Unabashedly Catholic News and Views
Corazon Aquino, the Catholic politician who confronted the tanks of the Marcos dictatorship with armies of civilians shaking rosaries, the greatest Catholic politician since Daniel O'Connell. She survived SEVEN coup attempts to give her country a democracy. Only Lech Walesa is her equal in modern times. When will there be another! SUBITO SANTO!!!
LOL, you really tell it like it wasn't. I was there before, during and many times after the so-called revolution and the atmosphere was more one of a giant block party than Tiannamin Square. Marcos was quite beloved by the poor and the workers which in the Philippines is just about everyone. I remember a jeepney driver saying to me at the time that perhaps it was time for Marcos to step aside, but there was no hatred, except amongst the rich and "intelligentsia," both of which the Aquinos were members. A nationwide poll in the Philippines a few years ago gave the Marcos regime the top performance rating of the last 5 presidents, which would include Aquinos.For the average Philipino if life has changed at all it's been for the worse. The exchange under Marcos was about 14 pesos to the dollar, since his time its stayed at roughly 50 pesos to the dollar. I'm not saying Cory Aquino was not a good Catholic, I don't know, but to compare her political struggles to Lech Walesa is to delusional to be addressed.
Dear Mr. X,Since I'm too delusional to be addressed let me begin by complimenting your sense of charity in addressing me anyway. I'll have to admit you've got me beat in terms of facts on the ground since you have been so often to the Philippines. I on the other hand only have my Philippino family members to rely on. It is they who tell me that Cory gave them a republic and will be remembered as a giant. Your claims about the poor and the workers having a soft spot for Marcos rings true. The results of the land re-distribution was mixed, as it always is. And she excepted her own family from the ranks of the re-distributors. Still your claim that Cory's legacy is tarnished because of what the poor and workers think, hardly closes the case. All demogogues and dictators cultivate a following among the poorest and most illiterate. Castro made a point of it. Evita Peron had a legendary following among "the shirtless ones", Russian workers to this very day are carrying pictures of Stalin, and until very recently you could still hear on the platforms of Italian railway stations "HE made the trains run on time" referring to "Il Duce". I'm sure Marcos had a very great following among the poor. All demogogues do as a matter of technique. In Xenophon's Dialogue ON TYRANNY Socrates councils a new tyrant to make regular gifts to the poor so as to maintain and keep power. It's an old story. The facts still remain: she lived a heroic life. She gave her country a functioning democracy at great risk to her life. That democracy one quarter of a century later is still functioning. Unless you are a Marxist who thinks bourgeois democracies are worthless you cannot diminish her accomplishment. One fact I will concede. Lech Walesa was confronting a totalitarian regime whose ruthlessness far surpassed the capabilities of Marcos. To that extent Walesa's accomplishment is greater and I am guilty of hyperbole in comparing the two. Thanks for your response.
StGuy said, "All demogogues and dictators cultivate a following among the poorest . . ."I agree with you. A prime example is Obama. Destroy economies, make people dependent on government handouts, while telling them the government is their only savior, that they can't make it on their own.Then they will foolishly love you, even though your corrupt government is the main reason they are still poor.Obama, who lives the life of a community organizer or shall we say thug, is using Stalin's playbook, along with all of his other Communist heroes.
No you're just guilty of being a tedious gasbag. But let me tell you about another so-called "demogogue" who was also beloved by the poor and despised by the rich. He had some long hair and some wild ideas, and he didn't always do what everyone thought was right, and that mans name was...uh, umm.. well anyway the point is..uh, hmmm...LMG help me out here, you remember that guy, he drove that blue car?
Dear X,You wrote "LMG help me out here, you remember that guy, he drove that blue car."You've lost me. Longhair in blue car? Serpico? Superfly? Snoop-Dog?"The Dude"? (Do you mean Jesus?)I give up. By the way, when you get around to it please condescend to answer my argument. Gasbag
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