Rallies... schmallies

This morning as I checked my email I received an email detailing a supposed rally ng bayan (nationwide rally) against GMA (Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, We Filipinos are fond using acronym for our leaders). First got wind of the rally a few weeks ago when two individuals were arrested and charged with vandalism. They were posting anti-GMA posters, a photo of GMA superimposed with medusa's snake (equating GMA with a fantasy soap opera super-empowered villain called Valentina - a distant relative of Medusa), and unfortunately for them the charges against them were elevated to sedition, because the content of the posters urged the people to bring down the present government. Here is the full e-mail message I received: WAKASAN ANG KRISIS AT KAHIRAPAN! WAKASAN ANG REHIMENG ARROYO! Sa HUNYO 30, lumabas tayo sa kalsada. Mag-ingay at magmartsa. Magprotesta para wakasan ang krisis at kahirapan. Magprotesta para wakasan ang rehimen ni Gloria. Mag protesta laban sa walang tigil na pagtaas ng presyo ng langis, kuryente at tubig. Magprotesta laban sa VAT. Magprotesta para ibaba ang presyo ng breadsticks. Magprotesta laban sa kawalan ng pampublikong serbisyo. Magprotesta para palayain ang bayan sa utang. Magprotesta laban sa kawalan ng trabaho, mababang sweldo, at palpak na repormang agraryo. Magprotesta laban sa deregulasyon, liberalisasyon at pribatisasyon. Magprotesta laban sa imperyalistang globalisasyon. Mga kababayan. Hindi lang ang jueteng at pandaraya sa eleksyon ang kasalanan ni Gloria sa mamamayan. Si Gloria rin ang naglugmok sa atin sa patuloy na krisis at kahirapan. Sa ganitong mga batayan, ang rehimeng Arroyo ay dapat wakasan! SA HUNYO 30.... MAMAMAYAN, LUMABAN KA!!!!!! Magtipon tipon ng 4:30 ng hapon at lumahok sa NOISE BARRAGE, 6:00 ng gabi sa mga lugar na ito: June 30 National Day of Protest 4:30 – 6:00 pm Choke Points: Ø Quezon City: Cubao-Aurora Blvd., Timog Circle, SM Fairview, Philcoa or Quezon City Hall, and Welcome Rotonda Ø Manila: Quiapo, and SM Centerpoint Ø Caloocan: Monumento Ø Makati City: Ayala Ave. Ø Muntinlupa: Alabang Ø Paranaque: Sucat Ø Taguig: Bicutan, Maharlika Ø Rizal: Cainta Junction Ø Bulacan: Malinta Exit, and Tungko Para sa dagdag na kaalaman, makipag-ugnayan sa Freedom from Debt Coalition, telephone numbers 921-1985, 9246399 or sa mobile phone number 0920-9054576 (pakihanap si Dinah, Maris, or Job) Basically its all encompassing protest against everything GMA, VAT, High Oil prices, Low wages, failure of Agrarian reform, lack of public service, national debt and almost every problem in the Philippines. Its a pity they are not rallying against sensationalism of issues, departure from emotional appeal by politicians, and for the right mix of ice for each soda drink served. I wonder how many people will go. Thank you, but I will not. I think my country where I live and have no intention to leave has suffered enough from this type of political mob rule - swayed by emotions and short-sightedness. We actively participated during the first EDSA and it took years of rallies and genuine issues to topple Marcos. And what have we got from it? An unstable democracy that destroy whatever economic gains accumulated in order to impose a group of people's point of view. Voltaire had the right phrase this type of politics, a mob rats. Sorry, I think I will just go home and go on with my life. I have no itention of becoming cannon fodder.