PostHeaderIcon Alec Baldwin’s racist remark draws ire from Filipinos



It’s probably said in jest when American actor Alec Baldwin, a 51-year old divorcee remarked of having a Filipino mail-order bride. In the Late Show of David Letterman on May 12, the former husband of Kim Bassinger said, “I think about getting a Filipino mail order bride at this point or a Russian one. I don’t care, I’m 51.”

It seems to be a little issue. But the comment drew anger from Filipinos who have been maligned before, the most recent was HK columnist Chip Tsao saying that Filipinos are a nation of maids. Lawmaker Risa Hontiveros and Jean Enriquez, executive director of the Coalition Against Trafficking of Women-Asia Pacific were vocal in condemning Baldwin’s remarks.

They have reasons to be mad because the trafficking of women from the Philippines (many as mail-order brides,) has been one of the saddest facets in the lives of exploited people worldwide. In the Philipines alone, it is estimated that a staggering number of Filipino women and children, numbering between 20,000 and 100,000, are victimized by human smuggling.

In Baldwin's book "A promise to ourselves: A Journey Through Fatherhood and Divorce," the actor with co-author Mark Tabb (Martin Press, 224 pages) tells of a stormy divorce and his experience of having to deal with “parental alienation syndrome”--- digging into what is wrong with the divorce system in America. By writing the book, he seems someone who can be taken seriously.

But by joking on Filipinas and the Russians, he exposed his ignorance and insensitivity. He trivialized the suffering of impoverished people he doesn't know---those forced into marriage to strangers under very difficult circumstances. (Photo Credit: ctv.ca) =0=

===========================================================

Blog Archive

Topics/Categories

Feedjit Live Blog Stats

Topics/Categories

Add to Technorati Favorites

Ateneo de Naga HS Batch 74

ABS-CBN News

GMA News.tv

Philippine Commentary

Inquirer Breaking News