Just as soon as I heard the news about Desperate housewives discriminating our medical professionals, I did what all other Filipino bloggers out there did: TYPE. A link was passed on to me about a petition made by a Filipino named Kevin Nadal seeking for a public apology from the ABC network and censoring the scene from all future airings. I did my research and read everybody else's opinion about the situation. I came down to a conclusion and made my decision.. I did not sign the petition.
Now before y'all come over here with pitchforks in hand like a lynch mob, let me first explain why I chose not to sign it. There are a several reasons why I chose not to sign it but one of the main reasons why didnt was because I wanted to give the ABC network the benefit of the doubt. Most people tend to forget to look objectively before actually releasing their statements. This is what leads people who are new (therefore,ignorant) to the situation to be misinformed. Now since you're already here reading my blog, try to see this situation MY way and look lets look at it subjectively, shall we?
First of all, notice how the Youtube link up above is titled wrongly? The site to which that link is located is inappropriately named "Teri Hatcher insults Filipinos." I really feel so terribly sorry for Ms. Hatcher since it was not her who released that statement. Rather, it was the character Susan Delfino PORTRAYED by Teri Hatcher who said it. Comments in that page ranting that Hatcher's nothing but a washed-up actress would be totally unfair her. Not to mention hypocritical of us Filipinos since we see ourselves to be above this discrimination. Yet we can't stand to keep ourselves from taking potshots ourselves. Wouldn't you think we'd take the high road instead?
Another point that I raise has to do with what the statement actually refers to. As much as I wanna say that whoever wrote this into Teri Hatcher's script was a dickweed who seemed to have a distorted and ignorant view that Philippine eductation is poor and inferior, (a point which is true in some levels like public education) I still can't help but to admit that the selling of fake diplomas is so very true in this country. In ABC's defense, maybe this is what Susan Delfino was refering to.. Who knows? Maybe the writers of Desperate housewives we're more adept at living in Metro Manila than we think. Cause it would seem that you would know how these things would go if you lived here.
One last point. Desperate housewives is a Drama/Comedy show. Since when do people ever consult their dramas for their doctors? If I was a doctor practicing in the U.S. right now (and I wish I had the brain capacity to) I wouldn't be so concerned by this statement. I mean in all seriousness, whoever has their views on Filipino doctors changed by this one statement from some television show is a moron. And let's face it, television is meant to reflect reality. Im sure all of us at one point in our lives have said something racial. Whether it be a joke in a drinking session or just plain ranting about some person who cut the lunch line. We are all guilty of this. The character Susan Delfino is not perfect. What do you expect? There are far more worse things she or any other character on television could say.
Let's get one thing straight, Im not happy about that statement either. But the point that I am trying to raise is this: Do we have to boycott every program that makes fun of us? Remember that whole Jay Leno incident in which he made fun of our troops? Boy! were we fuming mad after Leno said "Alright boys lets all get in the Hummer!" What's so bad about that? It's just a joke. Im just saying, let it slide. Just think if the African-Americans and the Jewish people did this everytime they were made fun of, we'd be out of programs in no time flat. We Filipinos take pride at being able to laugh at problems and misfortune. Couldn't we just do that now?
Now this is just one man's insight. If you want to sign the petition the link is just down below. If you feel strongly about it, by all means, please sign it.
