Im sure all of you have seen the latest on teh internets today, tada!
Question : Recent polls have shown a fifth of Americans can't locate the United States on a world map. Why do you think this is?
Miss South Carolina : “I personally believe that U.S. Americans are unable to do so because, uh, some people out there in our nation don’t have maps, and, uh, I believe that our education like such as in South Africa and, uh, the Iraq everywhere like, such as and I believe that they should, our education over here in the U.S. should help the U.S., er, should help South Africa and should help the Iraq and the Asian countries, so we will be able to build up our future for our children.”
Ok this made me ROFL liek really, i mean seriously what the heck was she thinking? I had a lot of questions in my mind like such as, does she have a map? or can she locate the U.S. on a world map? how long has she been joining pageants? was she really fit to join pageants like these? I mean im sure there was some kind of training that they'd undergo before they sign up right? Or at least the screening process would cut girls like her off. But then i suddenly remembered my grade school days when i used to join oratorical speeches (yes i WAS a geek) i tend to get too nervous and i always froze, though not long enough but still, it happened and for that i always lost (cos i suck) My point? Well, we all have moments like these, and i dont blame Miss SC. She was obviously trying to sound intelligent and somewhere along the process she messed up real bad, (but hey she ended up in you tube :p) It seemed like she wanted to establish or prove to everyone that she is not just another dumb blond but failed miserably. Lesson? Our need to articulate hinders us from delivering the message. We tend to focus on the impression of our message instead of the significance of its content. As a result, it loses its meaning or it invalidates what we are trying to point out.
*****
On Malu Fernandez
I know this is such a late entry, there are a lot of other blogs who have posted their two cents on this issue, well here's mine ( two pennies…Okay that didnt sound good)
However I forgot that the hub was in Dubai and the majority of the OFWs (overseas Filipino workers) were stationed there. The duty-free shop was overrun with Filipino workers selling cell phones and perfume. Meanwhile, I wanted to slash my wrist at the thought of being trapped in a plane with all of them.
While I was on the plane (where the seats were so small I had bruises on my legs), my only consolation was the entertainment on the small flat screen in front of me. But it was busted, so I heaved a sigh, popped my sleeping pills and dozed off to the sounds of gum chewing and endless yelling of “HOY! Kumusta ka na? At taga sann ka? Domestic helper ka rin ba?” Translation: “Hey there? Where are you from? Are you a domestic helper as well?” I though I had died and God had sent me to my very own private hell.
On my way back, I had to bravely take the economy flight once more. This time I had already resigned myself to being trapped like a sardine in a sardine can with all these OFWs smelling of AXE and Charlie cologne while Jo Malone evaporated into thin air.
Obviously this Malu girl is rich, traveling around all the time, staying in grand hotels, living an extravagant lifestyle (this vacation was not planned and she just went "hey pick a country! err… Greece? Ok let's go there!") So it seemed like she has not encountered things like these. But she did buy economy tickets round trip IN ORDER TO SAVE MONEY so stop ranting. You paid for economy, that's what you're gonna get. You decided to buy those tickets, therefore you made the choice to be there and sit with the OFWs, its not like you flew first class, then at least your whining would have had impact on your points. But NO. You were insensitive to these people's feelings, and even thought that the aticle was hilarious. Well, to some it may be, but to the people you lambasted, its not. Ok i think i've made my point so il stop here. It's good though that she realized what she did here and apologized publicly. Here it is :
I am humbled by the vehement and heated response provoked by my article entitled 'From Boracay to Greece!' which came out in the June 2007 issue of People Asia. To say that this article was not meant to malign, hurt or express prejudice against the OFWs now sounds hollow after reading through all the blogs from Filipinos all over the world. I am deeply apologetic for my insensitivity and the offensive manner in which this article was written, I hear you all and I am properly rebuked. It was truly not my intention to malign hurt or express prejudice against OFWs.
As the recent recipient and target of death threats, hate blogs, and deeply personal insults, I now truly understand the insidiousness of discrimination and prejudice disguised as humor. Our society is bound together by human chains of kindness and decency. I have failed to observe this and I am now reaping the consequences of my actions. It is my fervent hope that the lessons that Ive learned are not lost on all those who through anonymous blogs, engaged in bigotry, discrimination, and hatred (against overweight individuals , for example)
I take full responsibility for my actions and my friends and family have nothing to do with this. To date I have submitted my resignation letters to both the Manila Standard and People Asia, on that note may this matter be laid to rest.
