Filipinos and Racism: Are Filipinos Racist?

I found this in my email vault concerning Filipinos and Racism. Are we a racist culture? Do we look down on others because they are different? Yes, I know. Right now you're thinking, "not again...this is a topic that is overplayed, overdiscussed, overanalyzed, and beaten like a dead horse." But Filipinos and Racism, in the Philippines? Are Filipinos racist?

In sharing the ABS-CBN email below, I only hope to open eyes, to make people see, to make people realize. To discuss, is to foster ideas. To hide it, and pretend it doesn't happen, well, you decide. (And by the way, I did receive an emailed response from them...but that is another post, don't you think?)
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
October 21, 2005
My Name Here
Makati City, Philippines
ABS-CBN Station
Management and Shareholders
Dear ABS-CBN management and shareholders:
I am writing this letter to express my extreme disappointment and utter disbelief in ABS-CBN for perpetuating racial discrimination and ignorance. On October 18, 2005, I saw a scene from the Yes Yes Show in which a character played by Aiko Melendez said “Nigger, Nigger, Nigger” at least three times consecutively to a seemingly black individual as a comedic punch line which meant to designate the said individual as an inferior and disgusting human being. It is demeaning, degrading, belittling, and mean-spirited, and it shows the ignorance of Filipino people.
As a minority of Filipino decent, born in the Philippines but raised in the United States, I have studied, and to some extent experienced, the struggles of African Americans or blacks, Chinese, Latinos, Filipinos, and other minorities who suffered, and still continue to, face racial discrimination. How many people have died fighting racial discrimination, and how many people today continue to be oppressed because of it? In 1999, I was chosen by my University as the student delegate on The Advancement of Minority Groups held in Washington, DC, and we discussed ways to promote our Filipino culture and fight prejudice, racial discrimination, and hatred. Thereafter, I conducted forums and seminars to advance the lot of the Filipinos and other minorities.
Since I have been raised in the US, I came back to the Philippines to rediscover my roots, to learn about my culture, to find what it is like to be a Filipino, a Pinoy, to contribute to my society by teaching what I know, and instead, I found something quite appalling and disgusting: my very own Filipino, my own kababayan, the ones I have been fighting for in the US, the ones I have been trying to represent and be proud of, who are advancing racial discrimination, prejudice, and hate. I am completely discombobulated and disturbed by this phenomenon.
“Nigger, nigger, nigger.” Those words reverberate in my head, as they slowly turn into “monkey, monkey, monkey.” Am I a brown monkey, chink, or yellow because I am Filipino, and I look Asian? Am I a dog killer? Am I dog eater? Do I eat cats? Am I a spic, a beaner, or a wetback because I also look Mexican? These are hurtful words that have been used by racist Americans to degenerate, degrade, belittle, and demean the human spirit. As a student activist in the US, I have tried my very best to educate those few hateful and ignorant people. And as a visitor here in this country, a balikbayan, and seeing this horrid scene on national television, I feel compelled to speak out; to simply let is pass would make me an irresponsible human being.

This is the 21st century and one would expect that people are a little more sensitive to racial issues through the advancement of technology, globalization, modernization, education, forums, and debate among many other factors. I believe the native Filipinos were once called “Indios,” a derogatory term bestowed upon them by their Spanish masters. So why should ABS-CBN and its management allow “Nigger,” a derogatory term bestowed upon the black African Americans who were captured and enslaved by their white, Anglo or Caucasian masters? Why would a political leader elected into office such as Aiko Melendez even agree to play such a character?
Do the people that subscribe to The Filipino Channel worldwide know that ABS-CBN is promoting hatred and racial discrimination? Do the shareholders know that they are supporting a station that is insensitive, careless, and irresponsible in regards to race issues? Growing up in the US, I have always thought that the Filipinos are respectful, responsible, and disciplined. I am totally dismayed by ABS-CBN’s actions as they have portrayed the Filipino people otherwise.
When I go back home to the US next month, I can only be truthful to those who will ask me how my trip was. I have seen so many beautiful things. And I have also seen so many ugly and disgusting things. I have seen the resiliency of the people, and at the same time, I have seen their widespread ignorance. Perhaps this ignorance is what makes the people resilient, for one must fall in order to display an act of resiliency. Perhaps this is a never-ending vicious cycle. I will let them know about this incident.
“Monkey, monkey, monkey!” I can only hope that when I get home, I will not get this reception as I step out of my plane, and live once again with my fellow Americans.
Sincerely,

My Name Here

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Power Tripping, Is this a Filipino Thing?

