There is still no let-up in the riots in Egypt. Pres. Hosni Mubarak appears to have dug in but his refusal to step down seems to fire up the protesters even more. The massive calls for Mubarak to resign are unprecedented in the Arab world's most populous nation but something tells us it will get worst before it gets better. The temptation to reflect on Egypt's unrest in Philippine context is hard to resist as we approach the 25 th anniversary of our own People Power Revolution. When Pres. Ferdinand Marcos fled, most people thought the worst was over. Twenty-five years later, most Filipinos would tell you that is not so.
The economy has gone from bad to worse, the social problems have exploded and there is little reason for optimism in the government. Which brings us to the question: did we really accomplish anything with the EDSA Revolution? Let us set aside the urge for self-flagellation, holy week being still more than two months away. Over and above that though, it helps if we try to look around and see for ourselves what happened to all the nations that followed suit. Most if not all are in worse shape. Most people now wonder what the uprisings were all about. While democracy may have received a shot in the arm with the ascension of populist governments and democratic icons, this hardly translates to anything concrete for their citizens who continue to toil in the salt mines.
US Pres. Barak Obama makes a case for free speech and free expression but could not restrain himself from taking potshots at the debates and wrangling that have become favorite staple for democracies, mature and otherwise. This brings us to the question on whether democracy has become a bane or a boon to the nations that fought hard to obtain it in last two decades. One of the lessons that few people realize is that dissent is not reserved only for the tyrant who wields absolute power. People who have tasted the fruit of dissent return to it whenever they are dissatisfied or simply in the mood to be rebellious. So instead of being an end, dissent has become a means. Those who gained power through rebellion, whether peaceful or violent, inevitably end up as the object (or victim) of rebellion if they are not careful – or brutal enough. This is the reason why militants who claim to be champions of free speech when they were still out looking in would not hesitate to kill freedom of expression when they take over the reins of government. There is something about rebellion that makes people turn to it again and again. You can use dissent today, but it can also be used against you tomorrow. Once you let the genie out of the bottle, you can never force it back.
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