Alienable Rights

I have been thinking much about politics lately, and in most cases, I feel the urge to kick somebody’s groin for it. Social media have made it worse by exposing the horror of people’s gullibility. It has been very difficult to accept that many are willing to go blind only because they have so much faith in the person they voted last elections. They confuse support with the cultist mentality of just agreeing without questioning. To them, it is fine to tramp human rights for now if the end is peace and security. Machiavelli would be very proud. In fact, to them, anything is fine if the leader says it.

This frustration is giving me nightmares, eye bags, bad hair days and existential questions, which is the worst one to get involved in. I have read people’s comments about how human rights is getting in the way of the president’s campaign against drugs, therefore, the commission safeguarding these rights must be dissolved. There is even one comment saying if the president declared martial law, as he promised he would if the senate and the judiciary gave him a difficult time, it would be fine. This is nuts!

Life is the basic premise of all. And if one believes so, dictatorship must never be allowed (unless in emergency situations) and human rights must be upheld at all cost. Dictatorship leads to corruption, which leads to summary executions of those who believe in freedom. No amount of rhetoric and sophistry should sway anyone’s stand on these. I can never imagine myself agreeing to the notion that it is fine to kill a person merely suspected of a crime because crime has become so prevalent we are almost desensitized to it.

The expedience that the government seems to be leaning towards is a dangerous affair. The easiest is not always the most effective when it comes to solving problems. A well-thought out plan must be laid first, and human rights must be non-negotiable. History has proven many times how rash decisions, especially by someone who seems to think he is the all-powerful can lead to terrible consequences.

But people are ignoring these lessons from the past. They would rather continue worshipping their politicians than push for a better democracy, for accountability from people in government.

Have we become so hopeless that we are willing to give up our rights for a promise? Or too hopeful to see the warning signs of yet another dictatorship?