Reaction Paper on

Benigno Simeon "Ninoy" Aquino Jr.’s Speech

A real icon, figure of excellency, a great patriot and nationalist, these

words enters immediately into my mind after watching Ninoy Aquino’s
memorable speech videos, happened in Los Angeles, California year 1981,
15th day of February. Where he spoke about his struggle and the condition of
the Philippines under the martial law dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos.
Ninoy Acquino is an indeed great leader, his boldness is incomparable
considering that he is fighting for his life due to illness.
After watching Ninoy Aquino’s speech and heard all of his suffering
in hands of wicked Ferdinand Marcos my emotion rises and all of the
sudden I felt terrified and disgusted on how Marcos used his power and
selfish desires to belittle and treating his own countrymen like a slave. I
can’t imagine, Marcos is the terrorist of his own land. Democracy died when
Marcos enforced martial law in the Philippines. He makes his own will
above all to govern the country and make it like a puppet. Then when Ninoy
Aquino said, “…and I have nothing to do but twiddle my thumb and for the
first time in my life, I heard the ticking of every second, and I was counting
every second into minutes, and as the minutes marched into hours, and the
hours into days, and the days into weeks, I knew what loneliness meant”, I
stunned while digesting those words and I was like a stump. It was like a
barter, begging for his own life to be free exchange for hiding the truth, but
he never leave behind his people. The indomitable spirit of Ninoy Aquino
served as fuel to flame the hearts of every Filipino citizen to fought for what
is right and brought freedom back to the Philippines and further strengthen
the nationalism and democracy to our land. I learned that knowing the truth
and justice being fooled is an ignorance and immorality. You cannot have
everything in this world, but truth and that is enough.
Ninoy Aquino proves that not all heroes wear capes. He was
considered by most Filipinos as a national hero and I am one of them who
believes. His heroism is really admirable, he stood up for all Filipinos while
carrying the torch that gave hope and cure to our motherland. I guess, I’m
lucky enough to have an opportunity to witnessed one of the important piece
of our history, and at the same time I filled with sadness and mourn to the
legend man that could have been a great president, but sadly, he became the
greatest president that we never had.