The Philippine Online Chronicles

When you pass along Harvard Street where Christmas decor once lined the streets, one now sees faces and faces of people running for office. Portraits line the streets and highways. Even on the Net one cannot escape the faces of the candidates. It is election time in the Philippines again.

Then you look at the photos. What is common among them?

They all look fair. They are fair. Some photos from the younger years of the candidates. A number seemed to be glamorized with the aid of photographic and Photoshop techniques.

Then you begin to look at photos and images of the candidates used by their opponents and critics.

What is common with them?

And often these images would range from less flattering to utterly dismal – for all intents and purposes a caricature.

So what is the true picture of the candidate?

Probably something in between the fair portrait to the caricature.

It may not be limited to photos alone. And even in media – print, broadcast and on-line – there are times when the preferences of the reporter, the writer, and of course the opinion writer shows. It would probably be rare to see a truly unbiased article, news, or post that is not biased. But hey, that is part and parcel of it: One cannot eliminate human bias from the writer. Just be aware of it and be guided by that piece of insight. People from different camps often trumpet the ideal for their man or woman. And often paint the enemy as Richard III – ugly and criminal, in William Shakespeare’s words, “rudely stamp'd.”

And again reading something biased or skewed is alright. At its worst it is propaganda; at its best it is a point of view.  It enlightens and adds to the conversation. The trick is not to be taken in heart and soul. Read it with a critical eye.

If not …

Woe be to us if we fall into the trap of the fair picture and suffer the same fate of Henry VIII of England. Henry was searching for his nth bride and Queen. His Chancellor, Thomas Cromwell, arranged that Henry would be married to Anne of Cleves – for political reasons. Henry agreed as long as Anne was pretty. . The King dispatched Hans Holbein the Younger to paint a truthful portrait of Anne . The King was pleased with the portrait and the alliance-marriage was negotiated and settled.

But alas, when Henry saw his wife. He was not amused. He chafed and complained. Henry remarked to his Chancellor Thomas Cromwell, “She is nothing so fair as she hath been reported,” and after their unconsummated conjugal night Henry told Cromwell, “I liked her before not well, but now I like her much worse.”

The King divorced Anne and although they did not become husband and wife they did become friends. Unlike the other wives of Henry she was not executed. She even outlived Henry.

Poor Thomas Cromwell the Chancellor was executed with much constraint due to the ineptitude of the executioner – who took several swings to separate Thomas Cromwell’s head from his body. Years later, a descendant of Cromwell’s sister Catherine would depose and be one of those responsible for the beheading of the King of England, Charles I. His name was Oliver Cromwell, and he became the Lord Protector who led the only Republican Government in England until his death, whereupon the Monarchy was restored with Charles II.

As for Hans Holbein the Younger he was not executed, but his star in the Court was diminished and he lived to die in his bed.

And that was the story of Henry VIII, Anne of Cleves, Chancellor Thomas Cromwell, and Hans Holbein the Younger.

So when you see the picture of a candidate or read an article, post, or news story about a candidate please remember the story of King Henry and Anne of Cleves. Learn to look beyond and test the assumptions and opinions of all, lest you suffer a somewhat similar fate.

Photo from wikipedia. Some rights reserved.