Bud Dajo Massacre: The Untold Story of American Atrocities in Philippines
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The tragic first battle of Budaho, also known as the Mora Crater Massacre.
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So without further ado, let's begin. Let's dig deeper into our people's untold history.
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Picture Budaho, once a tranquil refuge, later the backdrop of unspeakable tragedy.
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Today, we explore this stark transformation.
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A narrative rich in courage, loss, and the undying spirit of resistance.
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Budaho, rising above Holo Island, is more than just a mountain.
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With its lush green slopes, Budaho is a peaceful giant standing tall against the sky.
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You know, this place, with its deep forests and hidden paths, was once a safe haven for the indigenous Tausug people.
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Throughout their history, they found peace and protection here, away from the troubles of the world.
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It held a great importance because of its location.
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This mountain, with its breathtaking views and strategic importance, was a symbol of safety and resistance.
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It tells us of a story about a community, their connection to the land, their strength, and their struggle for peace in a turbulent time.
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Okay, now for some background, let's look at the seeds of the conflict.
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In the lush landscapes of Sulu and Mindanao, a story of resistance and struggle unfolded.
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It was a time when the Philippines, you know, freshly under American rule after the Spanish-American War,
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found its new rulers eager to invade.
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It was a time when the Philippines, you know, freshly under American rule after the Spanish-American War,
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found its new rulers eager to invade.
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The diverse indigenous Muslim communities in the southern islands of Sulu and Mindanao.
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The Moros, known for their fierce independence, stood against the tide of American colonization,
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marking the beginning of a deep-rooted conflict with its impact still being felt to this very day.
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Now unknown to many, despite centuries of Spanish colonization and conquest in the Philippines,
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the regions of Sulu and Mindanao remained steadfastly independent.
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And this is thanks to the fierce resistance of the Moros.
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Their resilience against colonialism persisted until the Philippine-American War,
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marking the beginning of American conquest and a new chapter of struggle for the Moros,
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who fought to maintain their sovereignty and way of life.
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Now back to Sulu, Buddaho, a dormant volcano in Holo, became more than just a natural landmark.
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It was a fortress for the indigenous Tausug people, a community caught in the crossfares of imperial ambition.
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Here in Buddaho, amidst the dense jungles and steep slopes,
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people sought refuge.
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It was a safe haven from the encroaching forces of a foreign power.
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And their stance was clear.
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It was not one of aggression, but of a determined plea for peace
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and the right to live freely on their ancestral land.
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But sadly, peace was far from reach.
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The American military under General Leonard Wood viewed the Moros' resistance as a challenge to their authority.
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You know, words like extermination began to surface, a chilling prelude to the violence that was to come.
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The Tausug people who sought refuge in Buddaho were,
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merely seeking to protect their homes and their way of life.
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But sadly, they found themselves branded as rebels by the Americans.
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And their peaceful sanctuary in the crater of Buddaho was suddenly on the brink of becoming a battleground.
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This was a seed of conflict sown on the slopes of Buddaho,
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where American imperialist policies collided with the unwavering spirit of the indigenous Tausug people.
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A tale not just of confrontation, but of the enduring struggle for dignity, identity, and liberation.
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As we dive deeper into the heart of Holo, we find Buddaho, a silent guardian rising above.
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This mountain, once a shield against invaders, became a refuge for the indigenous Tausug people under the new threat of American imperialism.
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Now imagine families, their lives woven into the fabric of this land,
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seeking solace in the crater of Buddaho from the storm of American colonization.
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The indigenous Tausug, known for their strength, courage, and deep connection to the sea,
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found themselves at odds with imperialist policies and practices alien,
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to their way of life.
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They sought not conflict, but the freedom to live on their own terms,
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in the lands of their ancestors.
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Now Buddaho, with its dense forests and hidden paths,
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has for centuries promised safety.
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It was a place to continue their traditions undisturbed.
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Now enter General Leonard Wood and the American military,
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viewing the Tausug Sanctuary in Buddaho not as a plea for peace,
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but as a defiance that needed to be crushed.
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To the Americans, the mountain's embrace was,
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seen as a rebellion, needing stern suppression.
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A rebellion that must be quelled at all cost.
