A Pinoy Blog About Nothing

While watching the 9/11 Commission in session over at CNN and I can’t help but be amazed how the politicians comported themselves.

Sure there were some digs — it is an election year for them too — but the prevailing mood was that of trying to find out what went wrong in the system and how they can prevent another 9/11 from happening. I like how the head of the commission, Thomas Kean, was saying that they may be 5 Republicans and 5 Democrats in the commission but they must be, in the end 10 Americans looking at the facts. Those who were asked to testify looked sincere and approached the matter as professionals. Madeleine Albright, former Secretary of State, Colin Powell, George Tenet director of the CIA — all were cooperative in answering questions from the commission.

Of course, I can’t help but compare our own Senate investigations particularly the one on the Oakwood Mutiny (let’s not even dwell on the National Archive Investigation). All fire and brimstone signifying nothing. Lahat ng hirit pa-pogi. Instead of taking the opportunity to clarify things and get to the root cause, the Senators took every opportunity to talk down to the mutineers. Kahit ako na nanunuod lang at alam ko na mali ang ginawa ng mga sundalo napikon sa mga klase ng tanong ng mga Senador. Naging perya. We still have a long way to go with this democracy thing.