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Monster

Editorial illustration about the Maguindanao massacre; Digital

Monthly bills. Snarling traffic. Breakneck deadlines. I had thought that these were the only monsters people like myself would have to face in today's modern world. I was wrong.

Monsters do live amongst us. The massacre at Maguindanao -- now known as the Ampatuan Massacre -- earlier this week proves it. Men who could perpetrate such atrocities are monsters -- no doubt about it.  What they have done should frighten men such as us. It should shake us to our core.

What these monsters have perpetrated -- call it as it is -- a savage and terrifying bloodbath,  sickens me. Their barbarity angers me. As it should every man. I realize now that we must fight such darkness. No ifs. No buts. To cower in fear in face of such atrocities leaves us impotent, to turn away from it in revulsion is escapist and to seek a political compromise is inutile.

Justice is owed the victims. Justice must be sought, even fought for. Relentlessly, because we must. Viciously, if we must. From the thugs who actually pulled the triggers, decapitated, raped and mutilated more than 50 people on a lonely road to the people in power who ordered the gruesome killings and the people who helped perpetrate them. The results of their monstrosity have been captured on film and video for people such as us to see. We must not turn away in fright. Let those images force us to realize that these monsters do indeed exist and have no place in our world. We owe it to ourselves to battle such evil with no hesitation-- if only to preserve our own humanity.

Yes, Pepe. Grendel is indeed real. 

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