When youre a rich country, youre called by many titles. When youre a poor country, youre called by many names. When youre a rich country, the death of one of your citizens is called news. When youre a poor country, the death of one of your citizens is called noose. When youre a rich country, the death of many of your citizens is called a tragedy. When youre a poor country, the death of many of your citizens is called a farce. When youre a rich country, the murder of many of your citizens is called a crime. When youre a poor country, the murder of many of your citizens is called a war. When youre a rich country, a deliberate attack on your men, women and children is called terrorism. When youre a poor country, a deliberate attack on your men, women and children is called population control. When youre a rich country, your sobs are heard for a year. When youre a poor country, your tears are seen for a day. When youre a rich country, your dead are called heroes. When youre a poor country, your dead are called victims. When youre a rich country, you hold on to the memory of those who perished in the flames. When youre a poor country, you bury your dead, like Eleanor Rigby, along with their names. When youre a rich country, your dead have names. When youre a poor country, your dead have tags. When youre a rich country, an attack on your most populous city is an act of war. When youre a poor country, an attack on your most populous city is an act of God. When youre a rich country, a bombing in your country is the product of lunatics. When youre a poor country, a bombing in your country is the product of retaliation. When youre a rich country, you have done nothing to deserve to be pitilessly wounded. When youre a poor country, you must have pissed off somebody very badly to be so grievously hurt. When youre a rich country, you called innocent. When youre a poor country, you are pronounced guilty. When youre a rich country, you are called to be resolute when you plan to strike back. When youre a poor country, you are called impetuous to even think to strike back. When youre a rich country, you are called wise to rattle the saber. When youre a poor country, you are called foolish to escalate the violence. When youre a rich country, you are called a general to roll the drums of war. When youre a poor country, you are called a rabble-rouser to sound a call to arms. When youre a rich country, you wage a global war against terrorists. When youre a poor country, you drag the world in flames. When youre a rich country, you are called just. When youre a poor country, you are asked just what are you doing. When youre a rich country, you get the world to fly to your side. When youre a poor country, you get the world to fly off the handle. When youre a rich country, the world asks you when and how you mean to fight back. When youre a poor country, the world asks you why and who you mean to fight against. When youre a rich country, your dead are innocent civilians. When youre a poor country, your dead are casualties of war. When youre a rich country, your dead harbored only goodwill toward men. When youre a poor country, your dead harbored only terrorists. When youre a rich country, you say that bombs are dumb and kill the good as well as the bad. When youre a poor country, you accept that bombs are smart and kill only their intended targets. When youre a rich country, the bodies under the rubble are unnatural baggage. When youre a poor country, the bodies lying on the sand are collateral damage. When youre a rich country, the hundreds who wander in your streets are called homeless. When youre a poor country, the thousands who wander in your sands are called refugees. When youre a rich country, you eat in soup kitchens and build fires to keep off the wintry cold. When youre a poor country, you eat in mess halls and huddle with your kids to keep off the desert winds. When youre a rich country, homelessness is a cause for alarm. When youre a poor country, refugees are as natural as the dark of night. When youre a rich country, not joining an international effort to fight global warming is called pursuing national interest. When youre a poor country,not joining an international effort to fight terrorism is called selfishness. When youre a rich country, ignoring international protocols on nuclear disarmament is called pragmatism. When youre a poor country, ignoring an international call to send a Stone Age country back to the Stone Age is called cynicism. When youre a poor country, people who publish the lyrics of John Lennons Imagine in newspapers are Yoko Onos. When youre a poor country, people who imagine all the people living life in peace are yokels. When youre a rich country, patriotism is the heaven of minstrels. When youre a poor country, patriotism is the refuge of scoundrels. When youre a rich country, people who believe in fists are patriots. When youre a poor country, people who believe in words are idiots. When youre a rich country, people who believe in war are cool. When youre a poor country, people who believe in peace are fools. When youre a rich country, you say only that right is might. When youre a poor country, you see only that might is right. by Conrado de Quiros Published in the Philippine Daily Inquirer, 2 October 2001.
Posted on: Sun, 19 Oct 2014 21:22:56 +0000
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