Neighbor and nonsense

Butch Bagabuyo

“We can live without our friends but not without our neighbors.” – Thomas Fuller

IF only to emphasize the importance of our neighbors over our friends, Horace warned, “When your neighbor’s house is afire, your own property is at stake. But to our peril, PNoy’s folly in buying war materiel at a time when the drums and trumpets of war are deafening, our own President is practically forcing all our neighbors especially those who are similarly situated with us regarding a wide area of the sea and its abundant natural resources to abandon us for their own survival.

Everyone wants peace but, trust me, there can never be lasting peace as a consequence of cessation of hostilities brought about by armed threats. Truly, peace is the child of love, and love cannot be bought no matter how much.

China is aggressively flexing its muscles not against us but only for show that she is now the super power. But because our president is a megalomaniac, instead of pursuing amicable settlements, President Aquino is squandering our hard-earned resources in buying war materiel knowing full well that no amount of money can make our country safe militarily with any of our Asian neighbors. What more China!

Echoing the overly aggressive and belligerent moves of the US is not only reckless. It is suicidal. What is worst is that President Obama is fond of using his pawns if not, clones to advance America’s imperialism. Hence, we have no business allowing ourselves to be puppets of the US. Not today nor tomorrow, and never ever. It is high time, we became truly independent and non-violent in every which way.

The world is tired of, and cannot afford, wars. No doubt about it. But for as long as greed reigns supreme, there can never be peace for avarice knows no limit.

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On Jan. 24-31, 2016, our church leaders including the youth all over the world, 6o percent of whom come from Asia, will gather in Cebu City, the birth place of Roman Catholicism in all of Asia. I humbly submit that our more than just-aock-superstar Pope Francis can inspire our neighbors in all of Asia and the rest of the world. He could serve as the man in the middle in finding pronto a win-win solution with the disputed West Philippine Sea or the South China Sea which is now the powder-keg to end the world. It is further suggested that our equally popular The Most Rev. Antonio Cardinal Tagle sit down with President Aquino III and his war-freak-corrupt-prone-cronies to immediately suspend or,  better still, completely stop the buying-spree of the very expensive war materiel which would only be cannibalized sooner than later as we can’t afford to maintain them.

Undoubtedly, the best course of action this coming New Year is for our Church to find the best minds and inspire them to actively participate in the scheduled 51st International Eucharistic Congress. By ensuring the participation of the holiest and the brightest members of our faith, chances are we would be able to find the illusive win-win solution to the ever-increasing number of hungry people not only in our own country but all over the world.

With its simple yet most effective slogan “Be merciful like the father,” we could even disarm and eventually stop the senseless and cowardly slaughter of the innocents by the Isis and the other agents of darkness.

Ever since the world came to be, violence and tyranny have always been rendered inutile by peaceful means. Mohandas Mahatma Gandhi, Leo Tolstoy, Martin Luther King Jr., and Lech Walesa, to name but a few uncommon world leaders, have proven that violence and killings are no match to generosity and mercy, the two towering pillars of love. In fact, the bullets that felled Ninoy Aquino served well and good in making the late strongman Ferdinand E. Marcos a sad and lamentable history to himself and his family.

Tsada, di ba?

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“No one is exempt from talking nonsense, the misfortune is to do it solemnly.” – Montaigne

Truly, the more I study deeply and intently learn something, the more I am convinced and realize the blessing of remaining humble because our knowledge is not only limited but it is only borrowed from the Almighty, giving us no right whatsoever to be hambuguero (to distinguish the word from one who is rightfully deserving). And because I have been raised to speak my mind no matter what, I must do whatever it takes to ensure that both dismissed and transition Mayor Oca Moreno and the present majority clown-cilors are given a shameful defeat on May 9, 2016 for playing the blame game over the lives and homes of those who have been left behind homeless by the victims of Sendong.

Kagay-anons more than deserve to have a complete change of leadership from top to bottom without any exception.

Robust Rufus Team Harus.

Tsada, di ba?

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As we, Catholics, celebrate today, Santos Inocentes, let us be reminded that unless we become like children (innocents and always in good faith), we cannot enter the kingdom of God.