Point-of-view

Democracy is something vague a word most Filipinos, sad to say does not fully undertand. This is debatable I know,  but as far as this writer is concerned this is true. You can grab a Webster's dictionary and verbatim define Democracy. Bravo! but what is really the essence of the word? Do you really know? When you see a young child in the street carrying a small platic bag or used plastic bottle of mineral water filled with a small quantity of solvent which they sniff to forgo hunger (a small amount of solvent is much less expensive than food), is that what you call democracy? When you see a family sleeping inside a "Kariton" because they have nowhereis to go to spend the night, is that Democracy? When you see someone riding  inside the latest BMW or Mercedes Benz is that democracy?
 
235 years ago in 1776, the Americans signed their "Declaration of Independence" which started their war against their British colonizers, what do you think is their reason? DEMOCRACY. When Sir William Wallace of Scotland fought the English, between 1297 until his death in 1305 sought Freedom for his people, and the same is true with our very own Gat Andres Bonifacio when he shouted on the top of his lungs the word "Kalayaan", now, is democracy the same as freedom? Filipinos are freedom-loving people and many, including myself believe that the answer is yes. But let me qualify. Over time I changed my position on the matter and answer the issue of Democracy being synonymous with Freedom  with a YES and NO. Yes if it is for the common good or the general welfare, and  No if it serves only one's self-interest.

Much time is needed to expound on this subject but let me end this article by saying that democracy is freedom depending on how one interprets it. If one interprets it as "MY FREEDOM ENDS WHEN THE FREEDOM OF OTHERS BEGIN" that my freinds is Democracy. When it is interpreted as absolute and just for the promotion of one's personal interest, that my freinds is DEMOCRAZY.