“Words of condolences were extended to the slain comedian”
SUNDAY last week, standup comic Gold Dagal was shot at a beerhouse in Angeles City, Pampanga. The 38-year-old, already receiving death threats over his brand of humor, was rushed to the nearby Angeles University Memorial Hospital after he was gunned down by unknown suspects. He died nine hours later, a Monday.
Words of condolences were extended to the slain comedian. An outpour of support flowed towards his family, extending their calls for justice in the aftermath of his demise. One post summed up this great shock — we really are puzzled at how murder was used against a joke.
What also puzzled me the most is how people in the online space took his standup bits to mock at his death. A video of him poking fun at a certain religious sect was resurfaced, which gave online users to justify its cause. Those who were offended would say that “he only carved his own fate” by his comedy.
A kind of death, celebrated.
As former President Rodrigo Duterte was sent to face his fate at the International Criminal Court, Diehard Duterte Supporters unceasingly rushed towards his side to defend his war on drugs. If they are to be believed, his rhetoric of “kill” made the country felt “safer” during his watch in seeing the deaths of people accused drug users on the street, lifelessly covered in blood. This claimed to have saved millions of lives, even though the drug problem has not been fully eradicated under his watch (after six…years).
The DDS have also defended the deaths of young people gunned down by police authorities. “S” – expletive happens, they say, quoting Bato dela Rosa’s infamous retort over his mission against drugs. Innocent people get killed, he quips, a normal circumstance. Yet this has not stopped them from sparing Digong from their unintended murders. He had no direct hand in them as it was the police’s sole responsibility.
A kind of death, celebrated indeed.
Recently, I had a conversation with a good friend about Duterte’s rhetoric in relation to his arrest. I posed this blunt (yet apprehensive) question; how would you react if the former president would make a joke about sexualizing women? Nil response. It was already normal for him to do so.
I shortly rephrased my question; how will you now react if I tell you the same? Shock, in the form of silence, was immediately seen as a form of condemnation. Although this series of dialogue was just a test of his judgment, the spontaneity of the reaction was clear.
This kind of morality being exercised by people today can always be felt inside the corners of those who support Duterte. When he tells them about his lore over the killings, as well as his affection towards China, they would celebrate it. In fact, they’d cheer on his anger. Fearmongering works them best whenever he delivers these brash, yet unclear statements to his crowd.
But when you try to echo his desires personally, you would be stunned. It’s a different view, they’d argue. They would cry out for mercy, begging them to stop extending his fantasies of violence to save any of their dearest loved ones. They’d be lucky enough if these are only empty threats, carried without a gun. Yet words are also weapons themselves to depict one’s persona — in this case, anyone who would be so willing to support his gimmick.
Sadly, this is what we continue to glorify. A culture of death – not by the body, but of our desire – persists in our society. Framing our heads with only two options descends us into a choice without compromise. Its inevitability has become the bane and boon by those who are soulless enough to incite fear.
Be afraid, indeed, for we have been celebrating death every single day.
And yes, I did smoke. Cigarettes. So as to clear any assumption that I am defending the syndicates spreading illegal drugs.
(The author tries to cure his haywire from his personal grind as he writes essays away from the news. For comments, you may reach him at ngrolando2003@yahoo.com.)