In the land of the free dissent can be dangerous

This letter was published on September 2004, Arab News letters to the editor section. I wrote this letter when I haven't realized wrongdoing of the Aquinos and the injustice that they did to FM. I lost my faith with Cory and Ninoy's legacy when she started to campaign against PGMA.

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The analysis “In the land of the free dissent can be dangerous” by Linda S. Heard made me recollect the history of my own country the Philippines. During the Marcos dictatorship that lasted 20 years, people and institutions that oppose to the regime are vulnerable to the abuses of the government (Police, Intelligence and military).

Freedom of the press, speech, expression and human right are virtually inexistent. If you criticize the government, you are at risk being jailed or killed. Activists are tagged as terrorist and are treated as threat to democracy. Oppression and Warrant-less arrest are enforced to the individuals and opposing parties of the regime. The regime does this in the name (disguise) of protecting democracy. It wasn’t 20 years later that people took their flight to the streets and topple the regime.

I don’t see any difference of what happened to my country before to what is currently happening in the United States. Cartoonist, actors, singers, filmmakers, peace advocates, teenagers, anti war groups and ordinary citizens who oppose to the American government are oppressed and their rights violated. FBI and military are doing this in the name of protecting the American democracy, presidential institution and fighting terrorism. Maybe what is happening today is just an execution of what President Bush said right after 9/11 “If you’re not with us, you’re against us”.

What is ironic here is the fact that during the Martial law years and the dictatorial regime of the Marcoses, the United States is the frontrunner of criticizing the human rights abuses of the regime.