‘I think the test of our maturity is not on Election Day as much on the days after – how the winning side exhibits Churchillian magnanimity while the losing side bows to the will of the majority expressed in as free and fair an electoral process as possible.’
THERE are two weeks to go before Election Day, less than that for campaigning. Already, you can feel the tension in the air… and friendships, even kinships, are beginning to fray.
Expect the worst as still to come.
In the chat groups I am part of (one of which I have quit), there is a lot of talk comparing body count at rallies, drone shots and survey results. Naturally, the chat groups I get to see whose candidate is ahead in the surveys put their faith in the survey numbers; those groups whose candidates are behind the survey results put their faith instead in the body count using a formula of a certain area times a certain number of people. Both have some science behind it, but given that only one candidate will win, only one of these two formulas will prove, well, more accurate.
We have two weeks before we find out if the professionals at the survey firms know what they are doing, or are better replaced by drone shots and all.
I have to admit that I am less passionate about this election than many of my friends. I am over characterizing this election – as I have previous ones – as the definitive election that will make or break our republic. I suppose when we are overcome with passion we tend to overdramatize things, and what (with the exception of hardcourt wars in the UAAP) can overcome us with passion more than a national election? But this is just me – unlike many of my friends who (again) swear to migrate to some other country should their candidate lose.
I’ve seen enough of elections to witness how the Filipino survives – a few better than many others.
I’ve also seen enough of national elections to know that I never (except on two occasions) vote for the winning presidential candidate. I do not represent the majority of Filipinos, and
I have learned to bow to their wishes.
We will know their latest will in less than two weeks.
For some of my friends, how the majority decides is the ultimate test of our maturity as a nation. Social media is full of name-calling that characterizes one side of the divide in the worst possible light, reserving every good characteristic or value for their (the other) side.
For some, as I have written previously – it is even the ultimate battle – one of good versus evil.
I think the test of our maturity is not on Election Day as much on the days after – how the winning side exhibits Churchillian magnanimity while the losing side bows to the will of the majority expressed in as free and fair an electoral process as possible.
But on this last point I already sense that there will be problems. Some have already expressed the point of view that their candidate will only lose if they are cheated. And that efforts are already underway at the Comelec to ensure that the results match the survey findings. I find this perspective sad, immature, and scary all at the same time. More than the matter of how the majority makes up its mind in choosing our national leaders I am more bothered by how the minority will accept the results.
As I’ve said earlier, I’ve only voted for the winning presidential candidate twice in the last six elections since EDSA 1986. I’ve felt to varying degrees that in the four times I was wrong the majority was actually the one mistaken. But majority wins.
In two weeks time I am prepared to feel the same way. That’s how this should be. I hope and pray that most of my friends will feel the same way.
