Desperate Housewives, desperate show, online anger, burning fire and cigarette smoke.

the famous "racial slur" made in an episode of Desperate Housewives on 9/30/07: In a scene in which Susan was told by her gynecologist that she might be hitting menopause, she replied, "Can I just check those diplomas because I just want to make sure that they are not from some med school in the Philippines."

link to the petition:

Filipino Americans demand for apology from ABC and Desperate Housewives Petition

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I previously held back on commenting on this because
1) It's a show
2) There are more important issues that the Filipinos should worry about
3) I found it sad that more people voted for the  Desperate Housewives Petition than the Burma petition (100+ thousand vs. 35+thousand)
4) But then I think it's a good thing. As shown by the Malu Fernandez incident,  people power is still going strong. (though not as politically inclined as Edsa I & II, I'd rather not use the term "mob rule").
5) Personally I think it's a publicity stunt. Its a season premiere episode. the 4th if i recall. So they need to keep the show alive. And what better tactic than have their clip passed around with heated posts.
6)Some of Sassy Lawyer's points I agree with. But still it's no excuse for the show to use it as a stunt. For all we know, one of their team drafted the petition in order to inflame the viewers. Fire travels faster after all.

I tell you the web is the new battleground. So why don't we channel this newfound people power to more important issues?

We, the Filipino people and our allies have shown our solidarity, the numbers speak for themselves. The number of signatories to the online petition against the “racial slur” depicted in the show, Desperate Housewives continue to rise despite the apology issued by the show’s producers.  And why shouldn’t it? The scene offended not only the Filipino-American community but also the Philippine medical schools, medical practitioners and their allies worldwide, their number ballooning to over 115,000. Now I wonder if our outrage will be the same, passionately fierce in defending our people when it comes to more important things than this tv show, most of the medical practitioners haven't even heard of. 

 
In this age of technology, such a move by Filipino health professionals is remarkable and it truly shows us what incredible power we have when we join together for a common cause.  However, like I said, some of the blog reaction (yes even FIlipinos) ask:  “what’s the big deal? It’s just a show. Where were you when real health and education issues rocked the country?”

How shall we answer this?

We have laid the foundation and shown the world how important health and education are for Filipinos worldwide. Let’s not stop there.  For example, Tobacco is responsible for one in ten adult deaths in the world or about five million deaths annually. This figure will double by year 2020, and if current tobacco consumption pattern persist, about a billion people will be killed by tobacco in the 21st century, with 300 million deaths to happen in Western Pacific Region, where the Philippines is located.

For those who signed the Desperate Housewives petition in defense of Filipino pride and dignity of the health profession, we call on you now to defend the right to life and public health of the Filipino people by signing the petition below for the passage of law to requiring graphic health warnings on cigaratte packages.  Let us show the world that we don’t just care about some tv show, we care about our countrymen we defend not only the medical schools and medical institution but the rights for which these stand, from which they stem –we care about the Filipino right to life and health.

Sign now.

http://www.PetitionOnline.com/ghwphil/

more about the petition here: FCAP calls for graphic health warning on cigarettes in the Philippines

Call for graphic health warning signs in the Philippines

 Dear readers,

I need your help getting this message out. Please sign the petition (I authored) and pass it on to your friends.  Thank you so much.  Congrats to the UP community for helping out with the fight against the tobacco epidemic.

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Sign now.

http://www.PetitionOnline.com/ghwphil/

* Over 30 M Filipinos will suffer debilitating diseases and painful deaths due to smoking. Another 30 M Filipinos will suffer the same due to second hand smoke.

* 40 of the chemicals in cigarette smoke are carcinogens, like carbon monoxide, butane (used as lighter fluid), cyanide and formaldehyde, arsenic (rat poison), and ammonia (toilet cleaner). Ads do not disclose this.

Right now the textual health warnings for tobacco products cannot be understood or appreciated by the Filipino people. Other countries have recognized this and have since used picture based warnings in order to warn their citizens of the hazards of smoking. Statistics will show that such method is effective as it has significantly improved the overall health of their citizens.

The Filipino people have a right to life and health just as much as other citizens. They have the right to a better if not the best method to warn them of the danger inherent in smoking. The text warning right now is STILL NOT ENOUGH. Many are still smoking and dying while the young ones are curiously taking up the habit not knowing its effects, creating a vicious cycle of death that could be prevented through the use of picture based health warning that is universally understood by the people, especially the many who cannot read and understand.

Sign now. Because a picture can save millions of lives.

http://www.PetitionOnline.com/ghwphil/