Indeed, the United Kingdom is not united at all. Britons voted to detach themselves from the European Union (EU). But that is not the case. There’s no problem about Britain leaving the EU. The problem is the referendum. By a margin of 52-48, the majority of the Britons wanted to leave the EU.
Hours after the voting ended, Google Trends reported fantastic results. Britain asked, “What does it mean to leave the EU? ”That was the top one in the list.
Britain asked again, “What is the EU?” Finally, Britain asked this question, “What will happen now we’ve left the EU?”
There’s really no problem if Britain leaves EU, considering the assumption that those who voted “leave” or “remain” knew the consequences and the issue at
hand. But, the Britons didn’t know what they voted for. They didn’t know what it meant to them.
In the Philippine setting, this is normal. In every election, some voters wander on the precinct and shade circles without knowing what they’re doing. That’s the reason why a boxer, who was sadly a useless and inept congressman, won as senator—a very preposterous, idiotic, and brainless move of the Filipinos.
Voter Education. It’s not about waiting for someone to teach you the pros and cons of a candidate, but it is about self-learning. “Nothing is more important to a democracy than a well-informed electorate.” With this quote from a famous HBO TV series, we can prevent the possibility of showbiz celebrities aspiring for political posts in Congress or Senate. Or, one day we’ll wake up and realize that our Senate President was a beauty queen. However, we owe God a favor because an ex-boldstar-turned-actress didn’t win in the senatorial race.
Voter education is important. If some of the Filipinos were really educated, how come the son of a dictator ranked second in the vice presidential race? What happened to the Araling Panlipunan textbooks in high school? Are versions of textbook history really that bent? Or, do boxers make good politicians? Do best actors become best politicians too? Is it really okay to turn on the lights to reduce the population? What should we do with a condom? Eat it to stop overpopulation? Remember, she suggested that lights be turned off to prevent unplanned sex. But still, around 2,368,608 voters chose her, probably hoping for a bill that lights be open from 10pm to 6am to prevent unplanned sex.
If the Britons questioned why they voted “leave” in the referendum, how much more here in the Philippines? Voters are clueless and unaware of the possible outcomes of their votes. One vote is weak. But, one vote can be a decisive vote for a long trip to the path to damnation.
