AMA joins Filams in denouncing ABCs slur

By Joseph G. Lariosa
CHICAGO, Illinois – The American Medical Association (AMA), the largest association of American medical doctors and medical students in the United States with 244,005 members, has denounced the ABC Network for insulting doctors who studied in medical schools in the Philippines.

Dr. Ronald M. Davis, AMA president, wrote Stephen McPherson, president of ABC Entertainment in Burbank, California, that (w)e are offended that your television program, Desperate Housewives, expressed such a derogatory and insulting comments towards physicians who went to medical schools in the Philippines.”

The American Medical Association (AMA) represents all physicians in the U.S. who work tirelessly to comfort, treat and care for the patients in our country,” Davis said. Over 25% of the U.S. physician populations are international medical graduates. Each licensed physician, regardless of the medical school he or she attended, must pass numerous tests and clinical assessments before entering graduate medical education (residency training) in the United States.”

To suggest that a particular segment of the physician population is somehow less qualified than other physicians because of where he or she went to medical school is offensive, unfair and discriminatory,” Davis declared.

It was appalling to hear Teri Hatchers character on ABCs Desperate Housewives use an ethnic slur that has caused much offense to all physicians and particularly those who have been internationally trained.”

Davis continued: The statement (Ok, before we go any further, can I check these diplomas? Just to make sure they arent like, from some medical school in the Philippines .) was very insensitive and unwarranted, as well as a sweeping generalization about Philippine medical schools.

We believe a formal statement of apology is warranted from the ABC network to our physician membership and to the Filipino physician community. We further request that this offensive statement be removed from future airings of the Desperate Housewives television series.

Davis responded to the letter addressed to Dr. Edward L. Langston, chairman of the AMA Board of Trustees, by Dr. Gamini Soori, chair of the International Medical Graduates Governing Council, who suggested to Doctor Langston that our AMA leadership should respond forcefully to the outcry from physician membership regarding the ethnic slur relative to Philippine physicians on ABCs Desperate Housewives.

Dr. Soori said, The AMA has 16% of its membership represented by international medical graduates. When something is said that offends a particular segment of our physician population, it should offend all of us.”

He continued: IMGs have completed the necessary tests and clinical assessments in order to enter graduate medical training in the U.S. We are an integral part of the physician workforce and many of us work in underserved areas in the U.S. To suggest that an IMG, based on where he or she went to medical school, is less qualified than other physician, is discriminatory.”

He also noted that the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) headed by Dr. James King, has 94,000 physician memberships, 18.8% of whom are international medical graduates.

Word on AMAs stand of the matter was relayed to Ed Navarra, region 3 chair of the National Federation of Filipino American Associations, by Dr. Philip S. Chua, chair of Filipino United Network, and Cardiovascular Surgery of Cebu Doctors University Hospital and vice president for Far East of Cardiovascular Hospitals of America. The NaFFAA headed by Ms. Alma Kern was one of the first groups to denounce the racial slur.

WASHINGTON D.C. – Some Filipino American groups, including a segment of the National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA) and doctors organizations, want to pursue more drastic steps against ABC for the slur on Filipino doctors in Desperate Housewives.

The NaFFAA regional group in the West Coast said it is filing a $500-million class action suit against the TV network while other groups of doctors and activists are calling for continuation of demonstrations against ABC offices nationwide. All of them are claiming that the apology and other steps taken by ABC have not been sufficient to atone for the hurt.
Jon Melegrito, communications director of NaFFAA, who along with others took the initiative to demand an apology and other concessions from officials of NBC said that NaFFAA is not now and will not be a party to any class action suit filed against ABC. Atty. (Rodel) Rodis does not represent NaFFAA in any capacity whatsoever.

He said NaFFAA does not discourage individuals and groups from pursuing protest actions on the streets and other legal recourse. But he said that despite the actions of other groups, NaFFAA is determined to continue engaging ABC in a constructive way and avail of the opportunities afforded by our dialogue with the networks top officials.

Meanwhile, Ambassador Willy C. Gaa said in a statement, I am impressed by the speed and effectiveness in which the community has come together on this issue.

He added that the disparaging remarks in the episode were an offense against the dignity and abilities of our people and our community, especially those who worked so hard to establish solid reputations in the field of medicine and healthcare. Let us remain united and vigilant against all unfounded aspersions against the Filipino.”

Melegrito said that among the other steps NaFFAA is taking is to continue to negotiate with ABC Sr. Vice President Robert Mendez to, among other steps, make a public service announcement to be aired on prime time by ABC and its affiliates, saluting Filipino American History Month (October) and honoring the contributions of Filipinos in the US, not only the doctors and nurses, but teachers and childcare providers, home care workers and others.

But opponents said these were mere promises that will never be carried out by the network. One group of doctors have set a meeting in Las Vegas to plot the class action suit. Others, like activists in New York, support them.
The network had already promptly apologized within days of the broadcast of the offending episode on Sept. 30. More than 120,000 Filipinos worldwide have signed a circulating petition denouncing ABCs slur. Besides the apology, ABC had reportedly erased the offending scene from all its digital platforms and rebroadcasts.

An ongoing survey conducted by AOL showed that out of 62,925 who voted, the majority, 74 percent, said the slur was just a silly joke while 26 percent said it had racial implications. The question posed was Is there good reason for some to be offended by this joke? The survey also showed that Housewives should not worry about it, 69 percent, while 31 percent said apologize.

Rodney J. Jaleco, ABS-CBN bureau chief in DC and contributing editor of the Manila Mail, culled some reaction from Filipino Americans in the Washington D.C. area on whether to support or not the move by some California-based community leaders to sue ABC for $500 million.

Akala nila hanggang sorry lang tayo, pwede na, declared Fred Sunga, proprietor of the Fiesta Oriental store in Arlington. Kung gagawin uli after a year, alam nila kaya tayo kasi sorry lang pumayag na tayo,” he said.
Lilian Zano grimaced when we asked her if she would support the class suit against ABC. Mas maiintindihan tayo, na-air na natin na mali ang ginawa nila. Tama na yung sorry,” she averred.

Mas OK sana kung nag-sorry sila sa television, pero huwag na ang demanda. Magmumukha na were trying to take advantage, kukuha pa tayo ng pera. Hindi na tama,” Zano explained.
Violeta Jarin, proprietor of the Little Quiapo restaurant here, doubts whether the suit would prosper. Sabi nila America is a free country.

They can say anything, no?” she said.

Another group, led by Filipino American activists, has emphasized the need to continue pressures against ABC if we want dignity and respect to our doctors and healthcare professionals restored.

Arnedo Valera, head of Migrant Heritage Commission, and Rico Foz of NAFCON, said the community remains united in its demands against ABC and its calling for continued pickets, protests and boycotts. Speaking before the Filipino Nurses groups in New Jersey recently, Valera questioned the earlier concessions given by ABC to the group that met with ABC officials in New York early this month.

Ambassador Gaa also commended the efforts of the community and Philippine consul generals in the US for their reaction that has led ABC the concerns raised following the premiere broadcast of Desperate Housewives” Sept. 30.

We have demonstrated the potential of the Filipino American community to influence events. I hope that we can further build on this display of solidarity and collective effort and harness it in support of our common interests in issues such as equity for Filipino veterans or better trading and business opportunities,” Gaa emphasized.

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