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American President-elect Joe Biden. Photo: bostonherald, AP/Matt Rourke
ith the decisive victory of former Vice President Joe Biden, America has shown the world how democracies should operate. Although President Donald Trump still refuses to concede, even he likely knows his time is up. The record number of American voters who stood in long lines for hours just to cast their ballot, the millions more who voted by mail proves that democracy is alive and well in America.
This is why a dictator, an autocrat, a tyrant, will find it challenging to gain a foothold in that country. By contrast, a despot like Ferdinand Marcos succeeded in clinging to power for nearly two decades in our country. Both the Philippines and the United States had similar government institutions during the 1960s and 1970s. The main difference appears to be the people. Americans immediately push back against those who want to take away their freedoms. The majority of Filipinos, on the other hand, never stood up to Marcos.
Even today, 74 years after America gave the Philippines its independence, the U.S. has again shown us how to keep our democracy. Filipinos need to push back against those who will trample on our rights and freedoms; those who undermine our democratic institutions; those who think they are above the law; those who are willing to sell-out the country for financial gain; and those who want to see Filipinos cower in fear and subservience.
Another important lesson we learned from watching the United States for the past four years is that any country, even a superpower, can succumb to dictatorship in the hands of a determined tyrant. It is up to the people to stand up for their rights and freedoms. Let us not forget that we Filipinos actually did this once before. The EDSA People Power revolution in 1986 sent our home-grown, two-bit tyrant packing to Hawaii. We did it before, and we can do it again—if we are willing to stand up and protect our democracy. Published 11/08/2020
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