This morning, Reynz and I were talking over GTalk about the Desperate Housewives brouhaha when the topic led me to ask about the Bikolano term “uragon”.
Over the comments at the blog post linked above, I saw her say something about being called “uragon” as an insult when I had the impression that it had a positive connotation. See, the Legaspi chapter of IPMS Philippines - Bert Anido calls itself the Uragon chapter, and that made me think that “uragon” was actually positive thru-and-thru.
Reynz explained that, if a person close to her called her “uragon”, it may sound positive and treated like a term of endearment, but if it was someone else, “uragon” would actually be an insult.
It took me a while to get it, but I realized that, among gay Filipinos, if one is called “bakla” by a person close to him, it is likewise treated as a term of endearment. However, it would be insulting if that same gay person is called “bakla” by someone he doesn’t know.
Later in the day, Wake T-Rex posted an entry positing that Desperate Housewives was taken out of context and illustrates through this videoclip:
Likewise, Tess, a practicing physician, and Benj, a med student, both stated that they didn’t find the statement offensive. Tess even laments that a person is annoyed that she wasn’t offended.
There are valid points on both sides of the argument, but at the end of the day, I might ask, were we genuinely offended because the statement was invalid? Or were we riled because the person stating it is a foreigner — an American at that? Forget the fact that it’s actually a comedy show — because the joke is on us? Forget the fact that we’re just as guilty of having racial stereotypes?
Or are we reeling because it rubs salt on the wound opened by the nursing board exam fiasco of 2006?
Apl.d.Ap, in the lyrics of “The APL Song”, a song that was released internationally, laments that life in the Philippines is a mess. Why aren’t we offended despite the fact that he’s American? Or is it okay because he was born here and he’s half-Filipino anyway? If a Filipino character in Desperate Housewives said the offensive statement, would we have been offended?
I agree with those who find the calls for a boycott of Desperate Housewives unnecessary, and I seriously think that this might be a case of oversensitivity. Oversensitivity that can actually be a telling sign of a deep insecurity — a deep insecurity fueled by the painful truth that there are diploma-mill med schools in the country, and many of these schools churn out graduates who has the United States in mind.
Honestly, tell me, are you offended that I am not offended?
27 responses so far ↓
1 noemi // Oct 3, 2007 at 7:47 pm
Honestly, I am not offended that you are not offended. This situation doesn’t call for a boycott. My first reaction was “roll eyes”. I was like ” what is the writer thinking?” I have a brother who is a doctor in the US so I just thought of “educating” those who heard that short snippet that a diploma is not the only means to practice medicine in the states. Yes it is an invalid and inaccurate statement but a boycott is unnecessary.
2 Janet // Oct 3, 2007 at 7:55 pm
We’ve made ‘racial slurs’ against the Visayans, Igorots, Aetas, Moros not only in our local media but in our daily lives.
..then we have the guts to call this ‘racial slur’?
Kaplaastican, ay!
Aside from that, Filipinos find this ‘Indian Slur’(a vid by Micahel V) FUNNY.
Tell me Filipinos. This video is funny
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hj132WOQl4M
Hypocrisy. This video is worse than the Desperate Housewives script.
3 Prudence // Oct 3, 2007 at 8:03 pm
Hehe…ewan ko nga ba Jon. But some people do overreact.
With all my comments in different blogs saying similar or the same things, I ought to make a post about it too. Hehe.
4 Z. // Oct 3, 2007 at 8:13 pm
looking at the video, i find that it wasn’t offensive at all. i guess that some filipinos would be insulted by it would be a result of over-high’ed national pride. after all, similar shows make fun to other races: blacks, chinese, indians. it’s just a joke, and many of us are a bit irked since we’re in the center of it.
to answer your question: nope. not offended one bit. every filipino cell in my body ain’t offended.
i mean, it’s just a tv show, right?
5 jun.anteola // Oct 3, 2007 at 8:38 pm
this is a good post…. very objective. love it.
personally, i was offended because even within the context of humor, and of the situation presented (Susan being distressed by the idea of menopause), it still is not correct to directly hit upon a particular group. the sad thing is, they chanced on hitting Filipinos, who tend to be very sensitive over matters such as this. they should have considered, done a bit of research perhaps? DH isn’t seen in the US solely, after all.
