America is in crisis, and the turmoil appears to be spinning out of control.
Hard pressed to quell the looting and other mayhem, U.S. President Donald Trump is calling on the National Guard to restore order and end the anarchy.
But even as a pall of gloom hangs over the country, with half of the population deeply worried about their future due to possible dire consequences that could result from what is currently happening in several states, with the other half taking to the streets in anger, one particular American is secretly rubbing his hands in glee, looking at the panic as his meal ticket to the White House.
But presumptive presidential nominee Joe Biden is the least of Trump’s concerns, knowing only too well that his friend and ally – spell that boss – would come to his rescue.
Why not. Trump is Russian President Vladimir Putin’s dummy, but with Biden, it would be a brand-new ballgame.
Whatever, Trump or Biden would be in for the shock of their lives.
To the outside world, America’s woes have a lot to do with color or racism.
But it wasn’t black Christians that the Romans fed to the lions, and the Jews were of the same color of skin as Hitler.
Here at home, when our brothers from the north came up to Baguio to seek a better life for themselves, the Ibaloys, yes, the Ilocanos too, felt rather strongly about them.
I remember asking my dad why the late governor Ben Palispis wasn’t keen about appointing teachers from Bontoc when we are all natives of the Cordillera – remember Bibak – and my dad answered, why don’t you ask him, or wait ‘til you grow up.
It wasn’t long, however, when the resentment turned to envy. The Bontocs are good at whatever craft they are in, and work hard towards the fulfillment of their dreams.
But as time went on, the envy took a new twist, and all had become rivals – arguing cases in court, vying for government contracts, running against one another in politics.
All too had become friends, but strangely, the rift remains.
Picture this.
If Christopher Columbus had been black, with pilgrims coming from Africa, not on the Mayflower but on the Amistad (the Indians would have ran for their lives) with the whites coming later to work as domestic help, would they have gotten the same treatment? Would Martin Luther King even denounce their slavery and cry for their emancipation?
Maybe yes, maybe no.
Truth is, it was King’s “I have a dream” speech that started it all. While he spoke of both black and white living together as one, the black community read in between the lines, and they thought he was speaking of a black America, which was probably the case.
That dream was supposed to start with the election of Barack Obama as president, but Barack refused to read in between the lines, and became president of both blacks and whites.
The colored community naturally felt betrayed, and that became Trump’s cue to gather the whites together for themselves.
Take note. When Trump’s supporters chant U.S.A! U.S.A! U.S.A! Do you see any colored in the crowd?
So, what am I trying to say? The days of the United States as a world power are numbered, and only Russia and China, communist countries both, will be on top.
And unless Duterte is able to take hold of himself, he will start fantasizing he is no. 3 – you know, Putin as No. 1, Xi as Doctor No.
Shades of spectre.
Chaos and disorder have come back, a situation in which the police thrive, conveniently forgetting that pandemic or no pandemic, civilian authority is supreme.
Once again Session Road is teeming with people, and traffic is back to normal – bottlenecks here, and all side roads are for parking.
So please bring back the abnormal. Soldiers manning checkpoints (please teach the police to be more courteous and polite, not speak gruffly when addressing citizens – is please sir, and ma’am, not in their vocabulary? – what is it about a uniform that makes a person a ruffian if not an ogre?
Hey, my memories of Mayor Benjie Magalong in his early military days were that of a polite person, an officer, and a gentleman.
There should be a mass testing of policemen, no, not for the virus, but a test in psychology, if only to tell the difference or similarity – between a psychopath and a sociopath.
Maybe the test will explain why the tough guy policemen are the small ones – or at least to get rid of the chip on their shoulders.
All my childhood playmates are either moving up or down, grown weary of living.
Leonardo Velasco, Che’s brother, Althea’s uncle, son of the late Judge and Fiscal Joe Velasco, stole a march on family and friends last Saturday weekend, June 27, 2020.
Godspeed, Nardo to family, Leonard to friends.
Oh, one last trivia, Bucky mentored me on a lot of other things aside from Economics.
The year is half gone, and by end of the year so too will half the world’s population be too – that is if you believe the doomsday prophets.
Whatever, half will go to hell, the other half to purgatory.
Heaven? Only for the good of heart. Do you know of anyone like that?
Pray, pray, pray ‘til your knees give way.