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They need to be exterminated, the Americans said,
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setting the stage for a confrontation that would echo through history.
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Now unknown to many, the Tausug stand in Buddaho was more than just a fight for territory.
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It was a struggle for identity, for the right to decide their destiny.
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In the shadow of Buddaho, two worlds collided.
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One fighting to preserve their indigenous culture,
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and the other pushing to expand.
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It's imperialism, igniting tensions that would lead to a tragic crescendo.
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By the way, if you are new to my channel,
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Now back to our topic, what exactly happened in the crater of Buddaho?
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As dawn broke over Hulo, the tranquility of Buddaho was about to be shattered.
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American troops under the command of General Leonard Wood
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began their silent ascent towards the crater,
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a place where nearly a thousand indigenous Tausug villagers had sought refuge.
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These were people who were not yet able to escape from the crater.
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These were people who were not yet able to escape from the crater.
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These were people who were not yet able to escape from the crater.
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These were people who were not yet able to escape from the crater.
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These were people who had chosen peace over conflict,
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cultivating their crops and living in harmony with the land they called home.
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The American military viewed Buddaho not just as a strategic challenge,
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but as a symbol of defiance against their authority.
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And as mentioned earlier, the mountain's rugged terrain,
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with its steep slopes and dense forest,
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made it a fortress in the truest sense.
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But unknown to the Americans,
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the indigenous Tausug people had an intricate network of trails,
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a testament to their deep connection,
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which allowed them to move freely, undetected,
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and to keep their sanctuary safe.
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But on the morning of March 5, 1906,
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the element of surprise was in the air.
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The Americans, equipped with heavy artillery,
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approached from all sides,
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ready to launch an assault that would go down in history for its sheer brutality.
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Sadly, the Tausug, unaware of the impending attack,
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found themselves encircled and trapped,
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their sanctuary about to become a battleground.
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being one of the 900 indigenous villagers in Buddaho
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looking up as an army,
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you know, armed with heavy artillery,
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surrounds their sanctuary from above.
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This moment of reflection brings us to the heart of the conflict,
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where the two worlds collided.
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One fighting for control and power,
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and the other fighting for the right to exist peacefully
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on their own ancestral land.
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And if we think about it,
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the siege of Buddaho was more than just a military operation.
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It was a clash of ideologies,
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a clash of cultures,
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a clash between an ambitious empire against the indigenous people.
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As the sun rose on March 7th,
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the silence of Buddaho was pierced by the first shots
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of what would become one of the darkest days in our history.
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The American forces positioned around the crater's rim,
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you know, up above the villagers,
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began their assault on the unsuspecting Tausug villagers below.
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Sadly, within moments,
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the peaceful sanctuary of Buddaho turned into a scene of bloodbath,
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a scene of gruesome,
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unimaginable horror.
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The Americans had prepared for a decisive strike.
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Underestimating the indigenous Tausug's resolve
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to protect their homes and families,
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the air filled with the sound of gunfire
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and the cries of the innocent,
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men, women, and children,
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none were spared in the chaos that ensued.
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The battle quickly turned into a massacre,
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with the indigenous defenders outnumbered and outgunned,
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yet fighting valiantly against the overwhelming might of their attackers.
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Eyewitness accounts and historical records
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paint a grim picture of the two days that followed.
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The once vibrant community inside the crater was decimated,
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its people subjected to indiscriminate killing.
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The ground, soaked with the blood of innocent civilians,
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bore witness to the cruelty of the conflict,
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the cruelty of imperialism.
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Official records reported that the battle was fought
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with prodigious energy on both sides,
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a glorified report assuming that it was,
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as General Leonard would claim it to be,
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a dangerous armed rebellion.
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But the truth of the matter remains,
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it was not an armed rebellion.
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the indigenous Tausug encampment in Budahol
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was an act of resistance,
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an act of survival,
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a seemingly harmless act
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that got into the nerves of the American general.
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General Leonard Wood himself was present at Budahol
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and ordered his men to kill or capture the 900,
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calling them savages.
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They made no distinction nor consideration
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for the innocent women, children, and the elderly.
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Using bayonets and 19th century machine guns,
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the Americans charged down on the surviving villagers.
