I have 2 reasons I feel invigorated about all the schools joining #EDSA39 one by one. First because I was there, and I absolutely feel it was one of the most thrilling, most REAL moments I had ever felt in my life. I was 17 when and I remember walking along Ortigas to VV Soliven and not feeling tired. The elation in the February air was infectuous. News of Generals and whole military divisions breaking ranks and joining the opposition made everybody giddy and excited.
The 2nd reason is just as important. Weaponized social media has done tremendous damage to governments and societies all over the world, one of the most damaging indications of which here is the rise of apologists. Time does enough damage on its own, but fake news and malevolent disinformation has helped it a million times over.
So the fact that schools big and small have decided to take a stand is incredibly refreshing. One of the schools I never thought would join announced they would this morning and I am beyond surprised. I thought they had turned or were at least apathetic. I know for a fact they have something to lose but here they are burning bridges. They have taken a stand and I am shaking my head in amazement.
This to me indicates that weaponizing social media, as evil and effective as it is, is possibly not as powerful as it was especially during the very dark mid 2010 period. I dare not hope, I’ve been burned far too many times. But please, let this be true. And please let the younger people ask why classes were canceled, and hopefully they will look up the reason and learn for themselves why this is important.