The Second American Revolution

(A poem for the American people specially composed
to celebrate the forthcoming inauguration of Donald Trump
as 45th president of the United States of America) 

"Jose, can you see?"
-- the garbled opening line of the US national anthem

Yes, I can see the Starry Banner proudly waving
o’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.
Across the Pacific, we join the Heroes’ cheering
and send felicitations northeast wave by wave.

The night is dark and hellish spirits roam the planet.
The witching hour is ruled by greed and drenched in blood.
The few-owned captive press the air with falsehood blanket
as dumbed down rabbles fill streets like a raging flood.

Infernal forces plague the earth in various places
yet oftentimes they pose as if they are of Light.
Like Gog and Magog they comprise opposing armies;
or they're unholy allies like the ones in sight.

O Heaven’s Trump Card, end the globalism nightmare!
Defang the cabal and restore Democracy!
The shadow government can’t serve the People’s welfare.
Annul its foul control installed maliciously!

Rise, Patriots, and make America great again!
For the glorious dawning day -- fight, new Minutemen!
Take back your country, drain the swamp, and let us begin
to build the gold-based Golden Age with golden men!

In other countries, immigration's regulated:
Fulfill this right and duty of a proper State!
Let there be jobs! Let general wealth be created!
In all fields once again endeavor to be great!

Don’t let your soldiers fight abroad to serve big business
nor let the laws be tailored for a ruling class.
But let the I AM Race uphold both Life and Justice,
a force for good past whom no tyranny can pass!

Your Founding Fathers recognized God as Creator;
the Declaration clearly states it, I should say.
They saw Him too as Judge, Lawgiver and Protector.
So please restore in schools the children’s right to pray.

Delete the Fed! It violates the Constitution
per Clause 5, Section 8 of firstmost Article.
This banksters’ grandiose racket is a usurpation
of power meant for Congress. What a debacle!

Patriotism is a sign of Love and Wisdom.
Defend your Motherland! We, likewise, every whit!
Then we can negotiate, as nations steeped in Freedom,
on things we jointly do for common benefit.

The Russians and the Syrians, they do not yearn for battle;
but they’ve expressed their wish for friendship and for peace.
The US must decide if it would test their mettle
or otherwise prefer that violence should cease.

Salami-slicing Hans are thieving troublemakers.
They aim to topple you from being Number One.
They must be firmly faced right in Asiatic waters.
Their neighbors side with you to do what must be done.

Around our blessed orb, there stirs a new excitement
from snowy Arctic Pole down to Antarctica.
From West to East, as pundits analyze the portent,
the world awaits the birth of new America!

Yes, I can see the Starry Banner waving proudly:
at home or foreign shore, it flutters triumphant!
The Land of Liberty, her Torch shining brightly,
shall lead by Chivalry a planet ascendant!

 — Jose Rizal M. Reyes
Proud Deplorable from the Philippines, yo!
November 24–30, 2016

State Before Self-Love

by Princess Jacel Kiram, Sultanate of Sulu / July 17, 2015

Eid Mubarak!

To a royal blood like Princess Jacel: STATE BEFORE SELF-LOVE 

"To be a good patriot, a man must consider his countrymen as God’s creatures, and himself as accountable for his acting towards them."
 — Joseph Addison

“I believe our flag is more than just cloth and ink. It is a universally recognized symbol that stands for liberty and freedom. It is the history of our nation and it is marked by the blood of those who died defending it.”  
— Princess Jacel Kiram’s message on her husband’s promotion.

“As the president, do you really have to threaten your people? This is the very treatment you gave to the patriotic Filipinos during the Sabah stand off. Instead of protecting them, you threatened them — that they will be charged, put them behind bars, and even give them to Malaysia. Ngayon naman ilalagay mo sa body bag ang majority of the Filipinos if your BBL will not push through?” 
— Princess Jacel Kiram’s sentiments on Noynoy’s pass-the-BBL-or-count-body-bags-later issue.

From Jose Rizal M. Reyes to Princess Jacel:
“Filipino patriots are one with you, Princess Jacel. I feel confident that our number will grow bigger and stronger as months and years pass by.
Thank you very much for keeping faith with our Motherland despite the long-standing corruption, abuses and incompetence of our politicians that adversely affect Muslims, Christians and Lumads alike and everyone else. 
With the problematic situation in Mindanao and the outrageous aggression in the West Philippine Sea, the night is growing deeper and darker for our country. But just as well because the night is darkest when it is nearest the dawn of a glorious new day.”

(NOTE from JRMR: The above text and photo — except the title "State Before Self-Love" — is an exact reproduction of what Princess Jacel recently posted in Facebook. The title itself was lifted from the body of her text.)

