Candy Pangilinan’s Ethnic Slur (2)

Candy Pangilinan’s public verbal and written apology has not doused the flames of another e-bonfire of inanities similar to the one that raged when the “Francesca in France” issue was still red-hot.

One only has to visit Philippine Entertainment Portal (PEP) to get a feel of this blaze.  Most of the comments to the PEP article on Candy’s faux pas surely  titillate the gossip-mongers, but only foment more misunderstandings among us.

Take, for example, this vacuous comment by one who aptly called him/herself “Showbizbuddy”:

Huwag na sana maging OA ang remark ng iba against Candy kasi obvious naman na hindi intentional ang ginawa niya. Saka hindi naman racist si Candy kapag nga nasa abroad yan Pinoy agad ang hinahanap niyan para makausap. E kung foreigner na racist ang makakausap niyo baka mas malala pa ang sabihin sa ethnic minority sa Pinas e. Take the remark constructively Igorots! We love you naman — huwag kayong mga balat-sibuyas sa mga tukso ng mga komedyante at mga kababayang miron na walang magawa: We are proud of you and Candy as well I am sure. (15May2009 00:54am)

Naturally, Showbizbuddy’s attempt to chip in his/her one-centavo to buying Igorots out of this flame backfired (mixed idioms and metaphors intended ). Consider:

♣ Branding the Igorots’ reaction to Candy’s slur as “OA” could only further antagonize some Igorots

♣ Reference to foreigners as being more racist towards Filipino ethnic groups is fallacious (red herring) and missed the bone of contention (i.e. ethnocentrism/discrimination among Filipinos themselves)

♣ Her/His positive-thinking advice: “Take the remark constructively Igorots!” positively identifies a Filipino who lacks sensitivity to the cultural and historical undertones of this issue

♣ To top it all, expressing one’s love for Igorots and pride in what they represent while telling them not to be balat-sibuyas (lit. “onion-skinned,” which, in the Philippines, means you’re a bundle of nerves, not 90% fat-free) smacks of hypocrisy.

That is why another commenter, “Pinkcheeks,” retorted as follows to show she wasn’t tickled pink by Showbizbuddy’s facile remarks:

Showbizbuddy,

Don’t be ridiculous.. you are another Candy.Don’t say you love us, its very obvious that you are just saying it just to shut us up. You are very wrong foreigners are very sensitive about racist remarks…in most countries they have antidiscrimination law. If that joke was said overseas that could have banned Candy in the entertainment industry..thats how serious it is. It just sounds simple because we are in pinas..and apology is enough to repair it.We are not being OA please dont call us that.Dont make more damage.she has already apologized. (15May2009 06:46am)

It is not only the inconsiderate comments of non-Igorots that have stirred the coals, however.  Some of my fellow Igorots are to blame as well for their unfiltered retorts, like these strings of threats and put-downs from “Fireman”  (boy, was he on fire!) and “Lydnare,” respectively:

aba,ang kakapal din ng pagmumukha ng babaeng ito!

akala mo kagandahan! wag na wag kang magpapakita o tumuntong man lang sa Baguio!

baka gawin kang joke ng mga Igorot! sobra kasing OA at pilit magpatawa kaya tuloy ganyan ang kalalabasan mo.

dapat ibigti kang patiwarik Candy! kung umasta ka para kang sinu! (15May2009 11:14am)

Being an artist is being able to intertwine with appreciation, respect and aesthetics. Primarily candy has none of the traits! No appreciation for his hosts, no respect for others, and truly lacking of the aesthetics of humanity. She is just an artist, she is just a lame show of a circus. (15may200915.38pm)

It is bad enough that the un/ill-informed would speak about  or for Igorots whom they only know for their feathered headgears and woven tails. The more tragic thing is when we Igorots ourselves unwittingly build on stereotypes about us by our untempered responses to derogatory remarks against us.

Related Post: “Candy Pangilinan’s Ethnic Slur“