The Filipino Militant as a Political Soldier
As I look at every militant scene in Manila, Militants used to chant slogans while marching, clapping their hands, making noise, and lastly, facing the police to taunt them. Or rather set up a place where a barren street will be its makeshift stage, with a permission from the authorities, to speak their grievances against the regime they considered as bourgeois reactionary.
In fact, these people whom organized through are likely to be called as Activists, Leftists, National Democrats, anything positive or negative may likely to call them. Terrorists, Noisemakers, spoiled brats, sheesh...The audience may likely used to watch those things and judge subjectively-especially from the voices to the flags these patriotic men and women used to.
Therefore, In my own perspective about them, I consider these political militants as Political Soldiers. And these political soldiers are the one who devotes all their time and energy to the nationalist struggle they wanted to achieve. This term I used is more associated with the rightists, especially in Europe and in America. However, I don't think of it as totally rightist since nationalism can be Left or Right, and so in the Philippines where most of the Nationalists are from the left, and a bit from the right, therefore, the filipino militant friends are likely to be considered as political soldiers!
What makes a Filipino Militant a Filipino Political Soldier?
· First, they are imbued with patriotism, patriotism which is not based on the nation, but to the people whom they used to serve. Full or Part time, these people are ceaselessly continue their service through organizing, integrating, studying and of course mobilizing the entire people, especially the suffering masses in calling for a change in this rotten society, often resorted to violence of needed.
· As they imbued with a nationalist sense, they wanted a perspective based from the interests of the people. International friendship based on cooperation and respect, Land reform for farmers, National Industrialization for the workers along with 125 wage increase, Free education for the youth , Free housing, health care and ceaseless rural reconstruction based on the masses are these examples of what they wanted. Through ceaseless action both in armed and in parliamentary struggle.
· And lastly, they opted to discipline themselves like rejecting materialism, total individualism, decadency and other kinds of ideas that weaken them. As they continue devoting themselves to patriotism religiously, they need to strengthen themselves with morality and of course ceaseless study of the society.
In short:
These militants indicate a fanatical devotion to the cause of nationalism, or in the Filipino sphere as National Democracy, which its supporters felt was needed to bring about a revolutionary change in society.
And how they adapt these?
· Love of Country- Love of Country does not mean saluting the flag, or acting as if a totally nationalist like what mainstream do-real nationalism is vested not just on the nation and its flag nor its symbol, but to the inhabitants of the nation. Being a nation of regions, swearing that unity must be stressed along with their will to preserve their regional heritage.
· Serving the people- Love of country requires serving the people regardless of their region, race or religion. And therefore these actions must be taken with good faith, since the struggle requires the service made by the people, especially the masses in gaining successes, through joining with them and of course serving them with all your heart.
· Ceaseless Education and Practice of theories-Every action requires education and it includes analysis of the entire society of the nation, which was and is backward, neglected, and in need of a moral and total regeneration through total action of the people. And action refers to the practices out of theories being undertaken (theory-practice-theory) to ensure and strengthen the fibre of the entire movement being followed. But then, every policy being practiced must also reflect the will and aspirations of the masses and employ them fully within the entire struggle.
As what the British National Front said that it called for the building of a fresh ethos within society and for the emergence of a new man to be known as the Political Soldier, Filipino militants, especially the National Democrats, are likely to be considered as a new being, a new blood of revolutionaries emerged from the society where all are considered as victims of the ones whom manipulate the entire society itself, and being educated both in school and in the society, are likely to be considered as Political Soldiers. Since they are the future one who will rebuild and defend the nation once being oppressed!
Basing the idea (and the concept of the political soldier) on those of Julius Evola, an Italian Fascist philosopher who sought the creation of a new elite to combat the decadence of modern bourgeois society, or in case of Mao Zedong, through Lin Biao and Jiang Qing, where they mobilized the politically educated youth, known as the red guards who, same as what Julius Evola sought-to destroy the decadence of a bourgeois society and encouraging proletarian culture at all costs. These actions made by Lin Biao and Jiang Qing, I think were more like indirectly inspired by Julius Evola.
But still,
They are virtually opposed-Evola is a Fascist while Jiang Qing and Lin Biao are socialist. They would disagree both of them because of their opposing ideologies while their ideas can be somehow indirectly related no matter how the line is. Since Julius Evola's idea of a political soldier was merely a theory while some of its ideas may likely to be considered as indirectly practiced by Jiang Qing and Lin Biao through the Red Guards.
(Back to the topic)
The Filipino Militant Activist, as I called them as Political Soldier, must continue their action in parliamentary and on the extent of armed struggle. And as I looked upon them, their sacrifices leads to greater opportunities. Why the former Philippine president Ferdinand Marcos being ousted and so was Estrada? Because of the actions being laid by the Militant Filipinos that consists of the front of the Filipino Political Soldiers and not of the Elitists whom used to lead from the top!
I hope if this current government continues to oppress, I hope the Filipino Militants, as political soldiers, must Arouse, Organize, and totally mobilize-charge though with sheer strength before the elitists rose and acquire the scene! All of these actions created by these soldiers of the masses was and is vested by the will of the people-primarily the masses of the farmers and workers as the majority, as the superior force, and lastly as the liberating army all of these under the dictatorship of the proletariat.
And as they reached the goal, these actions will be laid on total construction-since these political soldiers, as future professionals, along with the masses will undertake the first steps of laying the real change of the nation.
