Whenever I think about the things that are happening in this country today, I am reminded of a Hans Christian Andersen story that I heard when I was young. The story was about a little boy and the Emperor of his country. I thought at the time that it was a story for children and that I would have no use for it when I had grown up. I was wrong: I find the story very relevant to what is happening today to this country and to the Filipino people.
The story was about two weavers who promised to make for a vain Emperor the finest suit from a fabric invisible to anyone “unfit for his position” or “simply stupid.” They mime dressing that Emperor up in that suit. Because the Emperor himself did not want to appear stupid or unfit for his position, he pretended he could see the magnificent suit. Every one of his ministers, fearing of appearing unfit for their position, was all praises for the imaginary suit. As His Imperial Majesty made his way down a grand procession to display his magnificent suit, his subjects bowed and kowtowed, playing along with the pretense, not wanting to appear stupid. Then a child in the crowd, with all innocence, blurts out that the Emperor had no clothes.
True enough, the Emperor was dressed only in his imperial shoes. Everyone in the room knew it, and could see it, but only an innocent, guileless little boy pointed out the obvious fact.
I have been reminded of this story, and am bringing it to the knowledge of people who have not heard or read it, because the situation in this country today resembles the situation depicted in the story. There are present-day counterparts of the characters in the story.
Today, there is an Emperor-like character in this country, an Emperor-like figure who thinks he has an overwhelming mandate from the people and who conducts himself in the manner of someone who thinks that his imagined overwhelming mandate gives him the right to do and say anything. There are also millions of people who, for one reason or another – loyalty, opportunism or fear – believe that everything that the Emperor-like figure does and says is acceptable, proper and moral. Like the subjects of the Emperor in the story, they see today’s Emperor as fully clothed even though he is going around in his birthday suit.
How about the little boy? In today’s national situation is there a counterpart of the little boy who, in all youthful innocence, tugged at his father’s trousers and exclaimed “The Emperor has no clothes!”
Many Filipino boys have already said “The Emperor has no clothes,” and as the Emperor has committed mistake after mistake, their number is steadily growing.
Yes, the Emperor is every bit as naked as the day he was born. Unfortunately, there are many in this country today who have neither the integrity nor the courage to say that indeed the Emperor is wearing no clothes.
E-mail: rudyromero777@yahoo.com
