When I was having coffee with my friends a couple of years ago, one of them dropped an opinion about the difference between Lasallians and Ateneans. He said, disclaiming it as not a disrespect on my part (which I truly did not believe), that Ateneans are better than Lasallians. "Mayayabang talaga mga Lasalista, eh." With a smile on my face, I answered back "Oo, mayayabang talaga kami." Although I did shut him up with my answer, I felt the worst that night. That was truly the most discriminating experience I've had as a Lasallian.
Yes, we are 'mayabang'. I'd rather be called that than airheads. Because seriously, we have all of the right things to be proud of.
So whenever I hear trash talks bashing the Lasallian community, I have no words. I just simply walk tall and smile. I've experienced the worst, and with that, I become used to it. Even before enrolling, I've heard people saying "Bobo lang naman ang nag-aaral diyan. May pera lang." When I was in college, I've heard students from the top state university here in the Philippines say "Bobo naman 'yang mga taga-La Salle." My high school friend who was from the said school proved that. "Maliit talaga tingin sa inyo ng mga tao rito," he said. And even during UAAP with that commentator, ugh! Incorrigible!
Right now, bashing takes the heat anew, after the UAAP 76 second round of elimination match up between La Salle and its rival school Ateneo. After all that 'walang class' bit because of an apparent statement shirt 'Patayin ang mga Atenista', there are a lot of questions in my mind like 'Naniniwala talaga silang mga Lasalyano 'yung may suot nun at hindi posers?' 'Hindi ba nila naiisip na hindi papasa sa kahit na anong student office 'yung ganung statement, lalo sa admin which is run by Lasallian Brothers for crying out loud.' Sometimes, our school pride sucks up so much of our energy that we forget how to be rational. And right now, with all the feud going on, it seems like that 'walang class' comment is being targeted at a mirror bouncing back to where it came from.
Only the weak minds get affected by the opinion of others. Go figure.
Sanay kaming mga Lasalyano sa diskriminasyon at mga paninira. Win or lose, we're being bashed. La Salle teams, and even the whole Lasallian community, know that beyond normal human feelings. One thing I actually learned inside the university, which I carry up until now that I'm already working in the corporate world - take the negatives as it is. Let our accomplishments and achievements speak for ourselves.
Finally, just like what my colleague said in one of her tweets: BE HUMBLE IN VICTORY, BE GRACIOUS IN DEFEAT.
But giving them the benefit of the doubt, maybe it's their posers who blew this issue out of proportion and wide open. We'll never know.
And the rivalry goes on...
Photo taken from Google