SUBJECT TO POWER June 3, 2020
At issue these days around the world
is racism. Although this very human trait has actually been in existence for
thousands of years, the recent pandemic and its consequent misery and
desperation has added fuel to the fire; the demonstrations and protests of
which were ignited by the unlawful killing of Mr. George Floyd while in police
custody, and the consequent phone video filming and posting of such on social
media. And lest we forget and think that only #BlackLivesMatter,
so do #BrownLivesMatterToo--a
great disrespect of which we saw on the news when a few of our Filipino
Contract Workers in Saudi Arabia were illegally dismissed, wrongfully evicted
from their living quarters, with their contracts of work brazenly violated, and
them too with their meagre belongings physically thrown out on the streets like
trash.
It’s futile to ask why these are
happening, and it’s almost impossible to call anybody to account because we too
are patrons of such discriminatory practices. We idolize Hollywood celebrities
and do not even bother getting to know our local and even national artists. In
the past couple of decades we idolized Korean stars for their perfect light
porcelain skin so that we aspire to be like them too and use all the skincare
products and regimens we can afford. We think lighter-skinned women are more
beautiful than brown ones because they are mestiza, maybe they belong to upper
class families, they are refined and because they haven’t been subjected to
hard manual labor under the sun, we think they are prim and proper and highly
desirable. Meanwhile we think that dark-colored women are undesirable, poor,
ignorant lasses from the barrios, and we just condescend if they are smart and
skilful, but many wouldn’t even try giving them a second look. And what about
those of us from the provinces who go to the metropolis and they see us gawking
at their tall buildings, billboards and neon lights, and fumble our way around
the mass transit? I believe more than a few of us have heard of the patronizing
statement, “taga probinsiya kasi!” What of some of us who call our household
help, “Inday”, even if she is not Visayan? (wait, so, all household helpers are
only Visayan?)
As a predominantly Christian nation,
there seems to be a disconnect between what we say we believe in against what
we actually do. We read in today’s devotional on the letter of the apostle Paul
to Titus chapter 3, “to be subject to the principalities and powers...to speak
no evil, to be no brawlers, but gentle and humble...” Discrimination, I
believe, can only come from a heart that believes it is superior to others and
can be in a position to judge, overpower, enslave, harass or torture, call
faults, bully and ridicule. As children of GOD, we shouldn’t do so. Being
vocally vulgar and violent when protesting perceived slights can only come from
a rebellious heart which, because it believes it has had enough, must express
itself even physically and destructively. As GOD’s people, we are told to be
obedient to those who rule over us. Yes, they are fallible and faulty people,
but even the most evil can be converted by fervent prayers and unending hope
and patience. Many countries around the world are democracies, us included. We
get to choose our own leaders. And we have the freedom to choose the life we
want to live, the careers we want to pursue, but more than that, the thoughts
we harbour, the desires we fulfil, and the motivations that drive our everyday
efforts.
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