I had a meeting with the two city managers and five assistant branch managers this morning at 8 a.m. to discuss with them the "Marketing Blitz" we were going to do that day. I'm in charge of this whole activity since I am the marketing manager for the suburban area. I talk and drive around the city for a living. I'm glad I talk and talk, rather than think and think. It's so much easier.

Anyhow, one of the city managers cut me off and opposed me when I was discussing marketing strategies. That is a big no-no. That is so unprofessional. I played it cool, though. I didn't want any kind of confrontation and so I just shut my mouth and let him speak. I know what I was saying, and I wanted him to continue making a fool of himself. He doesn't have a good reputation anyway amongst his employees. But this guy, he loves to talk, talk, talk, talk, and talk. He actually doesn't talk for a living. He's in operations. But he talks and talks and talks like there is no tomorrow. And trust me, that gets annoying.

So yeah, people love to power trip. Over a group of people, they wield whatever power they have, no matter how small their position is. Even a freakin' receptionist will think she owns the company. Even a freakin' restaurant manager thinks he's the only one who can serve food. Even a freakin' doorman can think he owns the whole building.

My friend from the Philippines told me that is a common Filipino trait, where even the smallest person, if given some little form of authority, enjoy being in command. They like to make other people feel like they are in control. Sort of like showing off. To let the other person know that you are a superior being. Case in point: people there have such expensive cell phones, but hardly any load or hardly any thing in their homes. They are so aware of brands, they try to wear brand name clothes; I said "try" because most of them are fake clothes. In fact, on a couple of occasions, someone came up to me if the clothes I was wearing (Abercrombie and Diesel) were real.

More points to make. Balikbayans love to go back to the Philippines and show off. They pretend they have a lot of money, but really, it's borrowed from the bank.

I am proud to be a Filipino. But there are certain things I can't help but talk about. Don't worry, I will be talking about our strengths soon. Let's get these "negativities" out of the way first.

Filipinos Lack Pride and Confidence?

Last night, I had a conversation with a realtor I may be working with in the Philippines. The topic of Filipino pride and confidence became a part of our conversation when she used the word "kindly," as in "kindly tell me when..."

I noticed that many Pinoys use this word. Kindly tell me. Kindly show me. Kindly give me. Kindly pass the. Kindly this. And kindly that. Heck, kindly everything and anything. See it can get annoying. Point is, I hear this all the time from Filipinos. So I decided to be blunt and asked her directly, "Why do Filipinos use this so much."

At first she said that it was her way of being respectful. She said that Filipinos use it often because they are a very respectful culture, and it's like saying "paki" as in "paki-usap". It's just like inserting the word "please" to a certain request or command. In American, we say, "would you please tell me, " or "could you please tell me..."

In the end, it came down to one point, Filipinos indeed lack a certain pride and confidence. They can't be bold enough to just say "hey, tell me when" or "give me the information." Instead, they bow their heads or NOT look a person in the eye when speaking. It's all about the "yes ma'am" "yes sir" "opo" "oho." Such a culture of many paradoxes. Paradox? They are so brave and bold in the People Power movements. Yet, when it comes to everyday life, so submissive. Even the Pinoys in the US; many of them are like this. Must be the upbringing.

The Filipino realtor said it's because the Philippines has been conquered by so many different other cultures: Spanish, Japanese, American. The Philippines always had to bow down to someone. Now the country is being infiltrated by so many other races: Chinese, Korean, Indian. I love the fact that it is becoming a diverse country. I'm all for diversity and respect for all human kinds. But with this diversity, it becomes harder and harder to define what or who is a Filipino. Chinese are Filipinos. They are called Chinoys, right? Someone correct me here if I'm wrong. I think there comes a time when things will be defined as "ethinically Filipino" and "naturalized Filipino."

Get this. You can see the lack of pride and confidence where ever you go. Go to Greenbelt 3. Havana. Non-Filipinos are worshiped by the Pinoys. Go to the province. You put a white guy there, and everyone washes his feet and kisses his ass. Okay, okay. Not everyone. But almost everyone.

Me, I will treat you not by the color of your skin, but by the content of your character. That's the Martin Luther King in me. It's all about treating someone not by their social status, the thickness of their pockets, the lightness of their skin, or the smell of their breath (though sometimes that can be a killer). Treat someone because of their humanity. The very fact that they are human being, they deserve just and fair treatment.

Are We All Prostitutes?

What a hot, hot, hot day here in Las Vegas. Low at 84 degrees. High at 104. It's so damn hot you can fry sunny side ups on my stomach. Fortunately, it's not humid; otherwise, I would be sweating like a pig knowing it's getting ready to be roasted.

