DAY EIGHTY-SIX
Rex blogs: So much for being a Justice Secretary

While I was having lunch, I decided to read the Sunday paper. And after the usual news about the oil spill in Guimaras, page A5 of the Philippine Daily Inquirer screams in front of me, "Gonzalez: UP breeds destabilizers, naked runners"

The moment I finished the piece, I knew I won't take it lying down. So as if forwarding our dear Justice Secretary's bold yet stupid statement isn't enough, here I am, blogging my 2nd ever political piece. =p

Obviously, I was offended by the statement. It teems with utmost unfairness.

I'm not going to deny that yes, UP does produces most of the activists, young and old alike in our society today. He may have made it clear that 'he's not assailing the entire university population because “there are many students there who are bright and good" '. But the thing is, he just did.

Raul Gonzalez has no right to judge the way UP breeds its students because he IS NOT from UP. The very same things he bashed about UP are the same things he will NEVER EVER understand because he never got to experience them, being a UST alumnus.

Does he know that in fact, a huge majority of the population don't attend these mobilizations because they'd rather attend to their academic affairs than shout tirades without offering any solutions to the government?

And what the hell was he talking about when he said, "He said this was not the way the students should repay the government for giving them a world-class education. “They should consider the fact that the state is the one paying for their schooling. Why fight the state? Why try to bring it down. I think some degree of gratitude should be there also,” he said.

What world class education was he talking about? Is he even aware that the same administration he is vouching for only grants half the budget of what the government schools need to even provide a decent education?

I may hate UST for winning the UAAP Cheerdance competition last year in a very controversial manner, but never did I seriously think the actual school and its students actually suck. Heck, even I once dreamt of being a Thomasian. I have friends at UST, I even know a lot smart bloggers from UST!

I am from UP but I am not a militant activist. I am not saying my fellow students who'd rather storm Malacanang with placards are wrong. It's just that I don't agree with their methods but I understand where their passion is coming from.

You see, that is one thing a UP student has -- passion for something he believes in. But in the process, he has respect for what other people are passionate about.

There is a reason why people like militant activists exist. Because injustice is everywhere and the administration does not seem to care. Just because the middle class do not heed the eternal calls for another People Power Revolution does not mean it is satisfied with the way things are handled by the administration.

What I hate the most about his statement is that he insinuates that we UP students don't love our country just because we are against the government. Does Gonzales know that in fact, UP encourages its graduates to contribute to the society, to help this country out? Is he not aware that it is actually love for country that fuels these activists to take it to the streets? Does he actually think that it is the activists' idea of fun to just shout endless calls for GMA's resignation? I may not agree with what they do, but even I cannot deny their love of the country. Last time I checked, electoral cheating, graft and corruption does not at all exhibit love of country.

Raul Gonzales, you are such a misinformed man. You don't know what you're talking about. i can't imagine how you could be a Justice Secretary when you have this so much bias in your system. I may have only taken 3 units of Philosophy, but it is more than enough to allow me to pinpoint the numerous fallacious statements you made, most especially the hasty generalizations. So by the rules of logic, you are an 'invalid' person, haha! =p

Nakuuu! Kasuklam ka talaga! Haha! Anlakas ng apog mo na sabihin yan, ni hindi mo ba naisip na andami mong kasama sa gobyerno na UP alumni na maaaring ma-offend sa mga sasabihin mo? And you even had the nerve to call yourself a UST alumnus. Haay, so does UST breed illogical biased generalizers? I don't think so. It's a shame really, you're behavior is unbecoming of a supposedly 'well-behaved' man.