Veteran San Beda Lawyer and an avid supporter of Pres. Rody Duterte, Atty. Bruce Villafuerte Rivera lectured the millennials for crying foul everytime Martial Law is mentioned. According to the veteran lawyer, the millennials have been taught wrong.
In order to clarify the issues about Martial Law, Atty. Rivera uses the Marcos dictatorship than the usual term Martial Law for purposes of defining the pain and suffering of some Filipinos during the Marcos era and noted that both are not and will never be the same.
The veteran lawyer from San Beda explained that he is not a Marcos loyalist to look at the abuses during Marcos rule and agreed that there were people who became victims of abuses but he also pointed out that Pres. Marcos had his share of contributions for the Philippines during his term.
Atty. Rivera's main point is, "we should not be changing historical perspectives to fit our narrative. Because it should be every Filipino's decision whether to see himself as a victim or a victor of history. I refuse to see myself as a victim so I chose to see the Marcos dictatorship as a lesson learned and we move on."
Here's the Complete Lecture of Atty. Rivera:
VICTIM OR VICTOR
The millenials have been taught wrong. That is why they cry foul everytime Martial Law is mentioned. But for purposes of defining the pain and suffering of some Filipinos during the Marcos era, let us use Marcos dictatorship than Martial Law because both are not and will never be the same.
I am not a Marcos loyalist to look at the abuses during his rule as if it is a figment of the imagination. Many people are victims of abuses. Many disappeared including some of my blood relatives. Many suffered imprisonment and abuses by the police and the military.
However, we cannot also deny that more than 30 years after we deposed Marcos, his family was able to come back and take foothold in the Philippine political scene. That is testament to perhaps the grassroots support of the Ilocanos. And more disturbingly, the lack of will or arsenal of the Aquinos to prosecute them.
We cannot also deny that Marcos made contributions to the Filipino society that should not be forgotten or erased from memory. In the same manner, there are contributions the Aquinos and Cojuangcos have that should be heralded.
My point is, we should not be changing historical perspectives to fit our narrative. Because it should be every Filipino's decision whether to see himself as a victim or a victor of history. I refuse to see myself as a victim so I chose to see the Marcos dictatorship as a lesson learned and we move on.
What bothers me is how we have given martial law such a bad reputation because some of those who control how history is told wants us to see a narrative of the Filipino as a victim of history.
And I hate to be a victim. Victims are weak because a strong person will be victimized but they stand up and wipe the blood to move on. Victims weep. Victims celebrate their misery by remembering the day it started. Victims always need people to save them. Worst, victims will always rely on God to punish the oppressors. A victim mentality is always the best environment for predators to flourish.
The reality is: martial law is not for the weak. It is a tool of self-defense. It is a tool where the state fights backs the predators willing to fuck us over. It is a remedy for the perpetuation of the democratic process that is in danger of dissipation.
Those who do want you to always remember certain times in our lives when we are weak and stupid are the very people who want to manipulate and control us. Clearly, it is difficult to control strong and thinking citizens.
I am not saying we forget the lessons of the past. What I am imploring is that we remember the past from a perspective of strength. And being afraid of martial law is looking at history from a perpective of a victim. And victims are always afraid.
Source: Atty. Bruce Rivera FB Page
In order to clarify the issues about Martial Law, Atty. Rivera uses the Marcos dictatorship than the usual term Martial Law for purposes of defining the pain and suffering of some Filipinos during the Marcos era and noted that both are not and will never be the same.
The veteran lawyer from San Beda explained that he is not a Marcos loyalist to look at the abuses during Marcos rule and agreed that there were people who became victims of abuses but he also pointed out that Pres. Marcos had his share of contributions for the Philippines during his term.
Atty. Rivera's main point is, "we should not be changing historical perspectives to fit our narrative. Because it should be every Filipino's decision whether to see himself as a victim or a victor of history. I refuse to see myself as a victim so I chose to see the Marcos dictatorship as a lesson learned and we move on."
Here's the Complete Lecture of Atty. Rivera:
VICTIM OR VICTOR
The millenials have been taught wrong. That is why they cry foul everytime Martial Law is mentioned. But for purposes of defining the pain and suffering of some Filipinos during the Marcos era, let us use Marcos dictatorship than Martial Law because both are not and will never be the same.
I am not a Marcos loyalist to look at the abuses during his rule as if it is a figment of the imagination. Many people are victims of abuses. Many disappeared including some of my blood relatives. Many suffered imprisonment and abuses by the police and the military.
However, we cannot also deny that more than 30 years after we deposed Marcos, his family was able to come back and take foothold in the Philippine political scene. That is testament to perhaps the grassroots support of the Ilocanos. And more disturbingly, the lack of will or arsenal of the Aquinos to prosecute them.
We cannot also deny that Marcos made contributions to the Filipino society that should not be forgotten or erased from memory. In the same manner, there are contributions the Aquinos and Cojuangcos have that should be heralded.
My point is, we should not be changing historical perspectives to fit our narrative. Because it should be every Filipino's decision whether to see himself as a victim or a victor of history. I refuse to see myself as a victim so I chose to see the Marcos dictatorship as a lesson learned and we move on.
What bothers me is how we have given martial law such a bad reputation because some of those who control how history is told wants us to see a narrative of the Filipino as a victim of history.
And I hate to be a victim. Victims are weak because a strong person will be victimized but they stand up and wipe the blood to move on. Victims weep. Victims celebrate their misery by remembering the day it started. Victims always need people to save them. Worst, victims will always rely on God to punish the oppressors. A victim mentality is always the best environment for predators to flourish.
The reality is: martial law is not for the weak. It is a tool of self-defense. It is a tool where the state fights backs the predators willing to fuck us over. It is a remedy for the perpetuation of the democratic process that is in danger of dissipation.
Those who do want you to always remember certain times in our lives when we are weak and stupid are the very people who want to manipulate and control us. Clearly, it is difficult to control strong and thinking citizens.
I am not saying we forget the lessons of the past. What I am imploring is that we remember the past from a perspective of strength. And being afraid of martial law is looking at history from a perpective of a victim. And victims are always afraid.
Source: Atty. Bruce Rivera FB Page
Veteran Lawyer Lectures Millenials for Crying Foul Everytime Martial Law is Mentioned
Reviewed by Phil Newsome
on
September 25, 2017
Rating:
Reviewed by Phil Newsome
on
September 25, 2017
Rating:
