, to your own people. Just because they don’t read Twilight or watch Conan O’Brien, you think their lives mean less? Look at how they were killed and look at the apparent lack of boundaries in the hearts of the perpetrators. Mindanao might be in the Middle Ages but so are you for not putting this on top of your lists today, this abhorrent deed. You are like the nobility of 500 years ago who’d drink wine and eat roast pig and splendid time while the peasantry are being raped and killed by barbarians.
He does have a point, one that should not go over the heads of those who have the habit of jumping on each and every indignation bandwagon.
But, to be honest about it, I personally don’t feel obliged to write about the Maguindanao Massacre. That’s not to say though that I don’t feel angry that such a barbaric event still happens in our country. As a human being, I’m all indignant about the loss of life resulting from this barbaric and brazen display of violence. I’m so angry in fact I wish a slow and painful death would befall the perpetrators and those closest to them. But that’s just me.
Anyway, if you’re looking for a sensible write-up about the Maguindanao Massacre that goes beyond the dime-a-dozen type of indignation look no further than this one over at www.antipinoy.com.
I read that comment in a couple different places today, and the question that comes to mind is, “What’s the point?” What purpose is served by simply expressing indignation?
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You have to agree though this event marks a watershed in our history.
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admin Reply:
November 26th, 2009 at 2:13 am
freesince 09,
ah yes of course… it actually goes without saying that this is a landmark event.
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So it is, I think so to. But what now? That’s why I asked the question I did: People are so diligent about “expressing indignation” that it almost seems as though that is considered a proper response, no follow-up needed. The indignation is a given — what is going to be done about the actual problem?
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Joanna Reply:
December 1st, 2009 at 12:35 pm
Good point. But really… what is there for us to do?
Upon hearing about the massacre, the very first emotion that washed over me – before the indignance – was helplessness.
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admin Reply:
December 1st, 2009 at 12:47 pm
joanna,
i’m not really against expressions of indignation. what i’m not particularly fond of are indignation bandwagons bordering on mindless hysteria like what happened with that pangandaman-de la paz brawl and even the tsip chao issue.
our expressions of anger over this massacre is of course valid and justifiable. yun nga lang i want to be able to do it on my own terms and not because someone who feels he or she has monopoly of indignation is making a big fuss out of it.
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Joanna Reply:
December 1st, 2009 at 2:47 pm
To the admin:
Hi! I was actually responding to BenK’s reply to your post. What does he propose we do apart from expressing indignation?
He has a point in bringing up the question of “We’ve all expressed our indignation. What now?” Does it really stop there?
I was just trying to get his point of view on what he proposes that we do.
On the other hand, I generally agree with the original post. No one should have to be obliged to express indignance over any matter, but are free to do so if they wish. It will help more if their expression of indignance actually has substance.
I would hope mine did.
admin Reply:
December 1st, 2009 at 4:49 pm
joanna,
no problem.
i’m sure all these online expressions of anger have driven home the point, at least. : )
We are still in the FEUDALISM/WARLORD (DATUISM) era.
Political families rule provinces with Private Armies
or with Private Political Machineries. The National government tolerates this situation. National Politicians are helped by these ruling families to be elected in every elections. Provincial voters are captive voting populations of these ruling family dynasties.
You can see two ruling families, who have their own dynasties. Fighting for supremacy in Maguindanao. This is
the cause of the mass murders. Both familes have followers,
clans and private armies. We wait and see that a clan
war will not break out.
The Ampatuans are the SACRED COWS of Gloria Arroyo. So, they cannot be touched for their mass murders.
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Let’s see how the Arroyo government will handle such a horrible, barbaric and unGodly act. Remember GMA and the Ampatuans are political allies. For me there are two things that must be done immediately: 1) to put behind bars and penalize with the apropriate punishment those responsible 2) address the existence of private armies. isn’t it against the law to have private armies? why is it that in maguindanao it is being allowed and even sanctioned apparently by the government?
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It might be a big leap to say that Gloria Arroyo’s ties with the Ampatuans caused the Maguindanao Massacre.
