When ignorance is not only bliss but also dangerous
EVEN as majority of the world’s former Western colonial possessions, from Africa to Asia, are joining China last September 3 to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the defeat of the remaining fascist country during World War 2, Imperial Japan, back here it is truly embarrassing that our own defense secretary, Gilberto ‘The Man From Malta’ Teodoro, has been exercising what he now knows best—badmouthing China.
We are among those presently amazed and saddened that despite his vaunted intelligence—he was topnotcher during the 1989 bare examination, among his many credentials as a brilliant person—his judgement and appreciation of history is woefully clouded by his Cold War mentality.
And it is just right for the Chinese Embassy to point out that it would not be the first time that Teodoro threw an umbrage against China for everything that China has accomplished. Accomplishments that astounded the world and have become inspiration for those who, like China, also experienced the viciousness of imperialist domination, exploitation and plunder.
“His words showed nothing but his arrogance, disrespect for truth and ignorance of history,” the embassy said in a statement, an observation that we fully agree with.
But again, given that Teodoro is a recognized intelligent person, we can only assume that his ferocious diatribes against China is a product of intellectual dishonesty—by deliberately framing his reasoning along the propaganda line of Western Imperialism and not thru an independent study of historical events based on the perspective of a people subjected to one of the most horrendous exploitation of Imperialism, in our case, both Japanese Militarism and American Imperialism.
And insulated from the “facts that happened,” we can be sure that Teodoro does not see that we remain under the heavy yoke of US domination, the main burden behind our continued regression as a people and a country.
If only our good defense secretary, as well as the others like him would face reality squarely, they would see the rise of China as an inspiration and as a development model that we can study to also bring real, concrete progress to our enslaved country. China is not a “threat” that their US master wants all Filipinos to believe.
And woe to us that we are stuck under a leadership that remains beholden and blinded to the myth of US superiority in all spheres of human endeavor as exemplified by Secretary Teodoro.
And probably, the Almighty, in his benevolence, destined it that Teodoro miserably failed in his presidential ambition during the 2010 presidential election and in his Senate bid in 2022.
Otherwise, it is most likely that Teodoro would have used either position to advance, not the country’s sovereign interests but rather, what Uncle Sam wants him to do a long time ago: rachet up our differences with China to intolerable level.
The result of course is a national disaster where Teodoro would not be made accountable or suffer the consequences of his reckless Sino-baiting—his Maltese (European) citizenship would make sure of that.
But over the way our defense secretary has been usurping President Marcos’ prerogative to dictate our foreign policy, we just might arrive at the point of no return with China based solely on his deficient understanding of history and diplomacy.
“Ignorance is bliss,” as the saying goes. But in the case of Secretary Teodoro, it has become very dangerous.
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