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They slaughtered the people of Budahol one by one.
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Snipers targeted and shot down moral defenders from afar,
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while those charging down the civilians below
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slashed their bodies into pieces.
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Like slashing down weeds and bushes,
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the people of Budahol were mowed down
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to make way for American rule.
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The indigenous Tausug, known for their bravery,
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fought with everything they had,
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you know, from the traditional weapons
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to sheer determination.
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But sadly, the advantage of modern,
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heavy artillery was insurmountable.
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Now, in the wake of Budahol,
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photographs of the gruesome massacre
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unveiled the tragedy's depth,
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steering a divided American public
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and challenging justifications of the battle.
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Yet, this story transcends conflict,
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embodying the indigenous Tausug people's
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profound resilience.
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And although met with adversity,
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their stand against imperialism
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to protect their people
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shines as a testament to their indomitable spirit
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and a beacon of their unwavering commitment
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Now, before we continue,
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I just want to give a special shoutout
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and a heartfelt thank you
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to the Sulu Cultural and Historical Society
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and to the University of the Philippines
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Institute of Islamic Studies.
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You know, for all your hard work
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in uplifting the history and the culture of our people.
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Magsukultuod kay mo.
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Now, back to our topic,
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what exactly happened in the aftermath
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of the massacre in Budahol?
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Now, in the wake of the harrowing events
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or the massacre at Budahol,
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the American imperialist narrative
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sought to justify the massacre,
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as a necessary action against rebellion.
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Despite the fact that
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the villagers at Budahol were peaceful.
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Despite the fact that
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they were not rebels.
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They were simply seeking refuge
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away from the Philippine-American war.
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Away from the bloodshed
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brought about by the American conquest of the Philippines.
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And this rationale,
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which in the modern day is basically,
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labeling the peaceful indigenous villagers
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as rebellious terrorists,
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was steeped in the era's prevalent racism.
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to acknowledge the profound injustice
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inflicted on the indigenous Tausug people.
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Now, this tragedy sparked outrage
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among notable figures in America,
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who vehemently criticized the imperialist actions,
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underscoring the moral dissonance
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between the ideals of liberty
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and the reality of oppression.
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Amid the outcry over the Moro Crater Massacre,
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W.E.B. Du Bois stood as a loud vocal critic
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against the imperialist actions
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of the United States.
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a central figure in the struggle
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for African-American civil rights,
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was particularly struck by the photograph
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capturing the massacre's aftermath.
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He found it not just shocking,
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but profoundly revealing.
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He described this haunting image
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as the most illuminating he's ever seen,
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a haunting testament to the massacre's brutality.
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Du Bois considered making this haunting image
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a permanent fixture in his classroom
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to starkly convey the grim realities of imperialism.
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The grim realities of imperialism
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The grim realities of imperialism
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The grim realities of imperialism
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The grim realities of imperialism
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The grim realities of imperialism
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The grim realities of imperialism
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The grim realities of wars of conquest
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The grim realities of wars of conquest
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The grim realities of wars of conquest
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Du Bois' perspective emphasizes
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the importance of solidarity,
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the importance of moral and intellectual resistance
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in confronting the injustices
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brought by American imperialism.
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His reaction underscores
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a broader, deeply felt opposition
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to imperialist endeavors,
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highlighting the moral
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and the intellectual resistance
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against the injustices
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of American expansionism.
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this was not part of the original video.
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This was not part of the original video.
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after the massacre,
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despite the fact that we now have
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this gruesome picture of the aftermath,
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General Leonard Wood
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actually tried to burn
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all of the evidence,
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all of the photographs
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that exposes the gruesome
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and brutality of the massacre.
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they tried their hardest
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to eliminate any evidence,
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anything that would expose
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how bad, you know,
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how bloody and gruesome
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this massacre was
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and peaceful innocent villagers.
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And another thing
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I forgot to mention earlier
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General Leonard Wood
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actually got orders
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from Washington, D.C.,
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from the White House itself
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the innocent people
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99% of the people
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living in Budahol
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were brutally massacred.
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and men and the elderly
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indiscriminately.
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If one were to even imagine,
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within just one and a half day,
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an entire village
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of freedom-loving
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indigenous people
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in one of the worst acts
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of the United States
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and the Philippines.
