BROWN AND FROWN, WHITE AND RIGHT?
Here's one for Henry Sy and family, and the SM people and their friends who still think it's just hunky-dory and harmless to display those "imported" posters and billboards on all SM Malls in the country:
The most gut-wrenching portions of Dr. Renato Constantino's History: Myth and Reality are the excerpts from letters written by American soldiers who were ordered to commit atrocities here during the Philippine-American War.
These portions of the book convince a reader that the My Lai Massacre in Vietnam, which shocked the world, was quite nothing compared to the atrocities committed here at the turn of the century. Constantino quotes the Boston Herald correspondent who describes the American soldier's attitude toward the Filipino as follows: "Our troops in the Philippines look upon Filipinos as one of race and condition, and being dark men, they are therefore 'niggers' and entitled to all the contempt and harsh treatment administered by white overlords to the most inferior races." Constantino also quotes this excerpt from a letter by U.S. soldier A. A. Barnes who wrote to his parents: "The town was surrendered to us a few days ago and two companies occupied the same. Last night, one of our boys was found shot and his stomach cut open. Immediate orders were received by General Wheaton to burn the town and kill every native in sight, which was done to a finish. About 1,000 men, women and children were reported killed. I am probably growing hard-hearted for I am in full glory when I can sight my gun on some dark skin and pull the trigger."
Here's one for Henry Sy and family, and the SM people and their friends who still think it's just hunky-dory and harmless to display those "imported" posters and billboards on all SM Malls in the country:
The most gut-wrenching portions of Dr. Renato Constantino's History: Myth and Reality are the excerpts from letters written by American soldiers who were ordered to commit atrocities here during the Philippine-American War.
These portions of the book convince a reader that the My Lai Massacre in Vietnam, which shocked the world, was quite nothing compared to the atrocities committed here at the turn of the century. Constantino quotes the Boston Herald correspondent who describes the American soldier's attitude toward the Filipino as follows: "Our troops in the Philippines look upon Filipinos as one of race and condition, and being dark men, they are therefore 'niggers' and entitled to all the contempt and harsh treatment administered by white overlords to the most inferior races." Constantino also quotes this excerpt from a letter by U.S. soldier A. A. Barnes who wrote to his parents: "The town was surrendered to us a few days ago and two companies occupied the same. Last night, one of our boys was found shot and his stomach cut open. Immediate orders were received by General Wheaton to burn the town and kill every native in sight, which was done to a finish. About 1,000 men, women and children were reported killed. I am probably growing hard-hearted for I am in full glory when I can sight my gun on some dark skin and pull the trigger."
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A story like this one shouldn't make you rush to the nearest store to buy whitening cream because of fear. On the contrary, it should make you think and be proud and fight on that being brown or kayumanggi in color is beautiful, and you should be proud of your race and stand for it, even at gunpoint. Or, to the other parties concerned, would you rather just sell them whitening creams in your stores and try to save their lives by delivering a subtle message that being brown in color can be downright unacceptable - or in this case, life-threatening? Lame. Shame.
(Image from http://farm3.static.flickr.com/)
1 comment:
Hi Leslie...
I'm with you there. I don't understand why Pinays refuse to accept their colour -- I love mine and don't fear the sun (although I wear tons of sun block nowadays but that's for health reasons) and never did even as a child. Matter of fact, I'm the darkest among my siblings because I've always been a thoroughbred sun worshipper.
What's funny is seeing Pinays here with their umbrellas when it's sunny here. I giggle at the sight. But know what? Pinays aren't the only ones from Asia who seem to be deathly afraid of losing their much cultivated "fairness of colour." Truly amazing.
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