Ms USA Rima Fakih DISSED by Award-Winning Filipino Journalist
Was very surprised to come across this opinion piece in Inquirer’s Global Nation webpage. Award-winning Filipino Journalist Emil Guillermo wonders why the beautiful Ms USA Rima Fakih is getting so much attention while the intelligent Mona Pasquil, a Filipina American who is shining in Calfornia politics, is not.
While Emil Guillermo doesn’t directly compare the two ladies, he comes pretty close to it.
I’ve reprinted Emil Guillermo’s article in full; scroll down to read it and then tell me what you think. Is it fair? Or is it like wondering why apples are more popular than oranges?
Adventures of a Beauty Queen would like to know what you think…
Mona Pasquil
Ms USA 2010 Rima Fakih
CALIFORNIA, United States—Why is no one is clamoring about Mona Pasquil, the highest ranking American Filipino ever in the most Filipino state in the US? Mona is making news as she steps down from her interim appointment as California’s Lieutenant Governor and helps with the transition.
Meanwhile the world is going gaga over Rima Fakih, the Arab American from Dearborn, Michigan, and newly crowned Miss USA, though who knows for how long. Fakih’s propensity to strip in public may be too much for Donald Trump’s beauty contest.
Once again photos have come up in post-mortem of a Trump contestant’s extra-curriculars. It’s a pattern to be expected among these types of gals, and now the Donald may strip Miss Fakih of her new tiara. Instead, maybe he can put her on the next “Apprentice.” She’d be good for an episode on organizing a wet-T shirt contest.
I admit to being surprised at the reaction to Fakih’s victory. The Arab American community was filled with pride, as if to say, “She’s a bimbo, but she’s our bimbo!”
My immediate reaction was, “Where are the Arab American feminists out there when we really need them?” Fakih may seem like a liberated sort, shirking the burqa and showing off the goods. But is it progress shifting from one oppressor (the traditional Arab chauvinist) to the Western exploitation of Donald Trump?
False progress like fake boobs only goes so far.
We know pageants As you know, Filipinos are beauty pageant aficionados, and even taking Miss USA on its own terms, I was surprised by Fakih even being in the top 5. Take the “Question” session. All the questions seemed to have a current events bent. Fakih was no great intellect here. No quoting from the Koran or anything like that. Her question was on whether birth control should be covered by health insurance. Being the practical, western Arab American, what else could she say about birth control, the great enabler. She said, yes. It’s costly.
Winner, winner?
But there was Fakih (has a nice ring to it, no?) standing next to the other finalists—four blonde, toothy, leggy Amazons. It almost seemed like a set up for Trump. Not to besmirch the integrity of the beauty contest, but my guess is that Trump saw the possibility of a media circus in having an Arab girl win. That’s like having a guy with a Turban win a Nascar race. Woo-hoo, Allah! It’s just too surreal for a publicity-monger to pass up. At least for a while.
As I said she may be stripped of her title by the time you read this for being too western for clothes.
Real beauty? Mona Pasquil
As much as I was startled by Fakih, I was dazzled recently by Mona, who was the key honoree at a special Asian American Heritage Month celebration in San Jose last week hosted by community leader Ben Menor. I’ve known Mona and her parents for several years. As a political player, Mona’s no slouch, having served as political director for twice-elected Governor Gray Davis, then as western political director for Bill Clinton. As chief of staff to former Lieutenant Governor John Garamendi, the seas parted for Pasquil when Garamendi won a seat for Congress.
But would she run to keep her appointment? Mona told me she was asked, but she declined. “I would have had to raise the money in a short time,” she said, and with no campaign chest in the waiting, Mona did the prudent thing. She wouldn’t wage a one legged battle. She stepped aside, and let others, notably San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsome step into the electoral picture.
But watch out for her. Mona assured me she will run when it’s right, and that time is coming soon.
Mona Pasquil. American Filipino. A political player. Now there’s a woman to celebrate.
Emil Guillermo is an award-winning, Harvard-educated veteran journalist and commentator. Follow him at http://www.twitter.com/emilamok or go to http://www.amok.com.
