CAPILLAS
Probably the first transport strike of the year for Metro Cebu public transport operators will be held next Monday, but there are reports that the transport group here may join transport groups in Manila for tomorrow’s protest against the phase-out of the passenger jeepney.
If that’s the case, then their timing is quite interesting since tomorrow also marks not only the 31st observance of the first People Power celebration but also a simultaneous nationwide rally by supporters of President Rodrigo Duterte.
The issues being raised by the transport sector along with their pending petition for a fare rate increase and a price surge increase I discussed in last Friday’s column and in previous issues from the commuter’s standpoint.
That said, since this country is a democracy so far (however fragile it is), everyone can voice an opinion in public either by forum, in print, on the air, online or on the streets where the weather remains pleasant until it rains or becomes unbearably hot.
Whatever happens tomorrow, it’s still important for people to be civil and respectful of each other’s opinions regardless how extreme it may be so long as they don’t impose their views either by force, intimidation, bullying or what have you.
The war of words on critics and supporters of President Duterte have become quite vicious. Duterte’s supporters, for one, have developed quite the proficiency to intimidate, humiliate and put down critics or anyone who dares question their beloved leader in all forms of media and in the streets.
Again, this country is a democracy and let’s fight to keep it that way not by giving the government extra powers nor by quashing dissent but by engaging in constructive discourse and making government more accountable to us, the taxpayers.
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Speaking of opinions, next Monday morning is also the scheduled telecast of the Academy Awards and this year’s edition is significant due to The Donald, a.k.a. President Donald Trump, who had waged a war of words with Hollywood, the American media and other critics of his fledgling administration.
The shots have been fired with actress Meryl Streep denouncing without naming the then president-elect for what she said was his cruel imitation of a “disabled reporter,” New York Times reporter Serge Kovaleski, during a campaign rally.
When Trump issued his now infamous immigration ban on seven countries, Hollywood celebs came out in force to denounce the order which had stranded hundreds of immigrants and had since then been amended after a court ruling against it.
“Good evening, fellow (Screen Actors Guild) members, and everyone at home, and everyone in airports that belong in my America. You are a part of the fabric of who we are. And we love you and we welcome you,” an impassioned Ashton Kutcher said in an opening speech during the SAG Awards.
And true to his form, President Trump responded to the attacks by dismissing it as coming from “liberal movie and media people” have always been critical of him since they were supporters of defeated presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.
A Yahoo! News article mentioned the possibility of politically charged acceptance speeches by winners of next week’s Oscar awards.
It mentioned one past incident, leftist documentary filmmaker Michael Moore’s denunciation of former president George Bush’s war on Iraq in 2003, as an example of how Oscar Awards night can serve as the ideal stage for actors to ventilate their political opinions, however charged, to an audience beyond America and to the rest of the world.