Proving a Point, Proving Humanity
14May2009 Posted by iseecallai in May 14,2009 My Own, Non-Fiction Thoughts, ReactionsDuring a performance last May 9 in SM Baguio, Candy Pangilinan, a comedian, said twice: “Tao po ako, hindi po ako Igorot (I am human, not an Igorot.).”
This statement was reminiscent of a sentence in Carlos P. Romulo’s book “Mother America,” published on 1943 in Garden City, New York by Doubleday, Doran & Co. Romulo wrote on page 53, “The fact remains that the Igorot is not Filipino and we are not related, and it hurts our feelings to see him pictured in American newspapers under such captions as ‘Typical Filipino Tribesman.’” In response, Carlos Romulo’s effigy, including several copies of the said book, were burned in Baguio’s Malcolm Square. Igorots also organized a mass demonstration to show their ire. In the end, Carlos P. Romulo apologized and clarified his reason for writing.
What has Carlos P. Romulo done? He has stripped the Igorots of our citizenship. What is more that than? Stripping us of our humanity. This, more than anything, is what Candy Pangilinan did.
Does Candy Pangilinan imply that Igorots are not human? Using the lessons learned from her Philosophy 11 class, a friend proved that this is certainly what Candy Pangilinan implied.
1. H • ~I / ~I → H ( I am Human (H) and I am not an Igorot (~I)
2. H 1, Simplification
3. H v I 2, Addition
4. I v H 3, Commutation
5. ~~I v H 4, Double Negation
6. ~I → H 5, Implication
(If I am not an Igorot, then I am human.)
Checked and double checked. Any philosophy student would say that this in fact what is implied.
I cannot believe that at this day and age, when discrimination is frowned upon and equality is promoted, there are still those who commit racial slurs. And what is more, we Filipinos raised hell when on one episode of Desperate Housewives, Susan she replied to her gynecologist, “Can I just check those diplomas because I just want to make sure that they are not from some med school in the Philippines.” We reacted strongly against the racial discrimination. But how come here in our own country, there are still some of us who do the same, and in a very public show too. We simply cannot allow this.
I cannot believe that at this day and age, when discrimination is frowned upon and equality is promoted, there are still those who commit racial slurs. Even if occupation calls upon a person to make jokes, it is never good to bring about laughter at someone’s expense. There are jokes that are better left unsaid. There are jokes that are not in any way funny. There are jokes that are not in good taste. This is certainly one of them.
I cannot believe that at this day and age, when discrimination is frowned upon and equality is promoted, there are still those who commit racial slurs. This blog, if anything else, tells how angered I am by Candy Pangilinan’s statement. This blog, if anything else, tells how human I, an Igorot, am. How dare anybody question that.
I AM AN IGOROT, AND PROUD TO BE ONE.
And just as Carlos P. Romulo, UN Security Council Chairman and Pulitzer Prize winner, apologized to the Igorots, Candy Pangilinan apologized in national television and in her various blogs to the Igorot community.
In her Multiply blog (http://candiva.multiply.com/journal/item/101), I commented:
“I am an IGOROT and PROUD to be one.
And although you say that it was an honest mistake. Saying the statement “Tao po ako, Hindi po ako Igorot.” TWICE makes it seem like it wasn’t.
And although you apologized, the mistake has caused the multitude of Igorots to feel that you looked down on our culture, nay, not only our culture but our entire humanity.
But straightforwardman is right, “Yes, we get hurt, we get offended. We fight for our rights, but, we also know how to forgive.”
With what you said I remember a part of Shylock’s little speech in Merchant of Venice.
“If you prick us, do we not bleed?
If you tickle us, do we not laugh?
If you poison us, do we not die?”
We, IGOROTS, are humans like you in the most similar way you can imagine.”
I AM AN IGOROT, AND PROUD TO BE ONE.
