The Ego Episodes

Friday, Apr. 04, 2003

City of Anger

Under normal circumstances, I wouldn't want to talk about current events but, my home city is getting more and more dangerous everyday. After the airport bombing, I thought that that would be the last of its kind happening. Never did it occur to me that it was just a warm-up. A very loud warm-up for what follows. Just a little off across the nearest highway from my house, the Sasa wharf was transformed into a port of dead bodies and body parts. And as if that wasn't enough, three mosques were bombed. Inasmuch as one of the mosques is relatively near to my high school, I wouldn't be surprised if parents would be clamoring for a temporary closure of the school. I would.

WHAT IS HAPPENING ???

I didn't grow up in a city of fear. I didn't grow up in a city with a rising death toll. I didn't grow up in a city that serves as a canvas for terrorists to create images of violence and death. I didn't grow up in a city where people harbor so much hatred they KILL to make a point. I didn't grow up in a city devoid of conscience and reason. NO ONE has the right to destroy my city.

Or any city for that matter.

I hate to think that if this goes on any longer, my city will die. Economically. Going on a summer holiday? Gee, not Davao! We could disappear from the face of the earth once we step inside its airport. Or wharf.

This depresses me.

But life goes on. As long as there are people willing to make our city the way it was/normally is/is supposed to be, I have faith. There's still hope. I hope.

Anger is not the answer. Anger has provoked more than enough violence to last a lifetime. Anger fuels war. In outrageous proportions, Anger kills. Anger is a part of what makes us human, I know. It's what we do with it that matters.

Now let me deal with it in peace.

{ joycie at 10:48 a.m.}