dear politicians: you are only as disciplined as your people

A passage in Sophocle's Oedipus Rex translates "It takes a person 10 years to build a good reputation, but only 10 minutes to lose it." This morning, it only took a record-breaking 10 seconds for Team Fresnedi's campaign people to mar their candidates' image.

I was aboard a jeepney to Muntinlupa to cast in my vote. My plan was to hit homebase first and go to Munti Nat'l HS with my father and my sister --a protective measure against what I predict would be an unruly crowd at the voting precinct. Little did I know right then that chaos has already spilled unto the streets, weaved their way through the swelling traffic and dared invade the enclosed spaces of public transportation. Some of these rude people were not contented with handing out flyers and sample ballots; I was shocked when they brazenly threw handfulls of these trash in our faces! I instinctively grabbed a sheet and tore it in plain sight. Some of my other fellow passengers cursed back angrily, the others remained silent, harassed.
The jeepney floors were covered thick with all those wasted paper; i felt sorry for the trees and i raged against these unmindful, insensitive, stupid politicians with no foresight. They have seen how crazy elections can get; they have witnessed it so many times. Why can't they make a difference? Why can't they campaign decently? Why dont they tell their supporters and volunteers how to go about decently, appropriately, preserving the voting public's dignity and their's as well? Why don't they clean up after themselves? or better yet, they should not spread garbage at all.

This message is specifically addressed to Mayor Fresnedi and his runningmates, and to a certain candidate named Dr. Amy Patdu Labios (I've never heard of you before so you can't say I'm biased as I write this). These names and corresponding faces were shamefully splattered all over these flyers (or at least those that I saw at that time) that were shoved in our faces on our way home. Your people are undisciplined; what makes you think you'll be good leaders? You do not deserve our votes.