The title is a catchphrase, I just want to get that out of the way. But good now you're here. You might as well pass me a couple of minutes to hear what I got to say, won't you say?
I grew up in a privileged setting. I am not exactly rich for I am not some senator's daughter. I got involved in a quite similar vibe though. I never had to struggle. My family always had enough, not enough to conquer the world, but enough to live a comfortable lifestyle. As a result, I always get special treatment. I never had to put in the extra effort.
It's easy to stay righteous when you never had to deal with mistreatment. Justice is tilted to the privileged because the privileged always have an alternative. There is no need to feed desperation because there is no desperation at all. Instead of going towards extreme means for survival, the privileged chooses to look the other way instead. To the other end of the spectrum, there is always Plan B.
Let me give you a concrete example. I am 26 years old, living inside the bounds of the Metro Manila Enchanced Quarantine. I could easily be alone right now were it not for a few friends around me. At my age, in the struggling pursuit of a law degree in the South, I needed to detach from my family abode and live a different version of life as a "Tenant". This is important to note because it will come in handy later in the story.
As a law student, I know my rights. I know the legal processes of the law and I am confident that I can protect myself at any time. For a law student, I could quickly preach about the proper way to handle things, in the manner provided in the books I've buried myself into for the past four years. Justice is simple because the instructions are carefully laid out. The law books are perfect, but everything else isn't.
My interpretation of justice is enclosed in the carefully authored books written by the people in the society who never had to personally fight for justice. Those people are educated, able to write their names in different kinds ink and paper. Their version of justice is different. Why should I interpret mine the same way? Why should the many among the few interpret justice the same way?
As a Tenant, I had to deal with being mistreated. I suppose the label rings as poor, because they certainly made me feel poorly treated. Tenant or not, getting a quarantine pass is a right, not a privilege. And yet I was told I am not getting one because I am an unregistered Tenant. I could enumerate everything that is wrong with that sentence but I am still too mad to account for all of it without going into a frenzy. Basically, logic goes, I am not supposed to eat because I'm not supposed to go out because I am not supposed to receive a quarantine pass of my own.
For the lucky few who has an alternative plan like me, I could easily go to the bank, get some cash, and buy supplies that would last me a month. Or I could just borrow a pass from my neighbor, like what I've been doing for the past weeks now. I could easily look away and save myself the stress and trouble of a pointless debate just to get my point across. Not only do I think it will end up in a huge chaos and I might end up in jail, but I might also end up dead, killed in the hands of men who are supposed to uplift justice. This got me thinking, what about the majority who are unfortunate enough to not have any alternative plan at all? What should they do? Who should they turn to? The same government locking them up in jail cells?
Where is the compassion? What is justice without compassion? It's amazing to see the actions taken as a result of proper education. But what is more amazing is to see the actions taken as a result of frustration.
So before you blame the poor for being poor, try to understand the mindset of the poor. Understand the receiver. You don't explain Geometry to a Five year old. Get it across in the level of education they will understand, because no matter how much you explain Geometry to a Five year old, he will not pay attention.
These people starving in the streets, they will never understand the illegality of their actions, not unless you leave your pedestal yourself and stoop down to their level.