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botomoto Reply:
November 27th, 2009 at 12:11 pm
i think linda is just saying that pgma’s links to the ampatuan will come into play in her decisions regarding this massacre.
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67xray Reply:
November 27th, 2009 at 4:59 pm
That’s how I understood Linda’s observation, but more importantly, the connection is not lost on observers in the rest of the world — who are able to separate the concepts of “GMA somehow being responsible for it” and “GMA being uncomfortably connected to the perpetrators” quite easily. And outside observers are also aware the victim in this case could have easily been the perpetrator under different circumstances, and that the uncomfortable connections extend to that side as well.
All in all, despite much being made of Andal Ampatuan being arrested and charged, I think the government is handling the whole thing very poorly, and is doing nothing to impress upon the rest of the world that they have got things under control.
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The Maguindanao “Back Hoe” Massacre will go down in the history of mankind as one of the worst politically-related crimes. What makes the crime beyond comprehension is the meticulous preparation that went it with it, the brutal and beastly execution of the plan, and the feeling of impunity that went after the crime was committed. This was no ordinary crime, this was an act of terrorism as the intent was to undermine the countryʼs political and democratic process by preventing the exercise of an electoral procedure, an exercise that is the underpinning of our basic democratic right to elect our own leaders. The crime is not just against the persons. The crime is against the country, and against every living soul that this country is supposed to uphold and protect.
In our long history as a group of islands that were eventually grouped as a “nation” now called the Philippines, we have never experienced this kind of barbarity. And yet, one finds that if there has to be a place in our country that such a heinous act of terrorism can be committed, it has to be in Mindanao. It will be interesting to find out how all these started. It will be interesting to find out who are responsible. It is my proposition that the Aquino Family — Ninoy and Cory — is responsible, in a major way, for the conflict in Mindanao, and more directly, the rise of the Ampatuans to power.
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MAGUINDANAO MASSACRE – JUSTICE MUST PREVAIL !!!!
Looking back to what had happened , it’s really TRAUMATIC to each and everyone of us,when PEOPLE WITHOUT CONSCIENCE can do such a GRUESOME/BARBARIC CRIME.As a woman myself, what they have done to the women-victims were INJUSTICE BEYOND WORDS.They all died because of people that have been so GREEDY WITH POWER .Whoever have orchestrated and have done this MUST PAY TO THEIR LAST DROP OF BLOOD.There must be more buried in their area ,if it wasn’t a blown up news- they’ll belonged to people that have been buried to unknown locations and the bereaved families that have lost their kins,friends will forever never see even their very bones.JUSTICE MUST PREVAIL,no one is excused for committing such a crime that shocked the whole world.It’s sad because not all people here in Mindanao are as HEARTLESS as those that have done it.We are PEACE LOVING AND HARDWORKING PEOPLE that just want to live in a PEACEFUL/CRIME-FREE ENVIRONMENT.Due to this ,our Mindanao will be SCARRED FOR LIFE and some people now thought that it’s unsafe to go here.
I have lived here for 41 years,my grandfather have never left our place – even died here ,because for him he had found the LAND OF PROMISE .He has chosen to live here with his family because he was charmed by the place,he served as the 1st Vice Mayor of a city here and he’ll always tell us that wherever we go we’ll always go back here in Mindanao.He has befriended Muslim clans because he got a farm planted with palm oil somewhere in Sultan Kudarat.There were tough times during his early years staying on that area but what had happened in Maguindanao was perhaps the worst in the history for it involved innocent people /hardworking people/women that were killed for a WHIM.
Everyone here wants JUSTICE for what they have caused us all.We all fear for our lives if these people can’t be all caught .They must pay for the crimes they have committed.
I do hope that there’ll be more evidences leading to the downfall of the people behind this UNFORGIVABLE CRIME OF A LIFETIME.
Praying for the bereaved families that they must find ways in accepting what had happened to their loved ones,for us living here in Mindanao,that we’ll be protected from abusive /heartless people that terrorizes our peaceful lives.
We must be vigilant at all times,because we never know what happens next.
Thanking people that have done their very best/worked hard to come out with an analysis that can be very vital/useful to unveil the REAL TRUTH behind this RUTHLESS CRIME.
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