Memory and democracy
December 8 reminds us all of several events.
Today is the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of our Blessed Mother Mary. Believers all throughout the world remember and honor Mama Mary today, especially her valuable role for the redemption of humankind. By consenting to be the mother of Jesus Christ whose birth we remember and celebrate this month, we are reminded during this day of Mama Mary about how much God loved us so much that He sent His Son in exchange for our redemption, our freedom from this world, and our salvation and reunion with God forever.
Today, December 8, we also remember World War II. We remember to pray for peace, for our country, and for our people, and for the whole world as well. Many of us did not witness that war but not being there does not erase the reality of that war in our midst. We need to remember the war, not with bitterness or fear, but so that all of us can strive to unite to avoid war, to advocate for peace always, and to forgive those who asked for forgiveness.
Today in Tokyo, a forum about memory and democracy will take place.
Memory is very important to keep alive the truth of the past. Memory allows us to reexamine how to bring out the best of the past to be continued to the present and the future. Memory also reminds us to go beyond the mistakes, the pains of the past, personally and as a society. Memory allows us to celebrate the lives of those who sacrificed for our people, those victimized by the abusers, and to forgive the truly repentant.
The forum hopes to allow all to remain in the spirit of openness, of dialogue, to share what participants know and what they remember of the days of the dictatorship and how dictatorship negated democracy, the government OF the people, BY the people, and FOR the people.
Freedom should have also been proposed for the title as the past dictatorship also denied freedom – of life, of speech, of assembly, among others. Without freedom, democracy is also not possible. No freedom, no democracy under a dictator.
Today's forum hopes to remind all the participants that it is important to remember that memory is crucial to sharing about our history as a nation.
Memory can be relative, can be very subjective. Whose memory should one accept as the truthful interpretation of what actually took place in history? The memory shared by the millions who participated during EDSA 1, EDSA 2? Or the memory of those who did not?
To personal and collective memory must be added the memory of hard, truthful data about the state of the nation during the reign of the dictator: how much was plundered, how many were killed, arrested, how many disappeared, how many had their rights to life, speech, and assembly violated, how many were in poverty, how much national debt was incurred by the abusive privileged few, and so on. Part of the memory of the dictatorship are provided by the recorded court suits vs plundered wealth, by the recovered wealth documented, and more.
The Tokyo forum has been organized mostly by young scholars who sincerely realize the need to continue to create an informed citizenry, who recognize the value of knowledge and truth for freedom and democracy. These young scholars are eager to have truth and knowledge unite Filipinos. They remain hopeful that Filipinos also continue to prefer freedom, democracy, truth, and justice after learning and sharing collective as well as objective memories.
Dialogues, discussion, exchange of solid, genuine data and information can lead to a more informed people and in turn, may result in more who are willing to commit to ideals of truth and freedom, rather than commit due to mere loyalty and patronage.
Can shared memory ignite the commitment to learn more and can it lead to advocacy for genuine freedom and democracy for our nation?
- Latest
