Arrogant public officials

Arrogant public officials
Philippine Daily Inquirer
12:01 am | Friday, July 22nd, 2011

It is heartbreaking that some of our public officials are so ego-driven and arrogant that they can insolently display such behavior even in public, like that local official who pummeled a harmless government employee. Another official defiantly flashed a dirty finger on television.

Such arrogance and egotism are often manifested not only in their cruel treatment of the lowly and the meek but also in the way they flaunt their fortunes and ride in flashy cars with vanity license plates.

Take notice of their shoes, watches, rings and other personal accessories and you will find personifications of narcissism.

When shall we have public officials who are modest in their ways? When shall we elect leaders who are unassuming and self-effacing? Nowadays, seldom do we find leaders we can recommend to our children as models of integrity, honesty and clean living.

That is why we should be cautious with politicians who appear to be gentle and timid during elections, during which they are submissive and do anything we want them to—from singing to dancing. Their true colors, however, emerge once they are elected into office, after which they immediately reveal themselves to be uncivilized and crooked.

We share the blame for their election into public office. We have not been meticulous enough in choosing the right leaders. We allow ourselves to be hoodwinked by their pretenses. We should realize that we helped turn them into monsters by gratifying their selfish political ambitions.

—REGINALD B. TAMAYO,
reginaldtamayo@yahoo.com