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Yet those who insisted
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such unnecessary bloodshed
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General Leonard Wood,
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despite the shame
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of being the mastermind
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would be promoted
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he served as the governor
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of the entire Philippines.
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the massacre at Budahol
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marked one of the lowest points
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of American imperialism.
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And along with the rape
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of a palate in Pampanga
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and the atrocities
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surrounding the Balangiga Massacre
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in Samar in 1901,
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the senseless bloodshed
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upon the people of Budahol
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remains largely forgotten
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in our mainstream consciousness.
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in the slightest way,
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absolutely necessary
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tactical military victory
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over the islands.
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But they were indeed
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and in decimating
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the indomitable spirit
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of the indigenous people.
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Battle of Budahol
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revealed one of the worst
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face of American presence
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in the Philippines.
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the Americans used
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against the Moros
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were soaked in pig's blood.
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It was their intention
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not just to harm the Moros,
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but also to humiliate
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The legacy of Budahol
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is a somber reminder
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of the long-term effects
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has on communities
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like Sulu and Mindanao.
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The indigenous Tausug people
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people's resilience
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of continuous struggle
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of their enduring spirit
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and the importance
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of remembering Budahol
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as more than just
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a footnote in history,
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but as a testament
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of acknowledging our past,
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no matter how uncomfortable,
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the lessons learned
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and empathetic understanding
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And as we reflect
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on the echoes of Budahol,
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the cause of freedom
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and the price of silence.
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of the continuous journey
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towards acknowledging
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the wrongs of history.
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And if you think about it,
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the massacre at Budahol
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a chapter of the past,
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but it's a continuous narrative
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that such tragedies
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are never forgotten
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In the echoes of Budahol,
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far beyond its time,
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today's global struggles.
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historical bloodshed
16:59.5
of the brutal impact
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and the dehumanization
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the echoes of the past
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resonate in the present day,
17:10.0
of the Palestinian people
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trapped in the midst
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Just as the people of Sulu
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endured the humanization
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in their homeland,
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the relentless burden
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The heart-wrenching devastation
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of innocent lives
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whether in Budahol
17:29.4
to advocate for justice
17:31.7
for lasting peace.
17:33.2
Remembering Budahol
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is not just about
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honoring the past,
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but it's a call to action,
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a call for empathy,
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a call for understanding
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in our world today.
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from the resilience
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witnessed at Budahol
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and the solidarity
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in its aftermath.
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Let us draw inspiration
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against oppression.
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together we must carry forward
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of the indigenous
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not in the spirit
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but with a commitment
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to forging a world
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that genuinely honors
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deserved by every soul.
18:08.6
Because honestly,
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whether we reflect
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and the bloodshed
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or on the ongoing
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no matter our religion,
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regardless of our ethnicity,
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and lasting peace.
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Because no matter
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where we are in the world,
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we need to ensure
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that such tragedies
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must never be repeated.
18:35.7
but if you want to deepen
18:36.5
your understanding
18:37.3
about today's topic,
18:38.4
check out my book
18:39.0
Black Lives and Brown Freedom,
18:40.5
untold histories of war,
18:43.1
And in this book,
18:43.8
I have an entire chapter
18:44.8
dedicated to the Battle
18:47.6
forgotten chapters
18:48.4
of the Philippine-American War,
18:52.4
like the Rape of a Palate
18:53.8
and the Balangiga Massacre
18:56.6
Your support for the book
18:57.6
will also support
18:58.3
my continued research
19:00.9
our people's untold histories.
19:02.7
So make sure to check out
19:04.2
to order your copies today.
19:05.8
Dakal pong salamat.
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one last thing before I go,
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thank you to all my patrons,
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and viewers like you
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throughout these years.
19:12.9
Your unwavering support
19:14.0
and love throughout these years
19:17.3
Maraming maraming salamat po
19:18.8
or in Kapampangan,
19:19.8
dakal pong salamat
19:20.8
and in Bahasa Sug,
19:21.9
magsukultuod kayo.
19:23.5
See you next time
19:25.7
and in Kapampangan,
19:27.7
and in Bahasa Sug,
