A Change from within
(Iris Castro)
I have been a person who fights for my rights and stands firm to my decisions. I have been scolded a lot of times when I was small because I used to answer back to my parents and elaborated things that I believe in which is a form of disrespect in Filipino values and culture. Sometimes, it is dreadful to always explain your side because not all will be able to comprehend you. In the end, you will reckon that the only soul who understands you is none other than – yourself.
During my years of schooling, I never failed to fight for my rights and for others’. I once called as ‘everyone’s attorney’ and Joe d’ Mango (female version) during my high school days. Those traits of mine were carried over when I entered my not-so-desired university. I was voted as College President, I became one of the voices of the entire student population and became an activist for nearly three years.
Being an activist has never been so difficult and yet not so simple. Not so difficult – because all you need to have is sincerity, dedication, time and knowledge for what you are fighting for. Not so simple – because it is not easy to be compassionate with the administration as well. You receive a lot of judgments from people saying that we do not know what we are doing and we are just wasting our time where in fact they do not have even a single idea on how we prepare for every rally and every campaign we call for. What really hurts for us is those who we represent for are the ones who condemn us.
I chose to be an activist so I can present others’ concealed thoughts. I would not want opinions remain unheard. I would not want ideas turn into molds. I remember one student asked me during one of the eventful rallies I attended to, “Have not you realized that enduring the heat of the sun and shouting senseless chants are signs of stupidity?” Instead of getting mad at the student, I suddenly felt pity for him because of his ignorance. His insensitivity towards his environment is pathetic. He was unable to even discern that the education that he is boasting about is becoming a PRIVELEGE and no longer a RIGHT. He does not realize that the supposed-state-universities for poor have already been dominated by the filthy rich children. He is not even capable of thinking where every centavo of his parents goes. Or why does he keep on paying for unused miscellaneous fee? And why our parents’ income is being asked on the form we have to fill out during entrance examinations. And the funniest thing was, the student was even wearing a shirt with a huge print of Che Guevarra’s face! So many questions remained unanswered. Or should I say that the answers are visible but suppressed.
But one way or the other, that student had given me a thought to ponder. I have reckoned that rallies, campaigns and revolutions will remain as themselves and would not be able to conquer victory if we will change the system over and over again. Can we not start the change within us instead?
As the former U.S. President once uttered: “It is rather for us, the living, to stand here, we here be dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that, from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they here, gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve these dead shall not have died in vain; that the nation, shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people by the people for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”
