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Call me “dense,” but I still can’t fathom the reason behind terroristic attacks. Do they expect that we all become convinced of the “power” of the terrorists so we all rush to embrace the religion they espouse? Are we to be terrorized to the point of paralysis so we force the government to agree to their demands whatever they may be? But will this stop terrorism or encourage it all the more?

Violence perpetrated against innocent civilians is cowardly. It doesn’t even begin to justify what the terrorists are so wont to call a “war.” A war is armed, face-to-face combat against an enemy. To win in such a confrontation may be deemed as bravery. But to sneak at persons without weapons and kill them is murder in any language.

Terrorism is mindless murder. No, that isn’t exactly the truth. It’s conceived by intelligent people using the stupid ones. If this weren’t true, then Osama Bin Ladin would have been the one flying an airplane into the WTC. When Bin Ladin ordered his men to crash into the buildings, they only had one question: “Duh … which floor?”

Since it’s impossible to talk sense to terrorists, we’ll have to leave it to government to deal with them. But, looking at our president down to her cabinet, down to the Senate and Congress, it’s difficult not to believe we’re already doomed.

Maybe it would be easier to change our religion. Santa Barbara!

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Teddy Benigno wrote in his column dated, Feb. 7, 2005:

None of our politicians today even dares to dream as Ninoy did, battle the Fates unflinchingly, pull out the sword, because they have none. And I ask you: How can this country, which bred Ninoy Aquino, which bred Rizal, Bonifacio, Mabini, have produced the sorry, dismal, revolting gaggle of political criminals and damn fools we have today?

The answer is simple, Mr. Benigno. We never teach our children courage. Instead we teach them how to be wimps. Case in point: we place on a pedestal Ninoy’s daughter, Kris, who is the very epitome of cheap, crass, and unrefined womanhood. So who do you think our young Filipinas want to be when they grow up?

Another case in point: we elect dolts like Erap Estrada and then try to correct that wrong by electing FPJ. Still, we never learn. There’s Noli de Castro, Lito Lapid, Jinggoy Estrada, Jamby Madrigal, and a host of actors and actresses in other public offices with nary a qualification than being a screen icon.

We should teach our children courage. To stand up for their ideas, no matter how insignificant they may seem. To uphold values as God-given rights and not as items to be bartered for position, power and a slot to enter Star Circle Quest.

We should teach them what government should be like: an institution built on the foundations of honesty, integrity and compassion, yet with the firm resolve to punish those who would undermine its responsibility to uplift the lives of the people it governs.

Courage is the very lifeblood of character. Without it we breed Dilangalens, Enriles, Brat Packs, and other Congressional clowns who use their influence so they can stay in power and continue to defecate on the very constituents they vowed to serve.

Our heroes, such as the ones Benigno mentioned–Ninoy, Rizal, Bonifacio, Mabini–should not be called heroes because they courageously died for our country. They should be called heroes because they courageously LIVED for our country, but died in the hands of cowards.

Alas, when we don’t courageously live for our fellow Filipinos, we’re just as guilty of murdering our heroes.

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My neighbor, Sassy Lawyer, over at HouseOnAHill.net recently uncovered a can of worms; and the label on the can read, “Plagiarism.”

Apparently a couple of “enterprising” posters in a forum published a number of Sassy’s recipes taken from her site and claimed them as their own. They’ve since taken the threads down after Sassy formally complained, but get this: the guys who posted the recipes were forum administrators, supposedly guardians on the look-out for questionable posts.

The owner of the site should have kicked the administrators out, but they’re still there. Onli en da Pilipins?

You can read Sassy’s blog about the intellectual property thieving by clicking here.

In the Internet plagiarism is rampant because of the miracle of “cut and paste.” But it is a crime! Plagiarists are despicable and rank somewhere between a maggot and the virus that causes menningococcemia. When someone steals my pen, I can get another one. But when someone steals my work, he steals a part of my soul.

So, to the forum administrators of kuro.ph named Fireman and Princeedward: Be ashamed, be very ashamed!

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Revenues generated by the VAT increase will significantly help put the fiscal house in order, which will benefit most the poor because this means having a government that can help its constituents, especially the poor, an economy everybody — particularly the unemployed and the low-income earner — can depend on and look up to for a better life. -Rep. Raul V. Del Mar [North District, Cebu City] on his vote for the increase of the VAT

Benefit the poor? How? It’s like crucifying Juan de la Cruz and saying, “Let’s drive a nail into his head so he doesn’t have to suffer so much.”

What our congressmen fail to see is whether the average Filipino has the capacity to pay for the extra burden. For the VAT will just be passed down to the consumer. That’s me and millions of others who are already overtaken by rising costs of oil (and, not to mention, the luxury cars driven by oil executives).

But what do the majority of our representatives know than to please Gloria the Liar? Moreover, they certainly won’t be affected by the VAT increase since they belong to the upper crust of society.

So we look to the Senate to kill the VAT bill. “Kill Bill” should be the rallying cry. Perhaps the influx of brainless actors will help. Hopefully their lack of intellect will cause them to thumb down the tax measure.

Maybe if we ask Lito Lapid if he’s for the VAT increase, he’ll answer, “Hindi! Masyado na maraming paniki sa Pilipinas!”

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