Over Reactions? No.

Today, 20 years ago, I was in an unknown rural place, watching on TV the unfolding of an event which liberating effects I still have to appreciate. In college, stories of heroic misadventures of those who were party to it replay like Harry Potter or the Lord of the Ring of today-- I can still recall how my Lolo recount his risky ventures with the Japs, criss-crossing his arms that once held a deadly bolo to protect his family.

Well, EDSA 1 is 20 years past. Just yesterday Ms. Arroyo declared a state of emergency and cancelled permit to rallies by those who wish to celebrate freedom gained from the longest-running dictatorship of the world.

On the same day, her minions arrested personalities critical to her administration, the likes of Prof. Randy David, Crispin Beltran and Satur Ocampo among others. Two months ago I attended Ka Beltran's forum on the issue of Oil Crisis from which I took data of my online article about the topic. Also, two months ago, I bumped on an acquintance Anto, Satur's son, who happens to be an orgmate at CNS and Journ Club in UP Diliman. Of course their lives have always been on the edge, and I know some who died for the cause. I have some friends who did, and some who are still at it.

The irony is, I also know some who, by sheer political ambitions and selfish motives, became oblivious of the cause they once fought for. Oh well, excluding myself standing at "critical cooperation" mode, Mike Defensor has gone far. We used to be in the same fence babbling the same slogans. He was our predecessor in the univ. student council, a respected mentor. Until he drifted away, consumed by the fires of the system and its evils that he once fought against.

Just an hour ago, I watched him at ANC justifying the state of emergency, rationalising why the Daily Tribune was taken over by policemen, upon orders of Malacanang, short of closing them down. In case of a takeover, he said, the government could even have a say on the paper’s editorial content. I can still remember how he blew the megaphone lambasting anti-riot policemen breaking the students' line that protects the Katipunan squatters. Oh, how he valued much freedom of expression. Looking back, he owe a great deal of what he enjoys now from the Bill of Rights he once so gallantly trumpeted.

Meanwhile, a new breed of disenfranchised, idealist and driven generation is catching up. I can only guess what comes next as things go worse.