Our country is now in a state of moral and political crisis. But it is appalling that some people have chosen to remain neutral, silent or indifferent with what’s currently going on.

Here are some quotes on neutrality that I hope might spur some people to action.

“I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.” – (Elie Wiesel – Romanian born American Writer. Nobel Prize for Peace in 1986. b.1928)

“The hottest places in hell are reserved for those who in times of great moral crises maintain their neutrality” – (Dante Alighieri – Italian Author and Poet. Considered one of the greatest poets in all literature, 1265-1321)

“If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor. If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse and you say that you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality.” – (Bishop Desmond Tutu – African Spiritual leader and Novelist, b.1931)

“People who demand neutrality in any situation are usually not neutral but in favor of the status quo” – (Max Eastman – American Author, Journalist and Writer, 1883-1969)

And so, come on man, take sides!

When was the last time you exercised your right to suffrage?

The circus has come, as always, to banner the upcoming Philippine local elections this May of 2007. Although Philippine election laws prohibit running candidates from prematurely campaigning for their seat, Philippine television and other forms of mass media are making a heyday from the current deluge of “personal ads” of some political hopefuls.

It’s interesting to note that these ads have found ways to circumvent election campaign laws. And so, one cannot help but notice and admire the Filipino’s ingenuity, especially when it comes to figuring out, and taking advantage of, loopholes in the current electoral system. Ah yes, the world-renowned Filipino guile, creativity and wits of these so-called political geniuses are once again put to use.

Many Filipinos are turned off by the current state of the Philippine political and electoral system. This particularly holds true for voters who have used their voting brains on past elections only to find out that the outcome leads so much more to be desired. Unfortunately, the reality is that most voters don’t even use half a brain. These brain dead types of voters are easily sucked in by political machineries and star power syndromes. As a politician, you can buy votes, you can buy airtime, or you can even buy out the competition.

So how can one make a difference? Election campaign ads say “Your Vote Counts”, but does it really? Come on, let’s be real here. How will one vote stack up against the votes of an entire zombee-voter bloc? It won’t even make a dent on the “flying-voter” tab. In other words, your vote won’t be worth SH*T…. unless… you… do… something… about… it.

Remember these things:

1. Voting responsibly won’t make much of a difference, but actively campaigning for your candidate will!

Why? Once you drop your ballot, you’re done, there’s no turning back. It only counts as a single tally. But with some pre-campaigning of your own, it’s hard to see why you can’t influence even a single person to see things your way, especially with today’s technology. Your single vote tally could potentially end up influencing a million or so more.

2. Your vote wont ‘count’, if you let fools ‘count’ it for you.

It’s your right to vote, so make sure that your vote stays that way. Don’t let thieves make a fool out of you. Report any illegal post-election activities, or better yet, be a poll watcher. Even the best magician can’t work his magic if a lot of eyes cover every angle.

There are a lot of other ways to make a difference. You should always keep in mind that voting is not only a right, it’s a responsibility. So make it count. The future of our kids depend on it.