Deep Random Thoughts: Everyone's a Little Bit Racist

*Disclaimer: Deep Random Thoughts are blogs on anything that affects me emotionally, mentally and spiritually. They may not be structurally well written but they're from the heart. And you were already forewarned that they're random...

Okay, so I have to admit that through all the tragedy, I consciously decided not to follow the hostage taking. It's not that I don't care about what was happening, it's just that I'm not a person who can take news like that. I remember reading on the paper about those teachers burned alive during one of the bloodiest elections in the Philippines. I got so upset that I went in the bathroom and cried really hard. It's very difficult for me to watch the news already but to watch something like that, I just couldn't do it. Which is why my reactions to what happened especially the backlash may be a bit delayed. Hearing stories of Filipino OFWs in HK being treated, Jinggoy being rudely treated by an immigrations officer, Jackie Chan's twitter comments are only being addressed by my brain now.

I feel very sad about this for while I know that there are many Chinese employers who treat their Filipino employees well, we also know of stories where Filipino employees are maltreated in Chinese countries. Whether they admit to it or not, Filipinos whether OFW's or tourists are treated like 2nd class citizens in these countries. It makes me really sad. I mean I won't be a hypocrite and say that I have never been a racist in my life because we all know a racist joke or two. As Avenue Q puts it, "Everyone's a little bit racist." It's just sad that Filipinos are suffering a worse fate than they already have because of one person's actions that resulted in death. But seriously? I mean it's just lucky that Filipinos are such a reticent kind of people because we'll take it even though we weren't necessarily at fault because for some reason we feel guilty. So we don't say anything when we're maltreated. I mean this is a people who suffered through 300 years of maltreatment under the Spaniards. We can take a lot. But please, don't think that we won't push back at some point. I'm already feeling angry as it is posting this. We are sorry this happened. It sucks big time! But you don't have to punish those who are not at fault. We know you're angry. Heck, we're angry too! Why can't we help each other instead of hating each other? Weren't we all victims in this tragedy?