Message 4 of 52 in the Usenet group SOC.CULTURE.FILIPINO        Subject thread: Great plan to help Philippines

David, David, David...

I used WW2 as a starting pointing because that is when (I believe) the close relationship of the USA and RP really began. Also, this is when RP gained its independence and since the USA was the last one with their hand in the cookie jar, they get to hold the bag.

> >At the end of WW2, Japan, Italy, and Germany were all in ruins, but the United States as the victors, had the obligation to rebuild these countries.

> Says whom? Where is it written that we had the obligation to rebuild them?  During the lion's share of history the victors went in and looted everythiing,  put the men to the sword and carted the women and children off into slavery.

I agree, that is usually the case. However, the USA, as a "highly civilized" nation, in recent history, has gone in, kicked ass, taken names, then picked the losers up, dusted them off, and then, handed the country back on a silver platter.

> We assisted Europe in rebuilding because we knew that we were going to need Western Europe as a bulkwork against communism. We did it in for our own self  interest. Period.

Point taken... we all act in our own self-interest.

> Well, would it have made sense to rebuild useing outdated equipment. The Russians did it that way you know. They worked to death millions and millions of political prisoners. I believe that about 50 million died under Stalin

Point taken, Russia was an ally, correct?

> Are you crazy? We reduced Japan to rubble. The Army Air Corps ran out of  targets. Do you really think that Japan or Germany was turning our automobiles during the war? That's a trick the United States was unable to do.

I stand corrected. I was being overly dramatic. The Library of Congress website cites "About 40 percent of the nation's (Japan) industrial plants and infrastructure were destroyed,..."

While http://www.japanauto.com says "Compared to some other industries, the automobile industry did not suffer extensive damage from the war. However, with steel and other materials being extremely difficult to procure, production had dropped by 50% by the end of the war."

> They had a huge head start alright. It was the fact that a good work ethic and  honest legal system were established. In 1946, when the Philippines gained  independence, the Philippines lost it's honest legal system.

I  wasn't comparing their work ethic to RP but if you must argue that point, The LOC site states "As Japan's second period of economic development began, millions of former soldiers joined a well-disciplined and highly educated workforce to rebuild Japan." I would hardly call that a fair comparision to the Filipinos, coming out of 400 years of Spanish rule in which only the rich "pensionados" were educated. Nor would I say that the Filipino people are not hard working... or not honest...

> >On the other hand, the Philippines was an ALLY and the Filipino people were trusting that their great friend, the United States, would also rebuild their country to an even greater degree than the ENEMY countries.

Point taken, presumably, the people who made the final decisions, made them to benefit their own pockets.

> >Somehow, things got political, the Philippines got backstabbed and the U.S. got away with another one!

> God, what pap. As late as the 1960's the Philippines was developing nicely. There was the real expectation that the trend would continue. At this time  South Korea was a military dictatorship where rural farms and small towns were  the norm. The rest of the Asian "Tigers" produced cheap crap that was infamous  for its poor quality.

Mmmm... Let me clarify my position. In 1934, The Philippine Independence (or Tydings-McDuffie) Act elevated the Philippines from a territory to a commonwealth providing for a ten year transition period and ultimately, independence on July 4, 1946. 

Lo and behold, along comes WW2, levels the country... The Philippines is punch-drunk, looking for a place to even begin! Then, comes the set up punch, The USA comes out and says, "Oh yeah, remember, it's your independence day!  Good Luck, Good Bye!"

RP says " But wait, you have to help us..."

Knock out punch - USA says "OK, we'll give you $620 million (Japan got $1.9 billion) B.U.T.... you have to sign these papers ( The BELL Act - giving away the right to exploit the natural resources A.N.D... The U.S./Philippines Military Assistance Pact - which gave the USA, " the right to retain the use, free of rent, of sixteen military bases, an indeterminate numbers of cementeries and historical sites, and the option to use seven other bases as the United States determines to be required by military necessity")

Sign it now! Take it or leave it!"

Yeah, they signed... 99 YEARS, RENT FREE, TWENTY-THREE BASES and don't forget to take all the gold!

To use your analogy of 1992, RP says "Bases Go!", USA says "Stay!" Along comes Pinatubo, USA says "Bye!" WIN-WIN situation!

> You're making the old liberal arguement that it really is possible to be too  poor to pick up the trash.

Hmmmm... Rush Limbaugh?  Yeah, some people are just too poor to give a care...

> >So, I think your tourism solution is simplistic and typical of people in the USA.

> What a dick-head. Take a trip up to the American graveyard in Green Hills. Look at the graves of all those "simplistic" Americans who died to liberate that place. Don't you cheese-dicks ever get tired of calling us names while you have you hand out. When the chips are down we are never too "simplistic" and  "typical" to help.

Yo Chief, why don't you "AT EASE!"

Yeah, I'm a "dick-head" but I can get it up "naturally",  you limp-dick lard-ass!