My job (I'll call it a job, since I know I won't be doing it for long) involves driving around the entire city talking to decision makers. I wonder if I'm going to get in trouble for saying I won't be there long; in the US, this is enough cause for termination. Especially here in Nevada, where it's a "right to work state." You know, there are a lot of power trippers out there. Even the smallest receptionist will wield her gatekeeping skills, making her feel the almighty protector of the company. Sometimes, I don't get it. It's like saying, "I don't need your business, because nobody else needs mine." We're all co-dependent. I'm marketing something that the company needs to operate their business.

So, day after day, hour after hour, heat after heat, we all give up a certain part of ourselves to make money. Time, energy, pride, dignity, sweat, health, family, girlfriend, boyfriend, husband--yes, we all sacrifice a certain part of our lives for the glorious green, the dough. Like they say, money makes the world go 'round. But then again, they also say, money is the root of all evil. I say, money, used wisely, is good thing. Hmmm. Is that profound enough? But back to that point of giving a part of ourselves, sometimes more, to make that money. A society like ours depend on money to survive. In the end, we'll work for that money. Some work using their beauty. Some using their skills. Some, their you know what. In the end, we all have to survive.  And if you're not guilty of anything, here's a stone you can throw.

One day, I will not be working for corporate America. I do not know the man (or woman, or transvestite, or transgendered) whom I work for. I close accounts, gain money for the company, but I see almost nothing of that gain. So yes, I will work for myself some day. I would rather sweat and give some of myself to my own cost. At least I know that the fruit of my labors, is the fruit of my own doings.

Family Interdependence

It's already freakin' 12:37 p.m. on an early Sunday afternoon, and here I am still, in bed, waiting for the sun to go down. Actually, Sundays have always been a chill type of day for me. Thus, the term lazy Sunday, right? I've fallen into the lazy Sundays because of previous habits, like clubbing on Saturday nights way past anyone's bedtime. But hey, this is Las Vegas, and it's a 24-hr city.

People are probably just getting out at church now. Some are having their lunches already. Some are doing their thingamajigs. Yet, here I am still in bed, with this laptop. I actually got up pretty early today, like around 7:30 a.m., but I figured since I didn't have anything important to do yet, I went back to sleep only to wake up about an hour ago.

So yeah, it's lazy Sunday for me, and I'm suffering from the repercussions. But wait a minute, I did not go out last night. Ha ha. Still, I'm so used to having lazy Sundays, I just tend to mope around the house as soon as I wake up. But today, it's going to be different. I'm not going to sulk in sorrow all day long till I have to go to bed only to wake up the next morning to go to work. That is a killer. Instead, I have already made plans with my cousins and family to go to Sunset Park to do some picknicking or barbecuing and play volleyball and frisbee golf. It's been almost a year that I have not spent time with my cousins and brothers. This should be a good reunion.
Family. I have had numerous discussions with friends about family, how they behave with each other, their connections, their interactions, obligations, responsibilities, and the like. Me, I have always been a family-oriented kinda guy. But no more. I have finally learned that there comes a time you just have to let go. Why? Because we are all independent human beings who need our freedom. Yes, I'm Filipino, and that is completely the antithesis of what my culture does, but there are things in my life, in my plans, in my goals, that are not necessarily in accordance with the family. Imagine, in the Filipino family, one is expected to live at home until they are married.

So yes, no more living at home. I have three brothers, all in their mid-20s who still live at home, and that is a very good example of the Filipino culture. I have been telling my brothers for years, to get their own place, to learn how to be independent and survive on their own. The youngest, my little sister, was actually the first of my siblings to move out, which was right after high school. She moved in with her non-Filipino boy friend, and she has been living with him ever since. That is also breaking two big Filipino traditions. One, the youngest, a girl for that matter, moving out and she is not married. Two, she is moving in with a boyfriend. For me though, I admired that in my sister, that she was able to free herself and learn how to be independent. Me, at that time, I was stuck into the traditional role of the eldest, the provider, the caregiver, the one who will lead everyone else into glory. Not anymore.

Yes, breaking away was hard, but I had to do it. It was for my good. It was for their own good.

Image Issues

HEY!  I'm trying to stay away fats and carbos. Yes, I'm one of those self-professed semi-obsessive, but not-so-compulsive dieters. I'm the type to not stick to a diet regiment, because I know I could never do it. I never really thought I would be going on a diet, especially since I was always very skinny in high school and part of my college years. My diet was, eat, eat eat. And if you're full, eat more. Just keep eating.

I was so damn skinny you could probably blow me a "flying kiss" and I would be blown miles away. If you're not Filipino, and you didn't understand that analogy, it just means I was just skinny beyond belief. When I graduated high school, I was a flimsy 125 lbs with just bones and nice teeth to show. At the end of my first year in college, I was a bony 132, but at least that gave me hope. But as a guy, a man, who wants to be skinny, right? I felt like I was weak and unattractive. But to make a long story short, I was 155 lbs by the middle of my sophomore year by eating a lot and going to the gym; but the cost of this weight gain was the loss of my washboard abs.

