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Today, I just finished playing Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (again), and I witnessed the death of a true patriot yet again, portrayed by a woman everyone knew as The Boss.

In 1964, The Boss was then ordered to take part in a major operation to recover the Philosophers' Legacy from Colonel Volgin - known as the Virtuous Mission. In order to acquire the Legacy, The Boss had to trade her way into Volgin's ranks - and to do so she was given two portable nuclear warheads, one of which was ultimately used by Volgin to destroy Sokolov's design bureau. However, with the destruction of the bureau, The Boss' mission was greatly expanded and revised - this time she would have to also help prove the innocence of the United States in a mission known as Operation Snake Eater. One week after the Virtuous Mission, the U.S. government sends in an operative with orders to assassinate The Boss. The man who must carry out those orders is Naked Snake - The Boss' beloved protege.

Understanding the fact that in order to save the world and her country she had to give her life, The Boss gradually helps Snake with his mission while at the same time keeping up Volgin's trust.

Ultimately, The Boss informs Snake about the Philosophers and tells him that as a soldier it's his duty to face an existence of endless battle. After a final battle between the two amidst a field of white flowers, Snake defeats his mentor and kills her with a single shot from her own weapon. In the end, it was the ultimate goal of The Boss to use the Philosophers' Legacy to unite the Philosophers back together and in turn the people of the world. However, despite being seen as a traitor by both the United States and the Soviet Union, she would always be seen as a hero and a patriot by her most beloved disciple - Big Boss.(Metal Gear Wiki)

The story is completely fictional, of course. It's only a video game. But the story was so touching that it made me think: Would I go that far to prove my loyalty to my country? The Philippines?

"Aw, hell no! This country is too damn corrupt!" That was my first answer. At the moment, my "beloved" country is the most corrupt in all of Asia, which pretty much hurts. Of course, most kids like don't give a damn about politics and these kinds of things, but after seeing how truly unfair our government was, something hit me. I want to act but I don't want to act.

Honestly, I just want to pick up a Colt Single-Action Army and shoot the President right between the eyes. Actually, I want to shoot all politicians in the face. In the age we live in now, one look at a person is enough to tell if they're corrupt or not. Unless you're rich and industrious (which is quite rare among Filipino youths), you don't have a future here. Everyone's corrupt, even the squatters.

...

So is patriotism really an option for me? This country was never like what I read in the history books. There are no more people like Jose Rizal, Benigno Aquino, or Andres Bonifacio. I guess patriotism will never be an option for me if I think like this, or if the country stays the same.

- Trisha, Sept. 14, 2008