Some Hong Kong residents are bigoted enough to fire their Filipino domestic helpers in a response to the hijacking fiasco in the Philippines – Hong Kong Filipinos fear hostage backlash. Seriously, will you grow up?
“I have already told my Filipino maid to find another job. I have decided to hire a local Hong Kong granny or a new immigrant from mainland China to be my domestic helper,” Angel Hong wrote on the Facebook memorial page.
Angel, your sense of patriotism to hire a local Hong Kong granny is commendable. It also speaks volumes about your character that you list out your alternative maid choices listing typical groups that are more vulnerable than most. Really, I know older people want to feel useful but really, do you think she really wants to be cleaning your toilet bowl at her age? Don’t even get me started on how to take apart the “a new immigrant from mainland China” comment. I suppose when they aren’t fresh of the boat anymore, you’d probably sack rather than give a pay rise?
It really is a shame that 8 of your fellow citizens had to die before you decided you would rather hire locally instead of exploiting cheaper labour from overseas. Well, at least you got your bang for your buck while it lasted. Angel, indeed.
Now don’t get me wrong. The story of the crisis was sad and tragic and my heart goes out to those people that actually have lost someone in the tragedy. One can’t deny that the Filipino government and those responsible for ensuring everyone’s safety were bunglers in the extreme. But do we really need to go down the road of this gross bigotry? These hostages were not targeted because they were Hong Kongers or Chinese. They happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
For if it becomes a nationalist and jingoistic call for tit-for-tat, surely one probably shouldn’t overlook the number of Filipino foreign domestic workers that are abused on regular basis by their employers in Hong Kong. Some even live under near hostage conditions as well. Instead the sharp, immediate threat of death is replaced by a slow, persistent threat of violence that lasts over sometimes many months, even years. Healing from the shame, humiliation and abuse might take many years, if ever.
To be fair, the territory generally has an okay track record at protecting the rights of its foreign domestic workers with exception of some key policy blunders. And while I’m sure our dear bigoted Angel Hong would never be a person to abuse the weaker elements of society, I’m sure she is breathing a sigh of relief that she’s not tarnished with the same brush for someone else’s actions.
This bigotry is what got Sikhs in America killed straight after 9/11. Could I have commemorated the tragedy in a better way than bashing someone’s stupidity? Probably. But then they pulled the stupid first by commemorating the loss of life by punishing those unrelated to the affair.
Making the rounds in Singapore is a video of a boyfriend being scolded by his girlfriend as they have an argument outside their car. The woman is unleashing all fury at the guy and eventually attacks the guy’s groin. Here is the video showing the woman attacking her man.
Now, I’m one to find amusement in just about anything given that I just spent 120 mins looking at Sacha Baron Cohen running around, posing as homo provocateur, Bruno. Like that film, I’m smelling something not quite right with its authenticity and I can’t help but think that it is fake. Here are five reasons to think that:
Firstly, we have netizen “James” to thank for this 41 second clip. Oh the joys of anonymous citizen reporting via mobile phones. It saves actually having to check the facts or get the full story or check the credibility of the source. This trustworthy source, of course, was so civic minded he whipped out his camera and filmed an assault taking place1. Okay, fine, he might be recording it to take to the police but obviously youtube and Stomp were probably the best place to go first.
I don’t care how under-the-thumb of a Singaporean male you might be or femi-Nazi she might be, there is no way that taking a shoe to someone’s groin is going to illicit such a docile response in the guy. And sign up for more when she tells him to stop protecting his private parts? Please…
The number plate seems a bit bogus. I’m no expert on Singapore number plates, but SCU 148L is a personalised piece of work. Hmm… beginnings of Scum perhaps? Inside joke maybe? The mind boggles.
Cameras are notorious for not really picking up body movements that well. The exaggerated movements of the woman are surprisingly well picked up, don’t you think?
It’s all surprisingly well shot – cropped in quite nicely with no other real detail being shown, nice vantage position, the proponents clearly visible. I get crap on my camera phones usually.
So perhaps it might be a truthful video but me gut feel tells me that something more is at play and two folks have just got their five minutes of fame on an unsuspecting public.
I believe Singapore is still one of the countries in the world where the threat of violence itself is a crime – it is enough for someone to feel threatened to make it a legal issue. [↩]
As those of you know, I love the New Paper as it seems to be the only paper that isn’t in puppet mode and its headlines are somewhat entertaining. Of course, what amuses me is that Singapore goes through the efforts of building not one but two casinos, and then spends an equal amount of time, money, and energy in making sure that everyone knows an activity it is encouraging (the income generated is to benefit of its citizens naturally), is actually quite evil. The Electric New Paper kindly informs us that Singapore Problem Gambling Conference 2009 is kicking off today with a helpful article on gambling. And bless the New Paper, as they’ve kindly provided us with a foolproof list of tips to identify the innocent victims with all this readily available monetized risk.
SOME SIGNS OF A PROBLEM YOUTH GAMBLER:
Odd hours
If your child returns home very late or sleeps at odd hours.
If he’s always locked in his room and you hear computer sounds, he could be tracking soccer results online.
Needs and splurges
Sudden need for large sums of money or a sudden splurge on expensive items or treats.
Falling grades , secret calls
What kind of friends call him? Does he talk openly or in secret? Is he avoiding calls because of his creditors?
Emotions and behaviour
Signs of depression, loss of interest, isolation, changes in mood or behaviour. Or even a loss of valuables or cash from the home.
I’m far from an expert on gambling but this curiously sounds like the profile of an average household teenager. To be fair, it is a fairly fail safe method to identify a gambler hidden amongst you. No, I’m serious. For the uneducated minds amongst you, these are the habits of gamblers and there are subtle distinctions from other forms of addictive behaviour.
SOME SIGNS OF A PROBLEM YOUTH GAMBLER:
Odd hours
If your child returns home very late or sleeps at odd hours. (A druggie probably wouldn’t return home.)
If he’s always locked in his room and you hear computer sounds, he could be tracking soccer results online. (A World of Warcraft addict, addicted to another potential evil, would probably be muttering sweet nothings to his in-game bride).
Needs and splurges
Sudden need for large sums of money or a sudden splurge on expensive items or treats. (Druggies will not splurge on expensive items. Bonuses come but in only two times of year folks!)
Falling grades , secret calls
What kind of friends call him? Does he talk openly or in secret? Is he avoiding calls because of his creditors? (Talking in secret is bad. Do note that the druggie will probably be quite happy to talk to his other druggie friends on the phone in code to score his fix.)
Emotions and behaviour
Signs of depression, loss of interest, isolation, changes in mood or behaviour. Or even a loss of valuables or cash from the home. (Yes, emotions are also bad. Best keep an eye out for them. We all know that a drug addict can’t be depressed – it’s sort of the permanent high they are on being druggies.)
Of course, you can always rely on a gambling addict to come clean on it. Everyone knows you can’t trust a druggie.
