After the recantation of Nicole, the allegedly rape victim of an American soldier, and due to seemingly unending questions, should I answer yes to this question? What happen to Nicole may be seen as a case which evolves on the idea of woman being harassed by a man. However, if we are going to look beyond the problem, this case is more than just a battle for woman's reputation, it is a battle of race and a court war of more than just the dignity but the credibility of people who speak, support, fight, and believe to the values that a certain country and residents have been considering as pride.
For almost three years, the country became a witness of the development of this case that had become an international issue. Many people got mad, while some stayed calm with the belief that all the accusations were scripted and delivered for different purposes. From the start of this case to the departure of the allege victim, that "purposes" stayed vague.
On her affidavit dated March 12, 2009, she wrote:
I was so confused and the first thing that entered my mind was how would my mother and boyfriend react if they learn that I was last seen with Daniel Smith and that a condom was seen on my pants after Daniel Smith left the van? I was scared of losing not only my American boyfriend but the chance of living in the United States.
Does it serve a good purpose? No, I am not talking about the rape alone. In the first place, even I was not able to believe what she had been saying in front of countless cameras from the first day that this issue was disclosed. In fact, I was even questioning the credibility and the family background of this alleged rape victim... not to criticize her, but to be rational in making decisions on where to stand regarding this salient controversies. However, the rage that was developed inside every heart of educated (let me used the word 'educated' to address the people with critical judgment on these kinds of issues) Filipinos still lies on its own race.
....Nicole and her family were tired of the case, and they do not want anymore to be bothered by it because ‘there is no justice in the Philippines,’”
whatever the purpose or the underlying message of this statement is, one thing is certain... no one is credible enough to speak and ask for justice and wait for it to be served. Why? because even millionaires and rich government officials ask for justice regardless of how evident their crime is.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Monday, March 2, 2009
she lies
I'm doing nothing right now. and here i go again. murmuring about nonsense things. blankly staring at the ceiling. singing unknown songs. counting the days for nothing. becoming insane... again. and i am daydreaming... again.
I'm afraid there's something wrong with the way you look at me. You're eyes tell something different from the words coming from your mouth. and you make me confused of your actions. and scared, too. no matter how many times i see your face, i still feel the wall that can never be penetrated between us. i guess our lives have been full of lies. you're really fond of deception. anyway, I'm strong. don't be afraid to leave me in the dark when you feel like leaving. because i assure you that i can still walk even in the absence of light, in the middle of rocky and muddy road, and in the deafening silence of that damn place where you let me live for more than a century.
i hope you're not mad. that still now I'm thinking about such silly things that we have already talked about so many times before. but i couldn't sleep and my mind had been traveling to many places that i never thought existed. i fell. i ached. i bled. and now i am being hunted by the souls on that place. they are annoying.
then you would tell how much the world look nice due to my existence. and that i changed everything in this planet for you and that i can rule the world with my strength, knowledge, and determination. but you would fail to recognize my effort of doing something for others... or for you either. you are very inconsistent sometimes. i wonder where those words come from so i know if i should believe in every phrase that people could hear from you. why would you say I'm good if you think I'm really not? and why would you say you care if you're not really concern? you're killing me.
and you always hate me for thinking about such stupidity.
but i know they are all lies. i know I am just being defeated by my nonsense thoughts. my paranoia is getting worse everyday. and I'm mad that it has to ruin us every time. those moments when i know everything is real are all treasured and forever be remembered. even if my instinct tells me that tomorrow will not be the same as yesterday.
anyway, i learned to look at the other side of every dilemma. like you always tell me. now i just ignore every simple action that you do that would again make me feel different. I am used to all to all of those now. you should be proud of me. ignore my sensitivity sometimes, too. but try to analyze my problems on those moments when you know that everything does not run as smooth as it was before. i am in my highest stage of paranoia now. and tomorrow I'll be drowning.
and always remind me how important i am to you. you know, people forget. and i want to remember that kind of thing as often as possible. like i always do to you.
I'm afraid there's something wrong with the way you look at me. You're eyes tell something different from the words coming from your mouth. and you make me confused of your actions. and scared, too. no matter how many times i see your face, i still feel the wall that can never be penetrated between us. i guess our lives have been full of lies. you're really fond of deception. anyway, I'm strong. don't be afraid to leave me in the dark when you feel like leaving. because i assure you that i can still walk even in the absence of light, in the middle of rocky and muddy road, and in the deafening silence of that damn place where you let me live for more than a century.
i hope you're not mad. that still now I'm thinking about such silly things that we have already talked about so many times before. but i couldn't sleep and my mind had been traveling to many places that i never thought existed. i fell. i ached. i bled. and now i am being hunted by the souls on that place. they are annoying.
then you would tell how much the world look nice due to my existence. and that i changed everything in this planet for you and that i can rule the world with my strength, knowledge, and determination. but you would fail to recognize my effort of doing something for others... or for you either. you are very inconsistent sometimes. i wonder where those words come from so i know if i should believe in every phrase that people could hear from you. why would you say I'm good if you think I'm really not? and why would you say you care if you're not really concern? you're killing me.