Text and photo from:
https://www.facebook.com/799693860120037/photos/a.799836640105759.1073741828.799693860120037/866959270060162

The Enemy's Compatriots Within

by Jose Rizal M. Reyes / poet-philosopher, Philippines / June 10, 2015

"US mulls sending military ships, aircraft near South China Sea"

-- RT News

"Fil-Chinese Friendship Day celebration dropped due to sea dispute"

-- ABS-CBN

"China Loudly Protests US Plan To Send Aircraft And Ships To South China Sea"

-- The Daily Caller

It's crunch time in the West Philippine Sea and thereabouts. Times like this have always been hard for people belonging to the enemy race. The dropping of the celebration for Filipino-Chinese Friendship Day by Chinese Filipinos is a tell-tale sign of the time.

Why drop only now? Why not last year or the year before? You can find the answer from allied warships and air units getting on a confrontation mode with China on the matter of the latter's frenetic conversion of stolen shoals into artificial islands.

       According to our photo source: "Before and satellite images taken in August 2014 and January 2015 show the emergence of a large island at Fiery Cross Reef in the South China Sea's Spratly Islands.  China is building a number of artificial islands in the hotly disputed body of water.

Just as China's territorial-grabbing activities that went virtually unchallenged caused nations and individuals to bandwagon with China, or at least to consider doing so, the gradual show of force by the Americans in recent days, supported by regional allies and the usual choral group in Europe, embolden or encourage many to side with America and keep distance from China.

    Alarmed by China's frenetic construction of artificial islands in the West Philippine Sea, the U.S.finally accepted the challenge of coming to grips with the challenger to its global leadership.  The Sly War is on, ready to exploded into mega-conflagration anytime soon.  Photo via Google.  

The tide has turned. And it is becoming more dangerous to side with China, to side with the loser in the unfolding conflict, to side with a mother country in conflict with one's host country.

During World War 2, between 110,000 to 120,000 Americans of Japanese descent were interned in the US, kept in concentration camps for easier monitoring. However, there were also Japanese Americans who volunteered for army service; although these volunteers were accepted, they were sent to Europe, not to Asia. This was not the first time that a situation like this took place; it's a recurrent theme in history during times of war.

     During World War 2, the U.S. government relocated between 110,000-120,000 people of Japanese ancestry living in the Pacific coast to concentration camps in the interior.  In 1944, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the validity of the seclusion order.  But from 1980 onward, the issue was re-investigated and the U.S. government eventually paid more than $1.6 billion as reparations to 82,219 Japanese Americans who had been interned and their heirs.  Photo via Google.

Herodotus reported that in the Battle of Plataea (the final land battle that ended the second Persian invasion of Greece),  the Persian army included Greek warriors from Greek cities fighting for the Persian cause.  But these pro-Persian Greeks deliberately fought badly with the exception of Thebans which gave the Athenians a stiff fight.  When the Persians retreated, the Greek elements of the Persian army retreated to another direction, and there casualty was lesser compared to the other units -- apparently because the Greek forces did not also strike at them so hard.

                            When Alexander and Darius clashed in the famous Battle of Gaugamela,                                                                       Greek warriors fought on both sides of the battlefield. Photo via Google. 

When Alexander the Great fought Darius III in Gaugamela, there were also Greek troops fighting for Persia. There was no report they acted treacherously; in fact, Greek units stood by the side of the Persian king till the bitter end.  They are oftentimes described as Greek mercenaries.  But some, if not all of them, could very well be members of Greek factions politically opposed to Alexander.

       The Philistine commanders wouldn't allow David to fight with them against the Israelites. They asked                    King Achish to send David and his men back to the town the king assigned to them.  Photo via Google.

The most interesting case to study is that of King David of Israel, prior to his ascension to kingship. During the time when King Saul was trying to kill him, David and 600 fighting men under his command sought refuge in Philistine territory. When a battle was looming between the Philistines and Israel, David was about to go into battle with his new Philistine master Achish, to fight on the side of the Philistines against the Israelites. Imagine that! Only the objections of the Philistine commanders, worried what he might do in the heat of battle, prevented him from doing so.

Now back to our time.   The renowned writer F. Sionil Jose recently wrote an article wherein he expressed his conclusion that in case of conflict, the Chinese in the Philippines would behave in the same way that Japanese in the Philippines did in World War 2. Said he:

>> I know now that in the event of a war with China, many of our ethnic Chinese will side with China so I will not ask anymore on whose side they will be if that war breaks out.

