In our culture, self-immolation transforms one into a hero. Salvador Allende, intellectual, former president of Chile died defending his position during a bloody coup d’etat in the 1970’s. To this day, visitors want to see the exact spot where he was killed to whisper a silent prayer. Unlike General Gregorio del Pilar who died in a blaze of glory, poor Pres. Emilio Aguinaldo lived too long. Need I mention Senator Ninoy Aquino whose untimely death overthrew a dictatorship.

Perhaps, I am one of the few who believe that Sen. Trillanes and Gen. Danilo should try their best to stay alive, it may be noble to die for the Filipino but nobler it is to live for them. We have too many dead heroes who could have done so much more had they stayed alive. Needless to say, I will not be surprised if people chastise me for associating Trillanes and Lim with heroism.

There is really nothing else Sen. Trillanes and Gen. Lim can do to change their fate. Both will be in prison for as long as they live as they have been meted many life sentences for alleged crimes from rebellion to treason to economic sabotage. Lt. Trillanes was allowed to run for the Senate on the mistaken assumption that he had no chance but to everyone’s surprise, he garnered 10 million votes. Were he allowed to take his seat, I am quite sure that the exhausting process of lawmaking would have neutralized his "rebellious" nature. The present dispensation, like previous administrations, refuse to learn from history; they forgot about Luis Taruc et al.

What I fear most is the death of idealism. If memory serves, during the Oakwood "mutiny" military officers themselves were wondering about the training and education imparted at the Philippine Military Academy. Were the graduates too idealistic? Idealism was made to sound subversive, like some kind of contagious disease that is best extirpated. I was truly alarmed.

All right, so an APC (armed personnel carrier) rammed its way through the lobby of the Manila Peninsula which everyone agreed was over kill. Don’t they watch the C&S series on TV?, a friend asked rather flippantly. Even Margie Moran knows how to rapel buildings; I once saw her do it at a Davao Tourism Fair. I doubt if Trillanes and Lim shook with fear and awe at the sight of those APCs, battle weary solders are quite used to that; but we ordinary mortals got the message loud and clear.

Senator A. Trillanes and Gen. D. Lim have no other alternative but to continue doing what they have been doing these past years, reminding us of corruption in government and the urgent need for drastic reforms in the military. According to my favorite historian we ordinary citizens should join and/or form movements and campaigns to promote various advocacies, be it the environment, anti-corruption, human rights, heritage, cultural revival, and other noble causes. All these are like ripples, waves and currents that will eventually form confluences, conjunctures and turning points that will bring about the structural changes we all desire. Do not lose heart, history never ends. (gemma601@yahoo.com) (talkingpointsgca.blogspot.com).