Reason & Concern

Ronquillo C. Tolentino

Politics & Morality

Too much had been said about politics and politicians. It’s always like that when elections usually come. Even in the early years, it has been that way like Aristophanes who said: “Under every stone lurks a politician “. As a young man, I would always go to the public plaza of Kalibo ( Pastrana Park) to listen to political rallies and campaign speeches during election seasons. Not one of the national candidates who campaigned in Aklan had talked  about morality as far as I can reminisced.

I had occasion to hear a respected old Aklan journalist answer my friend about 45 years ago. He asked why nary did he hear politicians speak about morality in their campaign speeches. And the journalist’s riposte quoting Perry de Havilland: 

“Getting a lecture from a politician is like getting a lecture on chastity from a whore”. Really, so many are wary and critical about the subject of politics. I am, not considering that I had been a public servant. As such, my outlook or criticism about politics is mitigated by being in the political field for so many years. I would rather look at it either as an art or science.

Politicians can pose as the most humble of all people. There is verity to the observation of Charles de Gaulle when he said that in order to become master, the politician poses as the servant. For another De Gaulle added: “Since a politician never believes what he says, he is quite surprised to be taken at his word.”

And of political promise is that funny statement of H.L.  Mencken, thus: “If a politician found he had cannibals among his constituents, he would promise them missionaries for dinner.”

Former US president Ronald Reagan had his critical view of politics when he said: “Politics is supposed to be the second oldest profession. I have come to realize that it bears a close resemblance to the first.”

A rather gender biased statement comes from Steve Chapman when he said: “Politicians may think prostitution is a grim, degrading life. But prostitutes think the same of politics.”

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President Aquino is leading the campaign for Liberal Party and their guests candidates from the Nacionalista Party for his Team Pinoy senatorial ticket. Measured this early, it would seem that the president considers the victory of the senatorial ticket on which he is seriously campaigning for as if the success of his remaining three years of presidency is dependent on the total triumph of his senatorial slate.  Is the election triumph the be-all, end-all, cure-all to the economic and political problems of the nation of the President’s remaining three years?

XXX

Before March 2013 is over, a new Pope shall have been elected by the conclave of 117 cardinals with the exception of cardinals 80 years old or over to replace resigned Pope Benedict XVI.

The search for the new pope had been scheduled to start on March 15, 2013 to end on March 24, 2013, a Palm Sunday.

The Catholic Church list has the following popes who resigned, as follows: Marcellenus (304 AD), Martin (655), Benedict V (964) Benedict IX (1045), Gregory VI (1046), Celestine V (1294), Gregory XII (1406) and Benedict XVI.

I remember Fr. James B. Reuter, S.J. who had an anecdote about Pope Benedict  XVI closely a year after the present pope assumed the papacy on April 19, 2005.

In his March 18, 2006 Philippine Star column Fr. Reuter narrated, thus:

“After getting all Pope Benedict’s luggage loaded into the limousine, the driver noticed that the Pope was still standing on the curb.”

“Excuse me, your Holiness,” said the driver.

“Would you please take your seat, so that we can leave?”

“Well, to tell you the truth”, said the Pope, “they never let me drive at Vatican when I was a Cardinal. I’d really like to drive today.”

“I’m sorry Your Holiness,” said the driver. “I cannot let you do that. I would lose my job! What if something should happen?’’

“You will not lose your job”, said the Pope, smiling. “I guarantee that”.

Reluctantly, wishing that he had never gone to work that morning, the driver got into the back of the car as the Pope climbed in behind the wheel.

The driver quickly regretted his decision.

After leaving the airport, the pontiff pressed the gas pedal right down to the floor, accelerating the limousine to 105 miles an hour.  

It was then that the driver remembered that Benedict was a German Pope.  “Please slow down, Your Holiness!” he pleaded.

But the Pope kept the pedal down to the floor until they heard sirens.

“Oh, dear God, I’m going to lose my license!” moaned the driver.

The Pope pulled over and rolled down the window as the cop approached.

But the cop took one look at him, went back on his motorcycle, and got on the radio.

“I need to talk to the Chief,” he said to the dispatcher. 

The Chief came on to the radio and the cop told him that he had stopped a limousine going 105 miles an hour.

“So bust him,” said the Chief.

“I don’t think we want to do that, sir,” said the cop.  “He’s really important!”

The Chief said: “All the more reason!”

“No,” persisted the cop. “I mean really important!”

The Chief asked:  “Who do you have there . . . . the Mayor?”

“Bigger!”

“The Governor?”

“Bigger!”

“Well,” said the Chief.  “Who is it?”

The cop swallowed and said” “Chief . . . Chief . . . I think it’s God!”

The Chief was amazed.  “What makes you think it’s God?”

The cop said:  “He has the Pope as his driver!” /MP