Inanimal, not inhuman, is the proper term
AS I WRECK THIS CHAIR By William M. Esposo
The Philippine Star 2007-05-24
People like to use animals to describe bad situations. If someone is ruined he is said to have “gone to the dogs.” A plunderer is called a “vulture.” The top hood is said to be entitled to the “lion’s share” or the bulk of the loot.

The devious quisling is called a viper, a snake in the grass. The lying schemer is a serpent, the reptile depicted in Genesis. The ruthless, methodical killer is symbolized by the jackal and the human predator is a wolf.

To walk into a fatal trap is likened to entering the spider’s web. The wolf’s lair and the lion’s den are interchangeable terms to describe a dangerous place. The term beast (i.e., bestiality) is used to label the worst acts of cruelty and meanness by humans.

But people have become animal-friendly and are now more aware of the true nature of animals. Documentaries by National Geographic, Animal Planet and Discovery Channel clearly show that no animal or beast of prey ever acts just for the sake of vengeance or cruelty.

A lion’s den and a hornet’s nest will still bring on terrifying thoughts but none of these have ever produced the likes of a Nazi death camp. In the animal kingdom, even the much feared grizzlies and great white sharks will attack only when hungry or threatened and will not eat more than what they need. But the thieves and plunderers in our midst are moved by an insatiable greed to amass more loot.

It is therefore erroneous to refer to the vilest acts of man as “inhuman.” It is precisely man and only man who can be unforgiving, cruel, mean and vindictive. The more appropriate term would be “inanimal.”

If no one has ever coined this word in the same context that I now use it, I am happy to claim it as a Chair Wrecker original. Inanimal [in-an-uh-mal] – adjective 1. Acts of cruelty uniquely typical to certain humans. – noun 1. A person who performs such acts of cruelty.

Inanimal is what I will call the patently devious, below-the-belt, diversionary and dilatory tactics used on senatorial candidate Alan Peter Cayetano to prevent him from claiming his right to a Senate seat.

I cannot compare the Cayetano plotters to a pride of lions, a troop of hyenas or a pack of wolves. These animals play only by the rules of the planet. On the other hand, these inanimals are self-made monsters who chose the path of evil to preserve evil.

All the many editorials and commentaries that have been written about this plight of Alan Peter Cayetano paints a horrifying picture of hate, vindictiveness and evil design on the part of those who would like to destroy him. Only the inanimal man can do that.

History documents a plethora of unspeakable inanimal acts. The mass murder of the Jews by the Nazis, the tribal genocide in Rwanda and the ethnic cleansing in the Balkans are but a few of the horrible acts only humans are capable of doing. These evils acts of free will only usurp the true intent of divine design to bring peace and goodwill to men.

You will know what I mean if you compare the amount of resources allocated by rich nations for armaments with how much they allocate funds to eradicate AIDS. You need not go far. Just compare how much our government spends for the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) with how much is spent for health or education. The sad part of this is that this AFP is now being used as a means to stifle the voter’s verdict in the elections.

Never mind the Nazi Holocaust, the Rwandan tribal war and the Christian-Islamic Balkan conflict. What should surprise us is how this operation on Alan Peter Cayetano could have been the handiwork of products of Catholic educational institutions and the so-called buen familias of our country.

The many editorials and commentaries that have already been written on this sorry incident of our rotten politics detail the elaborate and sinister plot to put Cayetano in limbo when he should really be among the frontrunners in the senate race.

We do feel sorry for Alan Peter Cayetano. Our Christian and even Muslim nature is to side with the oppressed, perhaps even more so with our Muslim brothers.

But feeling sorry for Alan Peter Cayetano is nowhere near our feeling sorry for the pathetic inanimals who masterminded and participated in this plot.

When a man who has had the benefit of a Catholic education decides to engage in something like this, when a former judge dirties his hands with being the principal operator of this scheme – nothing could be more inanimal. Our nation is greatly shamed to have produced such shameless sons!


  Previous Columns:

It had to happen on The Ides of March and Holy Week
2013-03-31


Suggested guidelines for liability- free Internet posts
2013-03-28


Election lawyer: PCOS critics should put up or shut up
2013-03-26


All Excited by Pope Francis
2013-03-24


A great disservice to P-Noy
2013-03-21


[Click here for the Archive]



 
Home | As I Wreck This Chair | High Ground | Career Brief and Roots | Advocacies | Landmarks Copyright 2006 The Chair Wrecker by William M. Esposo