In this day and age of technological overdependence and internet activism I believe there is wisdom in re-visiting what being a revolutionary meant to those who have actually given their all for their vision of a better world.
Lean Alejandro was an activist who was murdered at 27, ironically in the democratic space instituted by the Aquino administration. May his words challenge us to go not gently unto the dark night of complacency and romanticized notions of awakening an upheaval with our mouse clicks of 'likes,' 'RTs' and online petitions...
"A revolutionary must know how to compute the distance of the stars, how to differentiate a fish from a shark.... He must know how to distill wine into liquor, how to arrive at e=mc². He must know how to cook bacon, butcher a pig and roast lamb. He must be capable of leading enemies into battle. He must know how to follow orders and he must know when to disobey them.
He must know how to soothe pain, comfort the sorrowful, maintain his composure in hot water, drown gracefully, sink with his ship with honor together with the mice.... He must be able to debate, he must know how to analyze difficult political situations ... he must know how to sail a ship, dig a latrine, wash clothes, wash dishes, plan an offensive, plan a retreat ... take care of babies, manage a state bureaucracy.
He must know how to discuss Mao and debunk Zinoviev, ridicule Stalin, correctly read Mabini, recruit members to the party, motivate members to struggle, host a party, be critical, be self- critical, be honest...."
