From: perezc@woods.ulowell.edu
Subject: Re: image problem?
Organization: University of Lowell
Date: Wed, 8 Apr 1992 19:55:19 GMT

In article <dn3tq!_@rpi.edu>, teej@aix.rpi.edu (Johannson Jimmy Tee Jr.) writes:
> In article <92098.220329U52892@uicvm.uic.edu> <U52892@uicvm.uic.edu> writes:
>>I was in the library looking at some books about the Philippines. You know what
>> I found. I saw a book on "People Power" (the coffee table book with lots of pi
>>ctures about the so-called Miracle of EDSA). In the cover, someone scribble the
>>se words: People Power:land of prostitutes, filth, poverty, corruption.
>>     Three months ago, I also saw another book about the Philippines with an ug
>>ly graffito (singular, right?) on it. It says: Philipppines: go back to your co
>>untry, you dirty Filipinos.
>>
>>     Nope, I'm not working in the library. I'm just a simple graduate student
>>here at UIC - for those not familiar ... that's the University of Illinois at C
>>hicago.
>>     I'm not that disturbed.....but I just want to hear some comments since som
>>e people here are talking about racism and hate crimes......
> 
> I am not surprised.  Over here in Troy, New York, one would expect that 
> people are open-minded.  In Rensselaer Polytechnic INstitute, a school that 
> is often compared with MIT, Caltech, etc.., one would expect students to be
> sympathetic to foreign students who enjoy life in the US.  
> 
> Personally, I have met Americans who told me bluntly that the reason the 
> Philippines is in the situation of underdevelopment is that Filipinos keep
> immigrating to the US.  They have no love, no patriotism, and no value of
> sacrifice to make the PHilippines a better country.   

Well if I were an American, and all I heard about the Philippines was bad
press the media usually dishes out.  And I met all these highly skilled 
Filipinos in this country.  Such a comment isn't unfounded.  And I believe
it is partially true,  that the Philippines is underdeveloped and will
remain underdeveloped if we continue with this massive brain drain.  
It is unfortunate that the most qualified of our countrymen work for the
economies of foreign states.  What makes it worse is that it is actually
encouraged and is policy of the government.
> 
> Such comments are beginning to be very tiresome and very annoying.  Was not
> American built up by immigrants from all over the world?   Howe easily,
> these white americans forget this!  (BTW, the americans who made this 
> comments were all white.)
> 
I don't understand how this relates to the previous paragraph.
Yes, America was built and is continually being built by immigrants.
But has America ever had a problem with brain drain?  

> I do not know if one would classify this a subtle racism.  Some of my 
> friends say that it is not racism but "race critique".  
Well it's probably what your friends say, but I have to disagree with the
assertion that Filipinos aren't patriotic, have no love for country and
aren't willing to make sacrifices.  Hell, all these overseas contract 
workers are making a damn huge sacrifice,  to have the home you are most
comfortable with, to have to leave loved ones, to take whatever job comes
along no matter how bad, how many Americans are willing to do this? 
> 
> Racism, hate crimes, are on the rise here in the US.  It has become more
> subtle and hidden.  That in itself is a dangerous trend.  
> 
> Comments welcome.
> 
> JJ
> .
> 
Everyone is 'racist' in some way, it's just a matter of degree.  

Carlos


PS  Is RPI really that good? (Just kidding)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.filipino