6 reyna elena // Oct 4, 2007 at 7:53 am
Granted for the sake of argument that you were asking the queen: am I offended that you’re not offended? That’s the beauty of the freedom. Hahaha! Should I be? You view it on a different angle and people view it on a completely different one. No harm.
But wait - *blushed* for making me an authority on the uragon word – so, technically, I am an Authoritarian, korak? Hehehe!
What you forgot to mention in our conversation was that: it really boils down to how it’s being used. You missed a comma and you misplace a punctuation mark, then it would sound quite differently.
In essence, it’s pretty much what The C at said in my blog – if you don’t own it, don’t say it. That’s how to play it safe.
7 Jon Limjap // Oct 4, 2007 at 8:33 am
noemi,
Yep, the statement is very invalid, but taken into the context that Susan Mayer is oft portrayed as a very unstable woman who is hysterical and was freaking out when her OB gyne turned out to be a male neighbor, I’m not sure if the joke was out of place.
I wonder though, within the American medical community, how often do these jokes crack up? Especially among whites? I’m thinking this is something that has been held back by whites for way too long that the script writer forgot that Filipinos get offended by it.
Janet,
Exactly! I meant to post that video too. Yan ang matindi. And the tune used/copied in the background isn’t even Indian… it’s an Arab snake charm.
Prudence,
Hehe… post it. Tutal wala ka namang pinopost lately diba?
Z,
Yep it’s just a TV show. And it’s just a reflection of just how much of insensitive pricks many Americans could really be. I’d rather have an accurate perception of a rude American than a sugarcoated one.
jun,
Thanks.
But I still think that it’s oversensitivity.
It also led me to ask, Pilipino lang ba ang may karapatan manlait ng kapwa Pilipino? Considering that we do it all the time (self-criticism, that is)? Hehe
reyna elena,
Oo authoritarian ka. Isa kang diktadora! Hahahaha!
Yes, it boils down to how it was used, but I believe in this case it also boiled down to who used it.
Besides, House, Grey’s Anatomy and Scrubs all make fun of American doctors every single day. And we laugh at them a lot. Perhaps their NOT playing safe with their own put their guard down and led them to forget to not play safe with others?
8 Sidney // Oct 4, 2007 at 1:11 pm
I would be offended if someone would question my diploma. On the other hand it might be useful to find out why Americans think Filipino diplomas are substandard.
9 reyna elena // Oct 5, 2007 at 6:56 am
@ JON,
Tse! Hindi ako URAGON, ako’y isang DRAGON….
DRAGONISTA.
10 benj // Oct 5, 2007 at 10:04 am
Kadiri ka Jon, you’re actually agreeing with Janet. I guess that’s how Science High School X operates! hehehe
11 Jon Limjap // Oct 5, 2007 at 11:19 am
benj,
Your argument may be empirically valid but cultural evidence contradicts it way too often to ignore.
We as a culture are intrinsically racist, and are quite tolerant to that fact. And then there’s the fact that we as Filipinos are often racist towards our fellow Filipinos.
Ewan ko kung sa High School X ko natutunan yun. O dun sa nanalo dun sa debate championships. HEHEHE
reynz,
Dragonista… parang iba dating nun ah. HAHAHAHA.
12 The Desperate Housewives Episode Controversy: The Unpopular Perspective // Oct 5, 2007 at 9:35 pm
[...] Problems of Context and the Oversensitivity of the Desperate by Jon Limjap [...]
13 ems // Oct 6, 2007 at 12:54 am
we have a different view on this. Yes probably you are correct. It hurts because the statement came from a foreigner. Should this show is not aired worldwide, i care less. But heck, i find the line uncalled for. What I dont understand is why they HAD TO MENTION A SPECIFIC COUNTRY. Is that really necessary to become a show funny? I DON’T THINK SO. That is what I don’t understand. And yes I am very offended. Are you going to call me OVER-SENSITIVE? ONION SKINNED? BEATS ME!
14 ems // Oct 6, 2007 at 12:59 am
“ut taken into the context that Susan Mayer is oft portrayed as a very unstable woman who is hysterical and was freaking out when her OB gyne turned out to be a male neighbor, I’m not sure if the joke was out of place.”
>> It still does not justify the means Jon. Why not pick on a state in the U.S. Sa dami ng state dun na pwede nilang i-pick on to portray Susan Mayer’s UNSTABILITY, I don’t think they needed to mention other country, especially a third-world country. Heck, we have been very exploited by first-world countries. Lahat ng dirty jobs andito.
Or maybe I’ve been with so many “kano” that I know how it feels when they pick on us, Filipinos. They (most of them) feel that they are always superior on us. Kahit na sandamakmak ang mga Pinoy dun na doktor at nurses, feeling nila mas superior pa din sila. And as a Filipino myself, I won’t allow them to exploit us. Just because we are a third-world country, they can always pick on us as something to laugh about.
15 ems // Oct 6, 2007 at 1:02 am
Regarding Janet’s comment, I may not be perfect but im proud to say (and very sure about this) that I do not remember discriminating anyone. Although I may not agree on everybody’s views (Im a trying-hard vegetarian), I always try to make it a point NOT to discriminate anybody. Maybe that’s the reason why I feel so upset about what was said in DH. And call me close-minded or whatever you want to call me, but I stand firm to my opinion about DH. And honestly, I do agree that it should be banned here for us to teach them a lesson.
16 ems // Oct 6, 2007 at 1:09 am
“It also led me to ask, Pilipino lang ba ang may karapatan manlait ng kapwa Pilipino? Considering that we do it all the time (self-criticism, that is)? Hehe”
>> You’re taking it too far Jon. There is a BIG difference between self-criticism and criticizing other race IN A SHOW THAT IS BEING TELEVISED TO ASIA, AMERICA and other countries. And yes, added to the fact that they are not Filipinos. Ito ang naiisip kong magandang analogy, ikaw kapag nag-aaway kayo ng nanay or tatay mo or asawa mo for example, sometimes it’s natural for you to say something offensive to them. Pero kapag ibang tao minura ang nanay mo or tatay mo or asawa mo, tatawa ka ba? I DON’T THINK SO. Ganun din yun Jon. Ang Pilipino kapag nilait ng ibang lahi HINDI YUN NAKAKATAWA. and NEVER naging nakakatawa yun.
17 ems // Oct 6, 2007 at 1:37 am
Jon!
Im really sorry, Im spamming your blog
I just want to note that I’m not IN ANY WAY mad at you. At sa mga iba pang makakabasa ng comments ko, kumpare ko po yan si Jon kaya napaka “at home” ko na makipag usap sa kanya at magbigay nag sarili kong kuro-kuro.
18 Jon Limjap // Oct 7, 2007 at 9:59 am
ems,
I understand where you come from, and I empathize with those who feel genuinely offended.
But that’s where our opinions diverge — I do not find Americans — especially American pop culture, and American drama comedies at that, credible.
I find that whatever apology we demand from them, Americans will be Americans will be Americans anyway. The average redneck still thinks of the Philippines and Filipinos as just another group of islands somewhere in the Pacific. It would never matter to them that we are an intrinsic part of US culture and history, and now even health-care. And that is a point AGAINST them.
I don’t know with most people here but, I’ve long given up on using America as a measurestick for credibility and success.
19 MDUSA // Oct 7, 2007 at 7:44 pm
we complained because we are Filipino Doctors in the U.S. who were offended. It questioned our credibility and pride. If the producers/writers of the show did think it was referring to the NURSING exam fiasco last year then they are mistaken. Not Doctors. Hence the need to Correct it, lest we further propagate it (not based on facts or even fiction). I am happy with the ABC apology. Thats it. No further. Other issues and racial slurs regarding the Philippines…might have some historical context…But MD is a noble profession, for it to be tainted by careless remarks..needs to be challenged and corrected. I am for free speech…but this was clearly a mistake on the writer. Now if you guys think that the petition was wrong. Then you do not understand us. If its regarding what was requested afterwards ex Donation…then i agree with you that it sounds too much. I praise all the Doctors who supported us. Also the non-doctors who helped. But let us keep it regarding Filipino MD and their schools. The rest(non-MD - who are opposed to the petition) cannot understand us anyway, so whats the use convincing them.
20 jaywalker (are we onion skinned) // Oct 8, 2007 at 10:20 am
[…]Maybe a public apology is called for. But the cries of racism; the negative attacks on the writers and the actors of the show, civilized or otherwise; The banning of the airing of the show here in the Philippines; the various groups condemning the show. Are they really necessary? When is reacting overreacting already?[…]
21 benj // Oct 10, 2007 at 12:20 pm
So, Jon, it’s ok to insult you in plain view of 20 million people just as long as there is proper context even if there is no basis? I dunno. I don’t think oversensitivity is an issue.
EVEN IF WE ARE RACIST, we do not forfeit our right to complain when we are being being discriminated upon.
EVEN IF WE ARE OVERSENSITIVE, I’d rather be in a group of people who woulds resist profiling and labeling rather than those who will just roll over and die. I don’t want to be associated with pushovers.
I think my newest post exposes the bad logic that the “ITS NOT A BIG DEAL SIDE” has used.
I think the blog community has suffered a major logical lapse.
22 Jon Limjap // Oct 10, 2007 at 1:01 pm
hi benj,
Granted that you are correct on your arguments re “racists having the right to react on racism” and “oversensitivity”, I want to focus back to my argument of context.
Does this mean that, even if the show was portraying a racist in the context of being a racist, e.g., characters that are white supremacists, members of the Ku Klux Klan, murderous Hutus hurling invectives at Tutsis, etc., they may not state such insults despite being portrayed clearly as racist?
Of course it is clear that Susan Meyer isn’t “supposed to be” racist in the series Desperate Housewives, and the context argument is weak based on the fact that the series never revealed her as being bigoted or racist. But if she were indeed revealed as one, I don’t think we can easily throw context out the window.
23 benj // Oct 11, 2007 at 12:49 am
Jon, that’s very tangential. But assuming without conceding that those scripts will exist in the future, they will never be a popular show that would get a market share of millions.
24 benj // Oct 12, 2007 at 11:10 am
speaking of PRECEDENT, being pushovers would likely be more of a BAD precedent. It’s better be “over sensitive” rather than spineless pushovers.
25 Jon Limjap // Oct 12, 2007 at 11:43 am
benj,
Now you’re going too far.
If I was bitten by an ant and I didn’t care and shrugged it off, am I being a pushover? Is letting that ant bite and not caring such a big disgrace to my “mighty and powerful” human stature?
That’s how I felt with regards to the DH issue. Unlike many of our countrymen I’ve long stopped looking “up” to the Americans as some sort of authority whose every word matter. And just like that ant bite, when I heard of the joke the first thing that entered my mind is that “it’s just soooo below me” that I wouldn’t lift a finger about it.
So what if they think we’re no good for them? Fuck them Americans! Their insecurities are so far up their asses and that’s where xenophobia and racism comes from anyway. To hell with what those white supremacists say — what should we care? If they were born bigots they’ll die as bigots and they have been bigots for so fucking long already it ain’t a big deal anymore.
20 Million other people saw it? So what? Should they believe the oh so high and mighty Americans because of the perceived authority? If they do, that’s a point against them. Not us. We’ve penetrated the global workplace so deep anyway that if they start caring about those stereotypes we can just shove it on their faces.
benj, if you’re so deeply affected by all this it’s alright I understand you, and I’ll even support you, but please don’t take it against us that we don’t feel as bad as you do. We’re not stopping you. NO ONE is stopping you from doing what you feel is the right thing to do.
26 Janet // Oct 13, 2007 at 5:56 am
@ems
you may not be discriminating other people but the media(pinoy) is. Take for example wowowee. look at how they make fun of people from the provinces who are not well educated for the sake of ratings?
i’m sure you are not unaware that many(many hindi lahat) still look down at the igorots, aetas, mangyans, etc..–katutubo just because they’re culture is not the same as theirs– are still being treated like poop by the majority and although they are figthing for themseleves, only a few good filipinos even bother to empathize with them.
why aren’t filipinos mad when fellow filipinos make fun of other people?
filipino hkaplastikan on the rise?
27 niki // Oct 25, 2007 at 5:32 pm
re the “uragon” term, as a bicolana living in bicol and have lived here most of my life, “uragon” generally has a positive connotation — in tagalog it could mean any of these: magaling, matibay, astig. negatively, it could mean “mayabang”.
for me tho, the best interpretation of “uragon” is in english: “kickass”. =)
it’s easy to get lost in interpreting the context of words but i think it’s really how you view yourself that really counts, regardless of the words people throw at you. =)
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