THE METAMORPHOSIS (Nov 2013 column)
By
Ernie D. Delfin
PERSONAL REFLECTIONS ON JFK’s
50th DEATH ANNIVERSARY
(With random thoughts on Post SuperTyphoon Yolanda’s Events this
Thanksgiving Week)
“Ask not what your country can do
for you, rather ask what you can do for
your country!”
--- Pres. Kennedy
I was a
teenager and a high school student at the Holy Rosary Academy
in my hometown of Manaoag, Pangasinan in the Philippines 50 years ago today, when the USA
and the world commemorate the 50th death anniversary of Pres.
John Fitzgerald Kennedy. On a gloomy rainy day at home, today I can’t
help but reminisce and ponder how that historic and horrific day has affected the whole United States, if not the entire world. Because of his untimely death, Lyndon B.
Johnson became president, the Vietnam war escalated and many more occurrences
may or may not happened because of
Kennedy’s influence to the world ended
abruptly.
After JFK’s
assassination, U.S. History and U.S. Government as a
part of our junior and senior class
subjects became more interesting and we
learned a lot how USA was governed as it
was the model of the Philippine government structure . Even then, we
knew the key leaders of the three
branches of the U.S. government, as we knew their counterparts in the
Philippines. In the 1960’s,
the U.S.A. was looked upon as the Big Brother and the Philippines was
considered as her little “brown brother”, which was said as
a word of affection but sometimes with derision. In those years of Camelot, we were conditioned that all that came from America were perfect and superior, (made in China products were not commonplace
at that time). Even the subject of American Civil War was a very popular
elective subject. I still remember
memorizing and delivering in speech contests that short but profound Gettysburg
address by President Lincoln, as well as reading many U.S. presidents’ inaugural speeches, including
of course the one by the hero of my
youth, JFK. I still remember some of his historic
accomplishments or pronouncements of his shortened presidency, such as the
establishment of the Peace Corps, the bold
Cuban blockade and his vision for man to land on the moon that happened on July
20, 1969, less than 7 years after his death.
The many images JFK, the 35th president of the USA, and first Catholic president and his lovely wife
Jacqueline on that fateful day in Dallas 50 years ago as well as the picture of their two children,
Caroline and John-John saluting during their Dad’s funeral still seem so fresh as if those events happened yesterday, because they were stored
in my memory bank forever.
Although his presidency
was cut short by an assassin’s bullets, its impact on me as a young boy was
incredibly lasting that has kept
refueling my sense of idealism to this day.
I feel to this day that I I am a
part of his modern day “Peace
Corps” who listened and followed his
patriotic admonition to his fellow Americans “Ask not
what your country can do for you, rather ask what you can do for your country”. That advice is much needed now as the country
seems to be very much polarized due to politics and ideologies between the
liberals and the conservatives, how to lead the American people. President
Barack H. Obama, although also a Democrat,
is no John F. Kennedy.
On this day, that we commemorate the 50th
anniversary death of JFK, the hero of my
youth, I also hope and pray that the nation must heed
JFK’s patriotic message so that the country can be united in the pursuit of the COMMON GOOD, and not just to advance party ideologies or
insure politicians’ survival in both the
Republican and Democratic parties. The
reputation of our Washington D.C. political leaders from the White House to
Congress is an all time low. I feel the
American people, especially the working
class who do not savor nor enjoy any government largesse are getting more and
more impatient that will soon cause of a tsunami of new faces to replace those
traditional politicians in Washington
within the next few elections.
As a small
businessman and an American voter for
over three decades now, I have seen the weakening of America’s fiber
as more and more people exhibit
that minimalist attitude, particularly the younger generation ---- that has adopted their YOLO (YouOnlyLiveOnce)
philosophy contrasted to our generation’s
“Save For the Rainy Day” mantra. ----- to render or invest the minimum amount of energy but desiring to reap
the maximum benefit. This is partly due
to the expansion of countless federal and state social programs of
entitlements, creating an environment that government knows best in solving
our individual, family and
community problems but in reality are better left to the individuals to take care
and solve. The strength of America was
her work ethic, self determination and self respect that collectively made
America the way it is now. Most of the
great inventions, discoveries
and technological advances that we enjoy today were the products of
entrepreneurs in their individual endeavors,
and not in government offices but in
individual garages and/or laboratories.
The stories how 21st century companies like Microsoft, Apple, Google and Facebook as in
previous centuries’ inventions and
discoveries are great examples how progress can be achieved without much
guidance or dictatorship from the government.
