Tomorrow begins... If the east is RED
Staring at every poster and streamer inside a prestigious university in Manila, that school speaks of their so called future that according to them, "they are the ones who pave way."
"Tomorrow begins in the East." These are the words being said by one of the posters in that prestigious university. However, the reality lies behind those words being said, that seemed contradicting somehow, from chalkboards instead of whiteboards to campus oppression in which students aren't given free will to join any movement or criticize that, in their sense "against the school." The worst is that forcing every student not to think real thoughts and insisting on being in the four corners of the room-studying in a bunch of theories.
In my opinion, these reminds of the writeups I have been made. Especially of the contradictions between the vision mission statement being stated and the actual actions being taken. Imagine, they speak of "Academic freedom", "Progressive instruction", "Creative scholarship", and "Effective educational leadership", or even "Affordable to the common man", but then in actual we see of "Campus repression", "Limited instruction", and even "Corporate privateness" of an educational institution, and that includes allowing themselves to increase their fees that can cripple the dreams of the common man.
Well...
Is this the future? Of making the studentry into peons of the few or a vast majority of the unemployed?
Perhaps,
Due to the apoliticalness of the studentry, they didn't notice that they didn't feel getting restrained by the clutches of the ruling class as "educators", of contenting in "lessons" that according to them may benefit in their courses, but not noticing that they are bleeding dry- through being limited much of their ideas bit by bit, and even restraining their movement and style.
But then,
For me, there are some that know what's going on about these situations. Including the struggles of every student as a future working class in order to attain an idea-concept of "future", including "freedom". And that future, and even freedom does not mean anarchy or dissolution of order as what anarchists usually say, secondly, it also speaks of "Utopia", especially as what on the poster and streamer speaks of: "Tomorrow begins in the East."
But,
In order to attain that "tomorrow", that "Utopia", is that of accepting that history is mostly consisted of class conflicts, and within it that includes individual struggles. Affirming that we belong to a bastardised, backward society that is in need of an absolute revolutionary process, where anything must be dismantled -not just through a mere process called "education", but of direct action using the power of the masses being creators of the society.
In connection to this, I may say that think, and even forget some of the promises, especially sugar coated statements and look at the realities, look at all sides both the front and at the back and analyze fully about these things around. You may notice much of studies, of basketball, but you didn't notice getting harassed by a guard or something inside the campus, that in the end you may feel getting irritated about those events passing through, then you are apolitical and a no care? then break it! For this time, students there must greatly affirm that their future is there, that tomorrow is in the east as they suppose; but that east does not mean a mere just east as expected, but a revolutionary one-as what the past wanted, as what the unsung progressive ones being cherished; of getting red that shatters away the darkness around, of raging flames that shook against the reaction bursting from the people's will, all in the name of the masses fighting for social justice.
And thus I may say this that:
Tomorrow begins-as (not if) the east is RED!
(This writeup is created remembering the progressives in the University of the East. Of students whose struggle that until now remained still, especially fighting for genuine academic freedom, progressive instruction and a genuine, militant, patriotic tomorrow.)
