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Even America Online (AOL) jumped in on the “Desperate Housewives" controversy by conducting a survey among its readers to determine whether they find the joke offensive or not.
Its website posted an Associated Press news report, accompanied by two survey questions.
As of 5:20 p.m. Tuesday, 75 percent of the respondents (46, 580) downplayed the issue and considered the insulting remark only as "a silly joke" and 25 percent (15, 197) said "it has racial implications." The survey question was: "Is there good reason for some to be offended by this joke?"
On another question, ABC and 'Housewives' should: 71 percent (41, 723) of those who took the survey thought that ABC Studios and the show should “not worry about it" and 29 percent (17, 389) ticked the space opposite the word "apologize."
AOL posted disclaimers on the survey which says it is “not scientific and reflects the opinions of only those users who chose to participate." The results from the poll are also not reflected in real time.
Comments about the joke posted on the site totaled almost 3,000 and have varying remarks about the controversial episode of the popular television comedy series.
One user who appears to be an American came to the defense of the Filipinos.
“The Philippines actually has a very good medical training program. Many doctors and nurses are over here," said Scottaleon.
“The world thinks we are loud mouthed, rude, and opinionated. Thanks to our media. Did you know Jerry Springer is sent around the world? That’s how people get their opinions of us," he added.
“I have a great sense of humor, but I would have to agree that the joke was racist. The American educational system is a joke ranking below many of the poorer countries (hence the no child left behind act being implemented) and yet they make fun of the educational institutions in the Philippines?" commented Tiyadivainla.
There are also a number of angry comments from insulted individuals.
“Take a look at the US education, it's one of the worst in the world? You have a never-ending problem with kids graduating from high school who couldn't even locate their own land , the USA on the map.....kids who become strippers and Paris Hilton wanna-be's, kids from US school institutions who end up working at McDonalds or Walmart earning S6.00 per hr. and kids who have sex as early as 10 years old and kids who kill other kids and end up like the Columbine tragedy. Did you ever hear some kind of news like that in the Philippines? If the US really has good and free school system, how come a lot of people don't want to work in your own hospitals?" asked Shredomatic.
But others commented that the Filipinos may have overreacted to the infamous line and suggested that they should simply move on.
“Who cares? Jeez, why is everyone so thin-skinned these days? I'm of Chinese descent and my Caucasian father-in-law used the terms Chinaman and colored when I last visited. I winced, but let it go, then chalked it up to ignorance," commented Jfrogman.
For Art59dar, America should exercise its right to free speech and detested the public outcry against the show which ultimately makes the US “the home of the offended instead of the home of the free."
Some users who claim to be Filipinos seem to echo the sentiments of most foreigners and urged their kababayans to calm down and treat the remark as a joke and nothing more.
“Mga kabayan, welcome to America! Love it or leave it. It was a joke, plain and simple. It wasn't a slur. It was a joke, perhaps kind of stupid. Like many other stupid jokes that we've heard before. So, let's stop the moaning and groaning. Get over it. Sit back, relax and enjoy the show. It's a good show. In fact, it's America's number one favorite show.Count your blessings for being in America," said Jessejose.
“Honestly, being a Filipina myself, I don't think that when the _script_ writers wrote this, [it] was that their intention was to [degrade] the Filipino race," commented photochris0006,"Anyone living in California has access to quite a few Filipinos and what I do know from my own experience is that we as a culture and race are also known to be very funny and loud."
She added: “I honestly believe that the _script_ writers were poking fun at Filipinos but not degrading them. Sometimes we can't get too emotional or personal when a show makes a comment now and then…This is a free country. We are allowed to express ourselves. If we take this away, then there is no room for discussion as well as growth."
Some comments also try to take away the attention from the issue and justify the joke from the show by giving more derogatory remarks against the Philippines.
For Ralpers476, Filipinos should first assess themselves before reacting to the racist slur from the show.
“They [Filipinos] take truck loads of living dogs KILL them and eat them. Dogs are domestic animals those people are FILTH. Maybe they should of said that and let those freaks say something!" the user commented.
“It is common knowledge Medical schools in the Philippines are the worst in the world. They have classes with 3 to 4 hundred students in one room. They are diploma mills with poor standards. Nurses are also very poorly trained. Sad but true," one Rawcourage posted on October 8.
Cptcox on the other hand, threw in a rather sarcastic comment on October 5: “For the love of good lumpia, will everyone calm down and let the monkeys swing thru the jungles in peace."
“I was in the Philippines. I know the Philippines. It is a sewer. Their med school is probably called the’ Marcos School of Unidentified Body Parts’" said Ed12246.
ABC Studios has earlier issued a public apology over the derogatory remark made by one of the show’s characters, Susan Mayer, in “Desperate Housewives’" premier episode aired on September 30. They also confirmed to edit out the line in future airings.
The controversial remark: “'OK, before we go any further, can I check these diplomas?’Coz, I just want to make sure they’re not from some med school in the Philippines," sparked public outcry from the Filipino community and has prompted Filipino-Americans to launch an online petition (http://www.petitiononline.com/mod_perl/signed.cgi?FilABC) demanding for an apology.
However, despite the public apology from the show’s producers, most of the signatories demand more than a "simple sorry," but further rectification from its creators assuring them that such racist remarks will never be made again.
AOL is an American global Internet services and media company operated by Time Warner and headquartered in New York, New York.
Meanwhile, the online petition initiated by New York-_base_d Filipino lecturer Kevin Nadal on Oct. 1 has generated 112, 789 signatures as of 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 9.
One of the signatories is former Hawaii state Rep. Julie Duldulao, who is of Filipino descent.
"(These) remarks are not (and) will not be tolerated. We demand a formal letter of apology. You can send it directly to me: The Honorable Julie R. Duldulao: 17615 Cloverview Drive, Tomball, Tx 77377. I expect your reply by October 15, 2007," she said. - Mark J. Ubalde, GMANews.TV
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