(no subject)

[ursamajor]

I mostly ignore online petitions, since most of them are ... less than weighty, shall we say.

However, there's one right now calling for an apology from ABC and the writers and producers of Desperate Housewives for the racist remarks written into this Sunday's episode, and I agree pretty strongly with it.

In a scene in which Susan was told by her gynecologist that she might be hitting menopause, she replied, "Can I just check those diplomas because I just want to make sure that they are not from some med school in the Philippines." ... A statement that devalues Filipinos in healthcare is extremely unfounded, considering the overwhelming presence of Filipinos and Filipino Americans in the medical field. The Philippines produces more U.S. nurses than any other country in the world.

Given the recent amounts of media attention that has been given to Michael Richards (against African Americans), Isaiah Washington (against gays), and Rosie O'Donnell (against Asian/Chinese Americans), it is ridiculous that this type of hateful speech made it through various screenwriters, the show's producers, the show's actors, and ABC itself.

I hope to see more prominent news coverage about this in the coming days.

(via the Racialicious del.icio.us)

*

In much more soothing news, my friend Liane has just launched her craft shop Craft Attack on Etsy, specializing in hand-knit goods and soaps. I'm looking forward to trying the Cinnamon Oatmeal bar a try myself :) Go check it out!

In yummy news, bending sed to my will is so much easier with help and a piece of warm pecan pie. Also, I need to learn more about sed and awk, because a job that was going to take like, four hours of manual tedium? Just became a half-hour stretch-your-brain session in configuration, and as I get better at this, I can see this coming down to mere minutes, if not seconds.

But really? Mmm, pie. Must save room, though; am going out with hyounpark and my fam tonight to Craigie Street Bistrot. They change the menu nightly, but given their current sample menu? Drool.

Comments

[bitty.livejournal.com]

sample menu


SO HUNGRY NOW.

[pauamma]

Not familiar with that show: is Susan supposed to be an unpleasant character (in general or just then)?

[lady-angelina.livejournal.com]

I only watched the very first half of the very first season of that series, and during that time, Susan was perhaps one of the most sympathetic characters on the show. A single mother of a teenaged girl, she was in a love triangle of sorts with a handyman and a woman whom I considered to be a bitchy, conniving slut.

Of course, this was three years ago or so, and it may have changed a lot since then. I quit watching it in the middle of the first season partly due to lack of time and partly because I lost interest in it. *Shrug*

[belladonna.livejournal.com]

My GP back in Hartford is from the Phillipines. I loved him so much. Grrrr. Angry.

Glad I never got into that insipid show.

Regarding the "Desperate Housewives" racial slur...

[lady-angelina.livejournal.com]

Wow. I wouldn't have expected that from Susan, of all characters. Of course, I last watched it nearly three years ago, but even so... >.< And having worked with some wonderfully talented folks from the Phillipines myself, I am shocked that anyone would even make such a remark. It was utterly misguided, ignorant, and shameful of the writers and producers of the show to let that one go through.

[afuna]

Wow, that remark is being discussed everywhere here.

Clip on YouTube, in case anyone is curious :-)

[singularity.livejournal.com]

Heh, I was wondering if anyone would complain about it. I figure the writers being rather ignorant of the world, figured they'd choose some country that people will think is 3rd world type and chose that out of stupidity. Then when you have people with no knowledge of the world screening a script/show since it's Hollywood and well; you find all sorts of strange comments from them; they have no clue as well.

But yeah, incredibly dumb of them.