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To: Adam Carolla, CBS Radio
Dear Mr. Carolla,
On behalf of the Filipino and Filipino American community, we are writing with disappointment and disdain in your choice to verbally slander Manny Pacquiao, the Philippines, and the Filipino American community. Your words were unnecessary, hurtful, and erroneous. When you insinuate that Filipinos “pray to chicken bones” or that the Philippines only has “Manny Pacquiao and sex stores,” you fail to recognize the millions of Filipinos and Filipino Americans who have contributed significantly to the United States and to the entire world. We do not pray to chicken bones. We are Catholic, ******, Christian, Buddhist, and other religious and non-religious people who are civilized, educated, and successful. We are not sex workers. We are doctors, nurses, teachers, professors, artists, community organizers, writers, politicians, journalists, engineers, activists, fashion designers, accountants, entrepreneurs, researchers, social workers, public health advocates, athletes, chefs, and post office workers. We have taken care of you in the hospital. We have taken care of your children. We have taken care of your elderly. We have worked hard to achieve our American Dream, and you have no right to denigrate us like this, merely to get attention.
This is not the first time you have gotten into trouble for your racist remarks. You’ve called Native Hawaiians “the world's dumbest people,” “******ed,” and “in-bred.” You’ve later insulted a Korean American actor by mouthing “ching-chong, ching-chong.” And now you apparently are trying to gain attention by insulting Filipinos and the Filipino American community. You apologized to the Asian American community before, but it seems that you have not yet learned your lesson.
It seems that time and time again, “celebrities” and “comedians” feel that it is acceptable to degrade Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in public forums. You would never have said such things about African Americans, as you recognize that your career would plummet, as exemplified by the falls of Michael Richards and Don Imus. What you need to recognize is that racial hate and ignorance about any group is wrong and unjust. And what you also need to recognize is that your hate towards Asian Americans, the fastest growing racial minority group in the United States, can also lead to your career’s demise too.
You say that the Philippines has "nothing better going on for it” because of their support for Manny Pacquiao. What you fail to recognize is that the Filipino American community has strength in our unity and our ability to mobilize, particularly when we are blatantly mistreated or belittled by people in the public eye. There are an estimated 3 million Filipino Americans in the United States, with millions of other Filipinos across the diaspora. We are projected to become the largest Asian American population in the United States, and we have allegiances with many communities of color. We will boycott your show and all of your parent companies unless you offer a public apology to Manny Pacquiao, the people of the Philippines, and the Filipino American community.
Sincerely,
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