OPEN EYES, DISCERNING MINDS

By Paulino Jose Misa

Healthy discussion by questioning minds is quite appreciated and engaged. On the other hand, there also now appear to be a higher level or a more sophisticated kind of trolls who pose as pro-Duterte but are actually out to sow doubt, fear and discord among the DDS. You can recognize them by checking out their FB pages as well as by the trend of their discussions. Their cover photos do not show faces and their FB pages do not show people. If they do show people or a person, there are just a few, sometimes just the same photo repeated several times. Their posts are almost exclusively about politics and are pro-Duterte while their comments are quite different. They have no personal details and friends except for sometimes a couple of pro-Duterte people they have managed to somehow befriend. Tellingly, they have only a few posts in the recent past with the rest from years past. The ultimate giveaway is when they do not or cannot answer counter-arguments and simply go around in circles repeating what they have already said as well as giving lofty advice as if they are the only ones who could think of what "should be done" and as if it was as easy as ordering a meal from a turo-turo. This is where the discussion usually tends to go down the drain.

I am not saying that all who question are trolls, mind you. There are of course many who simply want to find out more as well as many others who have been confused and mislead by the seemingly reasonable arguments they have encountered.

For those who are honestly searching for answers, there is a difference between being open-minded and being naive. There also comes a time when one needs to choose sides. Fence-sitting is only for those who have interests on both sides and has more to do with opportunism and waiting to see which side will win rather than a question of what is right or wrong.

Certainly, let us be open-minded and appreciate views contrary to our own and even accept them if they appear more reasonable than our own,but let us also learn to discern and contemplate on the logic and reality of what has been proffered and not simply accept what sounds agreeable or even worse, what "feels" right to us. And let us keep in mind that the determined enemies of change must necessarily be those who profit from the present undesirable situation. They can never be and never will be convinced with reason. And they will resort to all means, fair or foul to promote their unholy agendas with all the resources at their disposal. Let us at least not be their unwitting pawns.

September 12, 2017