Malu Fernandez Refuses to Fade into Oblivion
By Yan • Aug 29th, 2007 • Category: Random TidbitsI would rather believe that this is all over, but the heat still sizzles in the comment thread of my initial post regarding Malu Fernandez and her bigotry. Elsewhere, several like-minded individuals refuse to accept her apology.
It seems that a lot of people are only just catching up. And who can blame them for lashing out? They have every right to express their anger - resignation or no resignation; apology letter or no apology letter.
Speaking of Malu’s resignation, I was appalled to find out that we may have jumped the gun on that one. A page from Manila Standard’s August 27 issue heralding the return of “Divalicious” (photographed and posted by Smoke) nearly made me gag. How callous can you get? I find it difficult to believe that this was an oversight on the editors’ part, that the ad was printed before news of Malu’s resignation was aired. With millions of voices crying foul, Manila Standard cannot afford another goof up. While I’d rather reserve judgment until further details are uncovered, I am close to assuming that the editors of Manila Standard actually condone Malu’s elitist prejudice. (or am I being naive?)
Update (8/30/07): It’s confirmed. The Diva’s back. Annalyn Jusay quotes a Manila Standard insider: “While Malu Fernandez indeed has submitted her resignation, her resignation has not been accepted by higher management, hence we will continue publishing her column.”
“Let them self-destruct,” says the Political Jaywalker.
Earlier, the Pedestrian Observer posed this question: is it time to move on or bring it on?
In my previous post, I made it clear that I’m eager to move on. Allow me to qualify this. I’ve moved on from anger because I believe that anger can be crippling. I’ve had my chance to vent, and frankly, I’m all spent - at least as far as this issue is concerned. (Though I must admit that I felt an overwhelming urge to slap the smile off Malu’s face when I saw that “Divalicious” ad. Grrr. But I digress.)
There are more important issues that deserve our attention. I will not waste any more time on Malu Fernandez. I will not give her the benefit of notoriety. But seeing that it’s a little too late for that, I would much rather that she fades into oblivion.
Nonetheless, “moving on” doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t “bring it on” either.
In the wake of this bedlam, we need to realize that Malu Fernandez is not our enemy. Our real foes come in the form of discrimination, bigotry, elitist fanaticism, and an inherently flawed social structure. And sadly, these foes cannot be thwarted by impassioned posts on numerous blogs, no matter how fervent or articulate.
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Yan (a.k.a. Yannie, YanYan) is a young-ish entrepreneur, writer, poet, artist, graphic designer, web geek, lover, friend, daughter, connoisseur, gourmand, amateur chef, coffee addict, control freak, and incessant dreamer. Not necessarily in that order.
© 2008 FubarGenre | All posts by Yan
..you have the point, but such issues created by malue “kupal” fernandez shouldn’t be neglected either, i should say, she’s one of them in other ways, contributing and making our country miserable and gosh, who is she to look down and treated our fellow filipinos like that?! tsk, if i got the chance to see her face to face, i wouldn’t just slap her, God knows what i can do to her, huh…
thing is, her apology was fake. and her publisher is not gonna let go of her now that people are straining necks to hear what the next shallow expression of bigotry she’s going to say is about. no sir, not anytime soon. i guess they’ll fire an obscure but politically correct writer first. because let’s face it… she was nobody before this. i didn’t know her.
what Manila Standard should do is make her cover the abu sayyaf situation. that’d be poetic justice.
Obviously Filipino publications do not usually land on the breakfast tables here in the UK which is why I might be a late contributor to the controversy, so forgive me if that is the case. The article was brought to my attention by a friend in the Philippines and I felt so incensed by what I read, that I could not ignore it! I am proud to live in a country where such inane, bigoted and insulting drivel would never see the light of day in any newspaper, no matter how disreputable.
I suppose naturally, everything I have read on the subject has been written by Filipinos, naturally aggrieved by the bigoted obnoxious ramblings of a particularly unpleasant woman. Anyway I just wanted to reassure any of you that you should treat her and her rubbish with the contempt it deserves and reassure you that if anyone would be unwelcome in my country, it would be a woman like her!!
I retired, approximately 3 years ago as Director of a group of hospitals here in the UK, but not before it had been my privilege to be involved in recruiting and employing many individuals from the Philippines who became, without exception, some of our most valuable, hardworking and delightful employees. I did my best to assist their integration into our culture and society and have retained their friendship and continue to support them in any way I can. Their hard work, good humour and wonderful character despite their sacrifices and struggles, far from home, are a humbling example to all of us who are fortunate enough to know them. To think that anyone should support such ill considered, bigoted and down right insulting views, by publishing the article written by Ms Fernandez and then continuing to employ her is to their shame!
Any Editor with decent standards in their chosen field, would be discarding her views to the toilet, as she was shown the door, and spending their time and influence trying to do something about the endemic corruption and problems that force so many of your countrymen and women to seek ‘better lives’ overseas. From what I have read of Ms Fernandez, she is the product of the more unpleasant and corrupt, disgusting ‘elite’ of your country, who continue to subjugate and repress through their dishonesty and lust for wealth and power, the vast majority of decent Filipinos.
Sadly I cannot change a country, but I can try to make a difference here and there, not only in support of those Filipinos working here, but also for a young girl I have been personally supporting there for over 5 years now, with no family of her own, in my own attempt to give one person the chance of a better life.
I might not change her views but I can take some comfort from the fact that I am not afraid to voice my opinion and react, when I witness something so disgraceful and so obviously at odds with any standard of decent thinking.
In conclusion and in a vein more akin to that expressed by Ms Fernandez I should also, for the sake of fairness, offer a comment in support of her. That is, having seen her picture, I can fully understand why she would need to carry over 17 kilos of make-up and why she might also find aircraft seats somewhat small!
John Wane