Now, now, children. Stop throwing things at each other.
First, there was Congressman Harry Roque, in his forthcoming role as spokesman for the president, threatening to throw hollow blocks at unfair critics of the government.
An eager blogger tried to take up the congressman's rhetorical offer, asking him to throw even just one hollow block at journalist Pia Ranada. (Clueless person that I was, I had to google who Ms. Ranada was. My bad.)
The journalists have protested this perceived threat, stone-throwing, was not a fit punishment for any person, much less a legitimate member of the press.
Perhaps in response to Congressman Roque, human rights lawyers have promised that they would throw bread in their continuing fight against extrajudicial killings. That reference to bread was in turn picked up by the congressman himself, who asked the president's supporters to instead throw hot pan de sal at legitimate journalists. (Was that a distinction then between ordinary critics, who will get hard hollow blocks, and journalists, who will get warm and flavorful pan de sal?)
One hopes the president's supporters will not take this too literally, because we are not supposed to encourage food wastage.
In that vein, as a responsible adult (or maybe it's just because I'm a cheapskate and a pack rat), I will throw nothing. After all, weren't we taught that throwing random objects at people we are not pleased with is not good adult behavior? Having learned that lesson to heart, it is my duty to urge the nation to stop this "throwing" rhetoric and analogies and allusions and threats. As in, right now. Please?
(Ok, maybe, at most, we can throw a tantrum, but even that might induce perceptions of childishness.)
Meanwhile, as I write, two men who never outgrew childhood are threatening and tweeting about throwing nuclear bombs at each other. Which would leave all this domestic heat completely moot and academic, as our entire civilization may then have been wiped out of existence. See the wisdom of immediately ceasing this throwing mentality?
Perhaps what we can throw each other are alms and donations. I know plenty of charities needing support. Indigent patients and starving artists too!
What about throwing messages of love? (Not that I'll admit to feeling loveless today.)
A friend of mine is in the hospital, having suffered an aneurysm, and is having surgery to save her life. I need to throw loads of good wishes and prayers her way.
I desperately need a throwback to those days before populism became a nightmare.