Tuesday, March 13, 2007

Harvey Keh's Open Letter to Filipinos

What's amazing about technology nowadays is that it actually serves people. Blogs give people (especially relatively unknown people like me) a voice and I'm impressed that something as simple as an email can cause quite a stir in the country.

The email I'm referring to is Harvey Keh's Open Letter to Filipinos. You can Google the stir it's caused. I'd like to make some points:

  1. Whether you're praising the letter or denouncing it, I'm glad that it's provoking a reaction from Filipinos. You're reacting because you're concerned. There is belief that something can still be done for the country.
  2. The written word is limited -- misinterpretations can abound. To those denouncing Mr. Harvey Keh, what I can say in his defense is that he is given poetic license. His statement that "he will leave the country if seven things happen" is an exaggeration, especially to those who personally know him. Also the letter is not to be taken too literally: why did he denounce Richard Gomez but not Cesar Montano for example (and the answer is, because at the time of writing, the latter hadn't officially filed his intent to run).
  3. The letter in question was originally intended for Harvey's friends and associates. It was those that were moved by it that began the viral email.
  4. You can read more on Harvey Keh's views at his blog. It can probably be best summed up with this statement: "But for me, the more fundamental question is not whether or not one should leave the country but rather to ask ourselves what can we do in our own small way to contribute towards Nation Building."

No comments: