Filipinos, does this incident reflect the persistence of our colonizer's bad attitudes?

Question

... towards other cultures? Attitudes which they fostered during their "pillage and kill" days as former colonizers?

http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/beijing/basketball/news?slug=ro-spain081308&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

Answer 1

Partly i think. But in a worn down version. It must have been with a similar sense that Spanish, or Europeans in general once went on a colonizing, pillaging and killing spree. Against area's accross the sea and against each other.

Now we can only guess what the real intentions were of the people who came with the stupid idea of making this picture. Because by now they will not admit that they did it out of a negative perspective and rather lie to avoid getting into further trouble.

But people's attitudes can take a long time to wear of. In Europe, i'm also a European, the colonial and racist attitude still lives on and the 'slandering Chinese eyes' are often a sign of it. Not always but mostly they have a negative meaning towards Chinese and other people, Mongolians, Japanese who sometimes have similar features. They are seldomly done with a deep meaning or a sense of superiority. But often out of utter boredom and pure ignorance.

I think it is an aftermath of the times that western arrogance was normal and not an exception. But the players prabobly didn't realize all that. The attitude survived passed on from father to son but wears down slowly. If these players would know about what happened during these pillaging and killing days they would stand against it. All they perhaps knew is that Chinese people are funny looking with narrow shapped eyes and that they were excited because they were going to China. Either that or they were ordered to do it.

Towards Chinese and perhaps Asians in general this is however a huge mishap and so i understand that especially your side of the world is angered by it. So was i when the similar happened as you know from what you red and answered before.

Answer 2

Yes, it might be an unconscious decision rooted from values and culture of the Spanish people... Either that or people are just so sensitive and gives meaning to every single thing..

FLIP Charts were changed to the term "easel pads" while I was in military school just because some people think that it was offensive to Filipinos (FLIP- F#@#@# little Island People). The term FLIP was a derogatory term used by soldiers during WW2 even if it was loosely used by Fil-Ams..

Answer 3

Does running after white people and shouting "Hi, Joe" "reflect the persistence of the colonized people's bad attitude" as well?

Many Chinese routinely call white people" foreign devils", "devils from the ocean", "red haired m*nkeys", "golden haired monsters" and no one ever complains about racism, and it is racism, as well.

The word "gweilo" is used in interviews on Chinese TV and it means "white ghost" or "foreign devil". And they use it unabashedly to describe white people. So, you see, sometimes they need to have others make fun of them, too.

Some Filipinos call white people Americanong Hilaw just as often. Big deal. Do you see white people complaining of racism?

I had kids in Cebu run after me and shout "taas nga ilong". I was laughing because it is true. And in the Visayas they tease the Chinese with the saying "Insek kwa kang ang baboy tikang kang". I do not see worldwide condemnations of the racism .

How about the words "Ungoy Puti"? Do you see worldwide condemnation of your racism?  Molotov cocktails thrown at your embassy?

Plus why should you worry? Filipinos mostly have round eyes.

Answer 4

They were just having fun.   Let it go.

Most of them were not even aware they were being insulting, and now, they know better.

Treat this as a gathering of international kids for fun.   Some kids are not as well behaved as others, but they learn over time.

Answer 5

as long as certain words offend,as long as certain words can't be uttered openly and as long as certain words cause hatred thats how long racism will exist

Answer 6

We are now in the 21st Century and should display 21st Century behavior towards all races and ethnicity.  Making fun of people's looks is not funny to me.  I know, I hear and see them often.  But I refuse to be part of it.  It doesn't give me any thrill whatsoever.

Answer 7

If you ask me, my blood would boil!

In YAP, as I've noted everyday, and every hour, what seems like a colonizer attitude pesters every yapper, and, hello! this one we have wasn't even a tad colonizer in the Philippines but who continues to dictate how yappers should go!

Answer 8

No. What happened was plainly common among races. And technically it's not racism.

But the incident reflects how most common Filipinos behaves on something particularly on physical appearance or figure, and in speeches. Teasing Chinese with slant eyes (instik kwakang baboy tikang-kang), Americans with their very pale colored skin (americanong hilaw), Black people as (*****), Japanese (bakang), even our very own president is comically figured as midget (pandak), Ai-ai as moon faced, we have curly hair (kulot), wide-nosed (pango), Cebuano as (besaya ka dung) etc..

For most Filipinos it's only for fun and entertainment. It's not a serious matter.

In case with the incident, the Chinese people do not think white people as equal or a close tie brother. Therefore, what the Spaniards did will be noted to most as negative.

If that incident was done by Filipinos? I don't think Chinese will react. :) or will they? :-/

Answer 9

Dear Buw - first let me summarize. "I'm sick and tired of idiots who insist on developing new offending words - those who don't have enough of a sense of humor to be able to look at themselves and laugh". Usually, it's not the "victim" but somebody totally extraneous who starts complaining.

Now - just what did you mean by "colonizer's bad attitudes?" Just whom did you have in mind? Americans (they're the ones that scream the loudest)? Spaniards?  How about the Catholics in Mindanao?

And how about cartoons? Is a picture of your president with a big wart on her face offending?

Hey I know I'll get loads of thumbs down for this, but it's true. You HAVE to be able to laugh at yourself. Got a story for you... 60 years ago when I was 11, I for the first time, went to an American school. You want to know what they called me? The canceled Check (Czech). I laughed with them, that was that, and we all became the best friends.

Aaaah I'm tired of writing more ~ at least I said my piece.

Answer 10

i think the article has nothing to do with bad attitude, it was not meant to make offense, it just some pose that signifies they are in the land where slant eyes is the norm. It just a matter of bad judgment and reporting. Does having our noses improve thru plastic surgery or having bust implant a mockery towards those who have high bridge noses or big breasted women?

So , those spaniards posing with index finger slanting the eyes just suggest they are in China. If they are in Middle East, maybe they would put on headscarf

add:

the deaf uses this sign language to mean chinese, could be with one or both hands,

Answer 11

I'd call that the PC(politically correct) crowd getting their panties up in a bunch over nothing.

I believe that the one who has no sin should throw the first stone. In the Philippines, you can hear Filipinos calling Chinese "chekwa", and their eyes "chinky" (which if you use in the States, you'll be instantly deemed racist). I personally don't believe there's anything wrong with it, as long as my treatment of each person doesn't depend on his/her race.

Let's face it, people are different everywhere. This PC nonsense is just plainly unnecessary. Why would I feel offended if someone pointed out my racial features unless I personally believe that my race is inferior? Which I don't. And if I believe my race is inferior, then I'm the racist.

What's next, we're gonna call their drubbing of the Chinese team later in the day also part of their racism?