Free stupid is forever by Miriam Defensor-Santiago

© Copyright 2014 by Miriam Defensor Santiago
and ABS-CBN Publishing, Inc.
    First Printing, December 2014
Second Printing, December 2014
    All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form
or any electronic means, including information storage or retrieval
systems without permission in writing from the authorized representative
of the publisher except brief passages in books, articles, reviews, legal
papers, and judicial or other official proceedings with proper citation.
    Any copy of this book without the corresponding number
and the authorized signature of the author on this page either
proceeds from an illegitimate source or is in possession of
one who has no authority to dispose of the same.
    Author Miriam Defensor Santiago
    Publisher Alexie Renz M. Cruz
Research Assistants Marie Angelica Thelmo,
    Jeanie Rose Bacong and Peter Tom Tolibas
Editorial Assistant Arlyn Rosales
    Art Director Noel Avendaho
Cover Illustration Cj de Silva-Ong
    President Ernesto L. Lopez
Managing Director Mark J. Yambot
Content Director Christina N. Lopez
Head, Special Projects Kristine V. Hernandez
    Pre-Press Production Manager Andy Lizardo
Digital Imaging Supervisor Gil Cargason
Digital Artist Seb Cachola
Production Coordinator Jouie Doca
Purchasing Officer Arnel C. Bon
    Head, Narrowcast and DTT Channels Antonio S. Ventosa
Sr. Finance Officcr-Narrowcast Myca G. Ramos
    ISBN 978-971-816-127-2
    ABS-CBN
    PUBLISHING INC.
     
    PUBLISHED BY
ABS-CBN PUBLISHING, INC.
8F ELJCC Building
Mother Ignacia St., cor.
    Eugenio Lopez Drive,
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    Books by the Author:
    Some 19 books in law and social sciences
Inventing Myself (an Autobiography)
    Cutting Edge, The Politics of Reform (an Autobiography) At the Turn of the Century
Where Angels Fear to Tread
Christianity Versus Corruption
A Frabjous Day and Other Stories
The Miriam Dictionary
    National Library of the Philippines CIP Data
    Recommended entry:
    Santiago, Miriam Defensor.
    Stupid is Forever / Miriam Defensor Santiago.
-- (Place of publication not identified) : ABS-CBN
Publishing, Inc., [c 20 I 4 l
    p.I32 ; 17.18 cm
    ISBN 978-971-816-127-8
    I. Santiago, Miriam Defensor -- Humor.
2. Filipino wit and humor. 3. English wit and humor
-- Philippines. 4 - Speeches, lectures, etc., Filipino --
Women authors. I. Title
    808.882 PN6222.P5 2014    P420140283
    Dedicated to my sons
Archie and A.R.,
    who traded bon mots with me everyday
at the dining table, until one day I
floored them with the question:
    "Why is there something instead of
nothing?” In disgust, they chorused:
"That’s not funny!” and walked out.
Foreword
    Of course, I make no claim to originality in this compilation
of my epigrams. My supporters find them funny, and my
enemies presumably find them revolting. That’s because
those villains are hardwired only for self-adulation.
    Anyway, I imbibed the responses in this volume from
joke books, epigrammatic collections, magazines, the native
intelligence of Filipino humor, and the need to survive the
pomposity and superficiality of politicians, who wouldn’t
recognize sarcasm if it jumped up and bit them in the
supercilious nose.
    This work, commissioned by my publisher, serves as the
second, enlarged edition of the well-received The Miriam
Dictionary, which was circulated during the 1992 presidential
campaign. This work is premised on my firm belief that
despite what the bible implies, God definitely has a sense of
humor.
    Miriam Defensor Santiago October 2014
About The Author
    Sense of humor is almost absent among politicians, but
Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago is a truly talented
exception. People are puzzled how she can spontaneously
make them laugh in the midst of national policy crises, and of
real danger to her life as a corruption fighter.
    Contrast adds to the humor, because Miriam is a leading
Asian intellectual. She was elected judge of the International
Criminal Court in December 2011, only to give it up because
of cancer. Millions of her fans