Real P.U.P. My A$$!

By: Mike Rudon Jr.

Just a little over two years ago, right around the time of the P.U.P. leadership convention, I heard the term 100% P.U.P. That was the absolutely first time that I got the inkling that there were different degrees of PUP-ness, so to speak; that if a certain line wasn’t toed or a certain agenda wasn’t followed, one could be sanctioned to a decrease in PUP-ness – depending on the severity of the infraction. This attempted bit of nonsense didn’t catch on (note the result of the convention) and the rest of us (all of us PUPs) moved on with the rebuilding of the Party.

I started off this way simply because this weekend I was reminded of how stupid it was to try and classify PUPs by degrees. This PUP thing is way bigger than that, and it sure as hell doesn’t belong to one person or one small group of people to do with it what they will. While the bad seed sown at that last leadership convention didn’t take root, the rule of probabilities has held true. Every movement and every cause, no matter how misguided or ridiculous, will probably attract a following. You all know who you are.

This weekend I saw PUPs in full force – serving food to those on the front lines, fighting in the hot sun for every single vote from every single villager, tussling with the UDP when it was necessary, standing up in the face of the PM (where he dared to show his face) and generally letting the UDP know what it’s all about. Our warriors stood strong and held the lines even when the UDP brought in their thugs from the city – sunburned and sweating, our PUPs sent a clear message. I saw this clearly in the villages of Ranchito and in Carmelita on Sunday, but from reports it is clear that the PUP is making a stand in every village we contest across the country. In the south and west of Belize, our warriors like Rodwell, Arthur, Dan, Nelson, Oscar, Mike, Obeah and many others are stepping to the line and sending a clear message to the UDP that enough is enough – Get the hell out!

I saw something else too. I saw Party Leader John Briceno with his people manning the front lines, getting up in the faces of the UDP thugs. I saw him talking to villagers, asking for their support, walking voters to the polling stations. I saw him holding children while mothers went to vote, rallying the troops for the last stand as 5:00pm approached; standing with the villagers as they waited for the results of the counting. I saw real leadership – not the leadership of issuing directives from hallowed ground or making 1-minute photo op appearances before retreating to the comfort of air-conditioned luxury. I saw a man who isn’t afraid to get down and dirty with his people, a man who would never ask others to do what he is not willing to do. That is leadership.

I also saw the reaction to that leadership. In Ranchito the PUP supporters were galvanized and energized, buoyed by the presence of the man in their midst, proud to shout out to the UDP that this was their leader who would be the next Prime Minister of Belize. In San Joaquin, a mass of supporters under the tent chanted his name as he approached to give support to the villagers there. In Carmelita the masses closed ranks around Johnny and fought for every last vote, daring the UDP crowd to step. It was amazing to see.

There’s this little group that claims to be the real PUPs within the PUP. I guess the rest of us are quasi-PUP, as a friend of mine calls me jokingly (or maybe not so jokingly). I didn’t see this group of real PUPs anywhere in attendance on Sunday. I daresay some of them were comfortable at home waiting for the results of the election, hoping for some ammunition for their weekly drivel. I didn’t see any of these real PUPs out there fighting in the sun for votes or jostling with the UDP on the front lines. They claim they are the real warriors of the PUP but desert the ongoing battle in favour of a struggle to find new mischief and new taunts to throw at the current leadership of the Party. I have no doubt that these real PUPs will have a lot to write this week, the result of a weekend spent brainstorming on a couch while the rest of us quasi-PUPs were out dealing with the real business of the Party and getting the work done.

I salute every PUP warrior from every corner of this nation who has been fighting the good fight not only over the past weeks but for months on end, since the UDP took over. I salute the Party Leader for refusing to be distracted by non-entities and for focusing on the real issues and standing with our people at every turn.

To the rest, I got only two things to say – if you all are the real PUPs and the rest of us out here fighting for the Party are the quasi-PUPs, then I’m proud to be a quasi-PUP and this is where I’ll stay. And secondly – you all say that it’s a convention you want. Really? If you’re sure that’s what you want then bring it on. I’m just concerned that after you lose that fight you’ll have a hard time finding something else to cry about.

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