I will ask instead my countrymen — they who are aware of our revolutionary and heroic tradition — the Filipinos who revere Mabini, Rizal, all those who sacrificed for this land and people: “What will you do now?” <<

I was displeased with a related article written by Mr. Jose at the height of the Scarborough standoff of 2012, in the same way I was also displeased with another article written by Gen. Jose Almonte. I considered these two thinkers as among the top intellectuals of the land so I expected a more hopeful and fighting articles from them -- nothing less than a guide for victory, just like the long essay I wrote on the subject at that time entitled "Philippine-China Rivalry: Crossroads of the Third Millennium."

But with his new article, I am quite pleased with Mr. Jose now. I agree with his view and I have always thought along that line from the very beginning. That means in case of conflict with China, Chinoys cannot be trusted to be loyal to the Philippines, generally speaking. Blood is thicker than water, more so to the Chinese who have a long tradition of filial piety and pride in their old civilization.

I do not begrudge the Chinoys their love and loyalty for the country of their ancestors despite that country being currently ruled by the communist party.   I myself, I love Mother China wholeheartedly.  After all, China is an integral part of Mother Earth whom we earthlings should all love tenderly.  Although my loyalty is to the Philippines, I have no ill will to China nor to the Chinese, despite everything they have done. All I ask is that Malayan Filipinos should be honest and loyal to our own Motherland, defend her till the last drop of blood, and show unshakable faith in the rightful destiny of our country.  Is that too much to ask?

China's eternally unacceptable trespassing and self-destructive autistic ambition.  

As for Chinoys, I respect their right to fight and die for China. It's actually a treasonable violation of their duty as Filipino citizens but, generally speaking, there's nothing we can do about their leaning or inclination. To put it very nicely: "You can take the Chinese out of China; but you cannot take China out of the Chinese."

Concerning Cheating in ASEAN Games and Anywhere Else

by Jose Rizal M. Reyes / poet-philosopher, Philippines / June 21, 2015


"Philippines may host 2019 ASEAN Games as Brunei withdraws"
-- Rappler news report

It is a well-known fact that whichever country hosts the ASEAN Games, it has this tendency to garner more golds than usual, or even win the overall championship. This is an indication that whoever is the host takes advantage of the chance to stack the dice in its favor. Very, very shameful for ASEAN as a whole, more so because this odorous malpractice seems to be accepted by everyone as among the facts of life.

Giant ladybugs and huge luminous animals were part of the presentation during the opening ceremony of the
28th SEA Games held from June 5-16, 2015 in Singapore.  Photo by Lawrence Wong via Google.

The next time we host the ASEAN Games or any other competition for that matter, be in sports or not, what I want to happen is this: Our country should strive to host in the fairest way possible and become a shining model for fairness and impartiality.  

Forget about the golds; let other countries vie for that ... although if we can get a good share of them in an honest and honorable way, why not?  But serving as a paragon of fairness in hosting and officiating is in my view a higher honor and would fill up a greater need of our planet which is so disgustingly full of shams, scams and lies.

Just consider cheating and irregularity in boxing. Manny Pacquiao's Canadian adviser Michael Koncz knows it very well -- in fact, the latter once suddenly threw a towel on a substitute Filipino boxer who was unexpectedly wining a fight in a foreign country, telling those who questioned his action: "You don't know boxing." 

 The boring $300 million bout between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao disappointed the boxing world.

Of course, Floyd Mayweather also knows a lot about cheating and irregularity in boxing.   In Mayweather's mega-fight against Manny Pacquiao, the judges' scores were so controversial that Cambodia's longtime Prime Minister Hun Sen refused to pay his $5,000 bet on Paquiao.  The angry Hun Sen said Pacquiao's aggressiveness deserves to triumph over Mayweather's defensive approach. 

But let us keep our discussion on a more general level.  This piece is about a matter of principle, not about specific shenanigans in sports.  Below is a sonnet I wrote about the subject several years ago.  

                                        Wrestling is one of the Olympic sports in ancient Greece.

Sonnet 347. The Olympic Ideal

The ancient Greeks competed fair-and-square;
The priests took care of athletes equally.
No city-state nor holy priest would dare
To cheat and anger gods consequently.

And that is why Leonidas and his men
Were so alone to block the Persian horde.
The Greeks could not assist their countrymen;
For fighting during games the gods abhorred.

This sacred tack we should again adopt
In handling all the current sports we play.
Along this line, it's absolutely apt
That our beloved country leads the way.

Let other nations capture all the gold.
Let RP be like honest Greece of old.

Jose Rizal M. Reyes
February 20, 2008B

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