Dreadful American Humor
Published in Today
(February 02, 2000)
SO it seems the colonial mentality will never die in the Philippines: the Americans are back.
He Senate kicked them out of the Subic and Clark a couple years ago , but a new senate ratified that dubious Visiting Forces Agreement, although sen. Raul Roco had made everybody look foolish in the debates over the issue. The senators did not listen to the clamor of the people and of the concerned organisations; they had their own agenda.
What is worrisome is not just the American presence here; it is the terms of the agreement, which give US troops immunity from prosecution for crimes committed here. I don't why this country always accept to be humiliated in suc a way. That;s really calling for trouble, as if we do not have enough women and child abuse here.
To think that not one GI has ever been convicted during the Clark and Subic erais revolting. Is it because only the poor get abused, and so nobidy cares?
I hear that these well educated soldiers will be back at their barracks before 12:00 p.m. and drink no alcohol. That's dreadful American humaor! I did not know that in the Unted States, no crime is committed before midnight without the influence of liquor. And does anybody really believe that these 1,000 "modern heroes" will only drink tea and coke for one month or so?
The American government really takes the Filipinos for idiots. But this time, let us invite Bill Clinton and company to eat nis toxic waste before everybody goes home.
Roman von Arx
1375 Burgos Street
Paco, Manila