References:
http://www.baguiocityonline.com/daforum/viewtopic.php?id=7100&action=new
http://sandati.com/the-igorot-is-not-filipino-carlos-p-romulo/
http://books.google.com/books?id=ZHO8yje7UpAC&pg=PA180&lpg=PA180&dq=Carlos+Romulo+Igorot&source=bl&ots=5g9N9hpLWM&sig=ipqBtitjx5wGLcKjjG2T1_uJAm4&hl=en&ei=o1gMSsqlFYOHkQW-_NG0BA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=5#PPA189,M1
http://chytdaytec.multiply.com/journal/item/59/MARKY_CIELO_THE_BOY_WHO_REAWAKENED_IGOROT_CONSCIOUSNESS
http://skirmisher.org/bullshit-meister/in-response-to-a-highlanders-hispanophobia-a-postscript-to-el-mes-espanol/
http://michellemalkin.com/2007/10/03/desperate-housewives-insults-filipinos/
http://candiva.multiply.com/journal/item/101
- Tags: Academics, Baguio, Candy Pangilinan, Decisions, Igorot, Judgment, Philosophy, Racial Slurs
leonzky
May 16th, 2009 1.44 pm
One of the words that I heard from one of my teachers that really stuck with me are “You Filipinos, you are very noisy!” Which prompted us to ask him, are you not one? His reply ” I AM AN IGOROT!”
As for being a Filipinos, we Igorots were not conquered by the sword, unlike the candy-assed lowlanders. We were conquered by the cross so the term Filipinos technically does not apply to us. Even with that we are quite patriotic and productive members of the society.
I am proud to be a Filipino, and doubly proud to being an Igorot. Being in the lowlands I tried hard to inform my friends about their misconceptions about us. After multiple questions about our tails and other misconceptions I was able to come to the realization that its not what others think, but what I think of being an Igorot.
Many things about this stinks, discrimination, racism at your own backyard, so much so that my temper flares just hearing about the said joke. What Joke? Even i could think of better jokes and I am not being payed by my friends when they laugh. The damage has been done and all that will be remembered about this is that the City Council had done the people a favor of making the city livelier by forbidding one more stink from polluting the air of Baguio.
iseecallai
May 17th, 2009 9.13 am
I just read the article on ABS-CBN news about the council banning her and her movies from showing in the city.
Pssshhhh, let this be a lesson to all.
Lacquer
May 17th, 2009 5.59 pm
The Filipino society is still a double-standard one!
Some even call the reaction OA. Rmemeber when Claire Danes said a not flattering statement about Manila? We banned her movie. If Filipinos think that the banning of Claire Danes was apt, then so what was done with Candy. Candy’s statement was more bias and racist. Claire implied that manila was dirty(let’s admit it, she’s seen it with her eyes), but Cnady implies that igorots are not HUMANS. So what are the Igorots if they’re not humans? Dogs? They certainly don’t look like dogs! To my eyes, they’re closer to humans! They’re not even closer to Orang Utans or Chimpanzees
iseecallai
May 18th, 2009 6.38 am
i don’t think it’s OA. Anybody who is called “not human” (although, yeah, fine, it may be only implied but still) has the right to be angry about it. And angry they will be, they deserve that right.
To anybody who says that the Igorot community’s reaction about Candy Pangilinan’s statement: We were insulted. We were hurt. Let us be. Until you feel or have felt the same way, don’t say we’re over reacting.
myofbah
May 22nd, 2009 10.00 am
What were you thinking, Candy? How dare you come to our house and attack our dignity? Totally clueless and classless act!
Your lame excuse was so pathetic that I couldn’t stop from puking. I guess accountability was not part of your curriculum during your UP days. I did not even have to learn this from an academic setting. As a student of the University of Experience, I have always learned from my mistakes and turned my weaknesses into strengths and threats into opportunities. Simply put, my mantra in my daily walk with life is the golden rule: “Do unto others what you want them to do unto you.”
You have insulted the fiber of our being so do not be surprised with the worldwide uproar. The scars of the past are no longer that visible in the pages of our history, but here you come opening a fresh wound. What a fine time to hurt us, Candy!
It takes time for the wound to heal so do not expect that this will simply be swept under the rag with a simple apology. The hurting may never even heal. Nevertheless, I hope that this is a humbling experience for you, and I expect that your future shows will be clean and devoid of innuendos. We do not mind laughing. After all, I think everyone agrees that laughter is the best medicine for pain and suffering.