I don't have to use Atenolol, maxide tabs, Procardia XL, HCTZ, Tenex, Zestril, Lorazepam, Luvox, Kava, Paxil, Xanax, Inderal or Viagra.  Are you really that hosed-up?  25 trips to the EMERGENCY room?  Do the other voices in your head complain about your needle-dick?  Do they really say 3 or 4 strokes (5 or 6 with the right one) is enough to keep your woman from complaining?

I'm sorry, I got sidetracked... Not to be disrespectful to those who died liberating "that place", but I hardly think travel tour packages to American cementeries will be enough to sustain the Philippine economy.

However, as Andy, Lisa and cats were so kind to point out, Marinduque is supposed to be very nice... it's a starting point, I guess. People going to Mexico, go to Cancun or Acapulco rather than TJ or Mexico City.

> Do you have any idea of the way the tax and legal system works in the Philippines? Do you know how stupid and idiotic it really is? Would you put up all the money for a 40% share in the business and then be required to sell to your 60% Filipino partner after 10 years? There is a reason why the big multi national companies DO NOT invest in the Philippines

Sorry, I don't know anything about the tax or legal system there. IMHO, Cory Aquino screwed up by not declaring a revolutionary government. They could have taken over all the businesses and been debt free.

> You come up with this retort and call Americans "simplistic" and "typical."

How's this...  The first time I crossed over "Shit River" into Olongapo City,  my first thought was "EWWWWWW!" My second thought was "Let's go get a beer and GET LAID!!!   I'm in PUSSY HEAVEN!"

In retrospect, I suppose my, your, the Seventh Fleet and Ms. Dane's second thought should have been to get down on our knees, count our fingers and toes and THANK GOD that we did not have to live like this, that we would only be there a short while, then we could go back to the safety and security of the USA, back to white, middle class suburbia, back to the Cape Cod house with the white picket fence or something close to that.

Damn... got sidetracked again!

OK,  How to jumpstart the Philippine economy...  Shhhhh!  Don't tell anyone!  It's a secret!  The ocean around the Sprately Islands is one of the world's biggest reserve of naturally occuring, deutrium-laden "heavy water".

> >And you know, there isn't a whole lot that I can do about it (besides bitch and moan) and all I really want to do... IS GET SOME SOCCER SHOES DONATED TO THE CHILDREN OF THE PHILIPPINES!!

> Jesus, put up your own money and buy them. What you are saying is that if some dumb ass American is willing to pick up the tab you'll hold your nose long enough to take the shoes.

You know,  I was going to do that,  but then, I thought,  why should I do anything for the "11,407,125" Ameriasian bastards YOU left behind...

David, I really cannot understand your colonial, defeating mentality. Oh, do you have a FAQ for this NG? Did you get any Filipino input on that or is it just what YOU thought would be best for the "little brown brothers"?  How is it that you have no empathy for the Philippines or the Filipino people?  You've been married to a Pinay for 23+ years.  Ooooh, scary thought,  you COULD be raising my children!!

You've LIVED in the Philippines for 2 years.  How many WestPacs?  You must have gone against every belief your mama held dear when you brought home "a Darkie."

Why is it that you feel compelled to make deragotory, wise-ass remarks about every little post? Could you direct me to one of your posts that was encouraging, supportive, upbeat or constructive? You would like people to believe that you know everything about everything.

Well, it appears that your whole life has been based on a lot of "maybe's" and your "best guesstimate". I've seen your kind, up on the O-10 level, with tin foil in your hair, trying to tune into the weather channel. Flipping quarters - "Uh... heads, clear and 10... Uh... tails, rain!"

Playing grab-ass with skivie-wavers, another useless, sea-pussy rate.

Whimpering in the corner up there, because your OCD just brought in another voice that really, really, really, really wants you to JUMP!!!  (Well, that one was just plain CRAZY!) but, the other ones are OK! Listen to the voices, David, they really want to help you! There's one that's saying that you should turn off your computer, get off your lazy lard-ass and go play with any one of your six children. And no, the voices didn't have anything to do with you losing your job.

That's right, bitch! If you want to hammer this FLIP's tits, you better move fast. (I don't mind if you call me a FLIP, but smile anyway. However, call me a "little round, brown guy" and I would have to look around to make sure you were really talking to me before I kicked your ass!)

There's a song from the 70's, "Smiling Faces... Sometimes" that says "Your enemy won't do you no harm, cause you know where he's coming from..." OK,  that's not a good example,  how about Gomer Pyle, "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me!" "Won't get fooled again" - The Who.  As I have alluded to elsewhere, there's not a whole lot that "I" can do, but maybe someday, a Filipino kid (even an Ameriasian) will see my stuff, ask MORE questions and actually be able to make a difference in the Philippines.

Damn, rambling again...sorry, old age!

Well, anyway, you know what they say about opinions and assholes...  I have my opinions and you sir, are an asshole.... ;-p