The Opposite of Apathy

Are the young turks running for the Senate or for some other public office in 2010? I cannot answer for the others but allow me to answer spliceanddice’s question directly and honestly, although I’m not sure that my answer will satisfy. Spliceanddice wrote today that –

That would be a fine question to begin with. On my part, I’ll keep the comments and criticisms–both positive and negative—coming once my question, as part of the youth you guys are addressing here, is answered. Thanks!”

Simply, my answer is I don’t know. Do I want to run for the Senate? Well, yes, because, among other things, Filipino Muslims have not had a representative in the upper house for over a decade. But I don’t want to run and lose because losing will not be just a personal tragedy but it will ultimately undermine, if not destroy, the chances of future Filipino Muslims of being elected. So the decision to run, which is distinct from the desire to represent Filipino Muslims, will be based on a lot of things and is, by no means, a simple matter.

However, I don’t think that this blog should be viewed from the lens of political opportunism alone. That would be unfair. Read the entries here, not just from the young turks but from the comments, and you will find that there is a wellspring of idealism and nationalism that is being tapped into by this web log. On my part, this blog is a means of engaging that wellspring, particularly because being a political spokesman can, if you let yourself get lazy and uncritical, become demoralizing and it can make you cynical. I don’t want cynicism to become a part of me and this initiative – corny as it may sound – is helping me by meeting, even if only on a virtual plane as of yet, Filipinos who are not apathetic and who have hope for our country’s future.

– Atty. Adel Tamano