For Fil-Ams and other people of color,the “American Dream” often means toiling away just

For Fil-Ams and other people of color,the “American Dream” often means toiling away just to obtain a smallpiece of the spoils that were violently ripped away from your community.Second-gen Asian Americans like me grow up oblivious aboutour own histories because the U.S. education system purposely withholdsinformation about it, and our parents try to outrun their trauma by neversharing their experiences, instead pushing their children toward anassimilation sleepwalk.AsAms realize too late we’ve inherited a deal with the devilwe never agreed to: we can keep our language, but only if we speak itprivately. Our food, if we serve it. Our culture, if it upholds the illusion ofAmerica as a benevolent melting pot that saved us from ourselves.But AsAms aren’t the only ones ignorant of this history. FewAmericans know of the Philippine-American War and the atrocities the UScommitted. Even fewer understand how the U.S.’s ongoing legacy of war,destruction, and colonization in Asia is a major reason the AsAm diasporaexists.Americansaren’t taught about how centuries of exploitation of the Philippines’ resourcesby Western powers has led to most of its workforce immigrating and becoming aglobal servant class called Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs). Instead, they’retaught that poverty is inherent to Filipinx culture.Americansaren’t taught about how the US installs and props up puppet leaders anddictators—like how Nixon, Ford, Carter, and Reagan fully backed Marcos as heruled under martial law and committed human rights violations. Instead, they’retaught corruption is inherent to Filipinx culture.Americansaren’t taught that colonization is bipartisan and Trump and Biden agree ontheir view of the Philippines: a de facto colony whose resources and bodies canbe exploited with impunity for the US war machine. Instead, they’re taughtservitude is inherent to Filipinx culture.Americans aren’ttaught about one-sided US military agreements used to keep an imperialistfoothold: the Mutual Defense Treaty, Mutual Logistics Support Agreement,Visiting Forces Agreement & Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement.Instead, they’re told it’s for mutual benefit.American’s aren’t taught about how manyAsAms struggle with poverty, institutional racism, and violence. Instead,they’re taught the Model Minority Myth—created by white people and propagatedby all races—that says Asians don’t suffer race-based oppression.Americans aren’t taught about how Fil-Ams give earnings tofamily, live in multi-generational households to pool money together, and howthe Philippines’ economy would collapse without OFW remittances. Instead,they’re taught Fil-Ams have a high median household income amongst AsAms.Americans aren’t taught about how AsAm leaders are installedwith white backing the same way puppet leaders are, and use their shared raceto hurt their own and prevent true progress. Instead, they’re taught that privileged,out-of-touch blue-checks are the voice of our community.So if Americans aren’t taught any of this, who will teachthem? The ugly truth is that AsAms who try to speak up are often crushed intosilence by non-Asians who benefit from the status quo, and by Asian puppetleaders who’ve been installed to protect their masters’ interests.Overall, being Filipinx and Asian meansconstantly navigating survival between rotating oppressors.As an ex-Navy brat who grew upoverseas, I’ve struggled with my concept of home and at one point believed“home” was a US military base. But maybe that’s as Fil-Am as it gets.(Please don’trepost or edit my art. Reblogs are always appreciated.)If you enjoy mycomics, please pledge to my Patreon or donate to my Paypal. I lost my publisherfor trying to publish these strips, so your support keeps me going until I canfind a new publisher/lit agenthttps://twitter.com/Joshua_Luna/status/1134522555744866304https://patreon.com/joshualunahttps://www.paypal.com/paypalme2/JoshuaLunaComics -- source link

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