That old-age philosophy
of pursuing individual pursuit of liberty and happiness coupled with that
early Americans’ indomitable entrepreneurial spirit pervaded since the industrial revolution when cumulative
individuals’ actions were the catalysts for change and progress. It behooves our political leaders in
Washington and in every state capital to remember that politics is neither the end nor the ultimate solver of
citizens’ problems. Rather, the role of government is merely to become the provider or the enabler for its citizens to
pursue their private enterprises to
survive and succeed in a fair and conducive environment, where industry and innovation are
rewarded. I used to believe at a tender age that government’s primary role is to
provide the mechanism to have peace and
order, reasonable programs for
public health, education and
welfare for those citizens truly unable to fend for themselves (that
does not include able bodied, healthy citizens who live on dole-outs and food
stamps and free health care!)
However, the
United States of America, despite all its faults and human frailties, still
remain a beacon of light that continues to attract millions of people to come
and live here in the pursuit of freedom and happiness. The people wanting to come to this country
still far exceed those who want to leave.
As a grandparent now, I pray this week as we prepare for another
Thanksgiving Holiday that we, the living,
learn from the past, live in the present but work vigilantly for
the future. Actions that we do now, nor
actions that we fail to do today will
affect the future of our grandchildren’s future. Will their
future be a better world or worse than we the baby boomer generation
(1946 – 1964) enjoyed? That is the big
question, that only time can answer!
* * **
POSTSCRIPT:
2013 is memorably historic ( not only for JFK’s 50th assassination anniversary or the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King’s “I Have a
Dream Speech”) as well as very tragic year due to the strongest and worst Super Typhoon Yolanda (international
name: Haiyan) that devastated Central Visayas particularly the provinces of
Leyte, Samar and Cebu. Thousands of
lives perished and billions of pesos worth of properties were lost or damaged that will
require years to rebuild and rehabilitate.
The damages that were inflicted upon these islands in the
Philippines by Yolanda were far worse than those caused by the deadly Hurricanes Katrina, or Sandy or Andrew that also devastated many U.S. cities in the recent past.
Amidst these
terrible tragedies, however, some beautiful silver linings keep on appearing in many places and events
where millions of people everywhere, regardless of their nationality, color,
religion or upbringing, are coming forward out of their normal paths to pitch in to assist,
in anyway they can. Not only foreign
governments and international organizations have mobilized to help, but small
groups of people banding together to
help out by raising money or collecting
much needed food, medicines and life-and-death supplies or physically
volunteering to go to those devastated places to cure, to feed and to
rehabilitate the victims. The common
thread is to alleviate the pains and sufferings of millions of people that were
victimized by this natural calamity. .
America has
again shown to the world that she is still a great compassionate leader nation of the world and proved that she is still a beloved Big Brother to her Filipino “little
brothers” as evidencedby her U.S. deployment of her military asset and
provision to help and assist the
hundreds of thousands of victims in those
devastated islands in the Visayan region. The
presence of so many countries led by the United States in lending a hand and providing
emergency resources, including food, shelter and clothing and machinery and manpower to restore and repair
countless of structures is
heartwarming. Amidst this catastrophic
tragedy, a beautiful rainbow of hope re-appeared. A tragedy of this magnitude brought back the innate character of human beings that we are just one people residing in ONE planet, just a one particle of this one ocean of humanity. The pains and sufferings of one nation are also felt in all nations. People everywhere are commiserating and wanting to help out, in
any way they can.
On a personal level,
I have been touched and emotionally moved by such unexpected responses from
complete strangers here in Orange County, where we reside the last 40 years. For
instance, after speaking before the Buena Park Rotary Club a week ago, two American waitresses who were serving us,
just came forward to offer me all the
cash money that she had (apparently all their tips as of lunch time) and I could not
help but really shed tears uncontrollably.
I could not remember any other time in my life that I have experienced that feeling!
Meeting some business
friends and fellow Rotarians the last couple of weeks also resulted in several
checks that totaled over $1,000 as of
now, which we will soon remit to our
District 3780 Mother Club’s Calamity Fund
in Quezon City. This is very small
amount compared to the $60,000 goal of Orange County Rotary District 5320
Benefit Concert for the Philippine Typhoon Relief that was held last Monday
night, November 25, 2013, where over
$32,000 was raised that night! I have no
doubt that in a few more weeks when all the contributions are received, that
the goal is met or even exceeded. You may visit www.rotary5320.org or www.rotaryeclubGlobalKalingaD3780.org for more details.
May God bless all
these compassionate people, all over the world! May God bless the Philippines and May God bless the entire world! Mabuhay ang Pilipinas (Long live the
Philippines!)
HAVE GREAT
THANKSGIVING WEEKEND, EVERY ONE!
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Email columnist: ernie.delfin@gmail.com or ernie.gkerc@gmail.com
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