and you always hate me for thinking about such stupidity.
but i know they are all lies. i know I am just being defeated by my nonsense thoughts. my paranoia is getting worse everyday. and I'm mad that it has to ruin us every time. those moments when i know everything is real are all treasured and forever be remembered. even if my instinct tells me that tomorrow will not be the same as yesterday.
anyway, i learned to look at the other side of every dilemma. like you always tell me. now i just ignore every simple action that you do that would again make me feel different. I am used to all to all of those now. you should be proud of me. ignore my sensitivity sometimes, too. but try to analyze my problems on those moments when you know that everything does not run as smooth as it was before. i am in my highest stage of paranoia now. and tomorrow I'll be drowning.
and always remind me how important i am to you. you know, people forget. and i want to remember that kind of thing as often as possible. like i always do to you.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
to the lady who wears pink, admires Paris Hilton, and knows all the proper combination of make-up and outfits
... this is for you! no, i mean for us. because we are both woman in today's society. since we are living in a post modern world where all the things around us matter and all the simple and big things are always worthy of our attention. I wonder if you will give at least five minutes of your time to listen to this nonsense talk of a person who does not know how to wear off-shoulder clothes, hates high heeled shoes, and prefers to pay attention to politics rather than to the fashion shows on television.
I want to let you know that I admire you for making yourself attractive in spite of many problems that require your cooperation. I am glad that you are still able to buy 2000 worth of bag despite the economic crisis that the country is facing right now. Sometimes, I cant help but look at you when you are struggling to stand with confidence in a rocky path while wearing your 4-inch high heeled shoes. i want to hug you when you are wearing a backless dress when its already below zero degree outside. I am very concern with you and your health. I hope you know that.
I wish I could tell you that there are many intelligent people out there who will give you inspiration and teach you more than what you have anticipated. Those people you see on TV and those that are posted on your bedroom wall are undeniably beautiful. they are beautiful. and they are indeed influential because they are able to convince you to wear clothes that portray the exact opposite of your personality. no, i must not say that, because what you are doing right now are the things that you opted to do.
oops! don't get me wrong. i am not mad because you love those things or you admire those people. I am sad. because i know you can think more than that if you want to. you can act in a way that people will respect you. you can talk and make them listen to you. but you are just enjoying the idea that you are a woman which hinders you to do more than what is ordinary.
i may sound insecure in this article. but honestly, no. being naturally beautiful in today's society is one thing that women should be proud of. in the world of drugs, needles, and technology, we should be proud that we are able to maintain what God had given us. natural beauty.the world has been influenced with the marketers' plain consumerism and the influential demands make us think that being attractive is a necessity. you buy perfume not for its aroma but because of the affection and belonging that you may get by using it. you purchase short and strapless clothes not only because you need it when you attend to a certain event but because of the attention that people may give you once you wear it. these are all complicated. but this is the reality.
being a woman in a society is beyond the phrases that the society had taught you as you grow up. the world has been unconsciously offering answers and evidences to make you improve and stand with dignity and reputation in this constantly changing environment. beauty should be seen in every woman. that's right. you can be beautiful but you can be smart as well. don't be just a "woman" in the society. be a person with own principles and live with unbending determination.
I want to let you know that I admire you for making yourself attractive in spite of many problems that require your cooperation. I am glad that you are still able to buy 2000 worth of bag despite the economic crisis that the country is facing right now. Sometimes, I cant help but look at you when you are struggling to stand with confidence in a rocky path while wearing your 4-inch high heeled shoes. i want to hug you when you are wearing a backless dress when its already below zero degree outside. I am very concern with you and your health. I hope you know that.
I wish I could tell you that there are many intelligent people out there who will give you inspiration and teach you more than what you have anticipated. Those people you see on TV and those that are posted on your bedroom wall are undeniably beautiful. they are beautiful. and they are indeed influential because they are able to convince you to wear clothes that portray the exact opposite of your personality. no, i must not say that, because what you are doing right now are the things that you opted to do.
oops! don't get me wrong. i am not mad because you love those things or you admire those people. I am sad. because i know you can think more than that if you want to. you can act in a way that people will respect you. you can talk and make them listen to you. but you are just enjoying the idea that you are a woman which hinders you to do more than what is ordinary.
i may sound insecure in this article. but honestly, no. being naturally beautiful in today's society is one thing that women should be proud of. in the world of drugs, needles, and technology, we should be proud that we are able to maintain what God had given us. natural beauty.the world has been influenced with the marketers' plain consumerism and the influential demands make us think that being attractive is a necessity. you buy perfume not for its aroma but because of the affection and belonging that you may get by using it. you purchase short and strapless clothes not only because you need it when you attend to a certain event but because of the attention that people may give you once you wear it. these are all complicated. but this is the reality.
being a woman in a society is beyond the phrases that the society had taught you as you grow up. the world has been unconsciously offering answers and evidences to make you improve and stand with dignity and reputation in this constantly changing environment. beauty should be seen in every woman. that's right. you can be beautiful but you can be smart as well. don't be just a "woman" in the society. be a person with own principles and live with unbending determination.
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