I'm still at a toned 155 lbs, but I have never really thought of having back those abs again. At least I am not fish bones anymore...But i'm reaching a good age, where I need to see them again. So here I am, on a special diet. Chicken is the prime target. I try to eat skinless chicken breast all the time, but I'm not willing to give up KFC. Lots and lots of veggies, steamed especially. Beef and fish. Yummy. And cut down dramatically on pork, which means no more bacon, longanisa, pork chops.

And here's the kicker, white sticky rice must go down to a minimum. Filipinos eat rice. It is their staple food. But having grown up in the US, I am accustomed to eating without rice. Instead, I'm eating whole wheat bread. It's not a bad substitute. But yes, i do miss rice, and I wish I could eat still eat a lot of it. But I probably eat a cup of rice maybe a week now.

Image, image, image. When trying to have a certain image, I know it's very unhealthy when you're doing it for the wrong reasons, like pleasing society, or those around you, be it a boy friend, girlfriend, parents, or friends. Me, I'm doing it because I wanna look good for myself. Ha ha. Who are we kidding here? I'm doing it not only for myself, but it's nice to have that attention. Who would not want that attention here and there? And I can hear all those comments again, "Dude, you're vain" "Man, you're full of yourself." Most of us have some kind of vanity; we all want to look good in the best way we know how, just to certain degrees.

So, it's time for me to go and cook the chicken breast, no skin. Extra virgin olive oil. Steamed brocolli, cauliflower, and green beans.

Everyone Wants Attention...Including Me

HERE'S MY FIRST OFFICIAL ENTRY into the blogging world of internet geeks, housewife whores, kinky accountants, sophisticated racists, and neurotic, bipolar Asians like me. To be more specific, a Fil-Am in Las Vegas. I have read some blogs out there; of course, most were boring as hell, but there were a few that stood out to me. Mainly it was because they had deep insights, shallow perceptions, or just plain dumb, stupid, and crazy. Those are the sites that attracted me the most. They had something important to say, or nothing to say at all. And of course, there were those that was just boring to death.  I didn't care much about the blogs because it was just factual description of events. Boring, boring, boring. If you've seen the movie American Beauty, then you know what I'm talking about when I say there's nothing worse than the ordinary.

So here' my humble attempt to join this community. I've learned from the blogs, in the replies and comments section that if you are not ready to be judged, then you should stay out of sight. There can be cruel comments, and I'm ready for all that. Bring it on! I have been judged, beaten, scorned, burned, criticized, laughed at, mocked, and whatever word you want to fill in here over and over, so your comments will be more than welcome here. I do have feelings, but trust me, I process them very well. Better to get the truth out, than to hide the truth. Hmmm, what's that movie, or is it from the Bible, where we learn that "the truth will set you free." Yes, better to have some kind of confrontation, discussion, and disagreement about certain issues, than to hide it. Hey you might bottle it up and explode. And in these days of terrorism, explosions are not a good thing.

OK, I know by now, you're probably saying, "boring...boring...next..." Well if you've read this far, you might as well finish it. I'm almost done for my first ever entry. Okay, like I said earlier, must discuss thoughts, ideas, and the why's. Stay away from the factual discussion of events.

So here it is: my first official blog thought.

SELF ESTEEM. This is a good place to start, since we all deal with this every day of our lives. It's also a great place to start because, in a way, blogging is way of getting attention. Otherwise, we would all be doing the traditional "dear diary" with a lock and key and hide-under-the-bed-when-done method. So yes, blogging is our way of letting the world know who we are, what we think about, and why we do the things we do. So to a certain extent, we are looking for attention. We are looking for someone to stumble upon our blog, make a comment, hoping for a nice one.  It's our way of self-validation, for someone to say, "I read your blog, and I understand you." And for those people who are going to make comments on grammar, I'm not a "grammarian". I'm writing with thought-of-consciousness, where whatever comes to mind, I will type, and I am not going back to edit or delete as much. You're more than welcome to make fun of my grammar, but it would be much better if you made comments on the thoughts. You're more than welcome to resort to name calling, if you want to be childish for a moment, but it would be much better if you just attacked the ideas.

So yes, in a way, I'm here because I want attention too. I want people to know what I'm thinking. And along the process, I hope that I would inspire someone, or at least open a discussion on topics that I care about. Who knows, we might solve world hunger through these discussions. Okay, that's it blah blah blah for now. I'm getting bored of my own topic here. Like playing in the casinos, it's knowing when to walk away.