Rima Fakih photo source:
Emil, Rima Fakih is a pageant girl, her first priority is beauty. Since when did she have to be a scholar? Besides, Rima is still WAY more intelligent than you. What gave you the urge to expect otherwise? Not all Arabs are Muslim, especially the Lebanese. Rima’s family is both Muslim and Christian, they celebrate holidays of both faiths. Rima is also way more tolerant than you. I know for a fact your reaction to Rima would have been way different if she was Filipina. The Arab world is proud of Rima bc she represents the long hidden fact that Middle Eastern women are the most beautiful and classy women in the world. With the unfortunate circumstances surrounding the Middle East, such as the fact that its exploitation and rape by the Western imperialists never stopped, Rima Fakih was a breath of fresh air. Finally, media coverage of the Arabs that didn’t involve war, violence, or religious extremism. Finally, media coverage more specifically of Arab women that didn’t show them abused. With that said, congratulations about Mona.
The above comment was edited A LOT as it contained comments that went against the comment policies of Adventures of a Beauty Queen. However, F Chaudhri had some excellent points that need to see the light of day.
Emil Guillermo, Ms. Fakih, and Mona Pasquil are all Americans, regardless of their ethnic backgrounds. I found it rather strange and surprising for Guillermo to seemingly pit one’s ethnicity or cultural background against the other in his article. I’ve been a California voter for more than 25 years and I didn’t even realize Pasquil was of Filipino ethnicity until I read Guillermo’s article in this blog. And to be honest, it really doesn’t matter to me if she is, or for that matter Ms. Fakih’s or Emil’s ethnicity. What matters is a person’s ability and integrity. While I realize that Emil is an editorial writer who focuses on Asian-American issues, his article is lame and certainly won’t win points with the new generation of Americans — Asian or not.
Another great comment that I got on my Facebook from Mario Sibayan…
The Trump’s organization has a powerful public/press relations machinery which is capable of generating news for its special events for everyone in the world or universe to delight in. Emil Guillermo should volunteer as Mona Pasquil’s active campaign manager with his own might, power and money to promote her accomplishments as world-news worthy.
From my friend Dits who commented on my Facebook site:
I understand his point, but I think he’s being unfair. He doesn’t have to diss one to promote the other. He could’ve just focused on the one he wanted to build up instead of tearing down someone else. I wish he just settled for comparing physical vs nonphysical beauty, more emphasis on the latter. Writers like this make me wonder where the intrinsic respectfulness of Filipinos has gone…=((
Whats up with this writer? Comparing two totally different entities. Mona Pasquil will never be a beauty queen in her entire life NOT even a Miss Barangay title it will never be her destiny. Beauty pageants are the in thing and Rima is talked about because she sizzles and she is HOT something that Mona will never have.
I must add that I doubt if Mona would even consider running for any beauty title. God has given her a gift for politics and she is SHINING in that field. She makes me proud to be Pinoy!
Comparing these women is like doing a de-service to both of them
A beauty queen is admired for things that are different from what a politician does….
And wait- do you think the world will focus on another woman if they decide to ignore Rima?
In politics- there are great political figures that deserve attention….Yes, Mona is one great lady. But don’t praise her at the expense of Rima…
In the beauty pageant world- Rima is the “it” girl. The woman does not intend to be another Cory Aquino…. She is to be admired by what she has done and should be compared among her compatriots…..
Personally, we should celebrate both of them…The writer of that article could have praised Mona without putting Rima down…… tsk tsk tsk
Thanks Jay, I think you wrote the words I wanted to say. Tsk tsk tsk talaga…
I was able to read this piece in the Inquirer. It was quite strange why the writer compared the 2 of Obviously different backgrounds and different professions. It would have been better if the writer compared Mona Pasquil with another Filipina in the US. I really did not get what the Writer was trying to relay. Was he sour graping as to why Rima Fakih was given more attention than Mona Pasquil? But at the near end of the article, I realized that the writer was trying to convey that Mona Pasquil deserved more attention that Rima Fakih. The writer in my opinion is comparing the attention given to beauty pageants and beauty queens compared to outstanding individuals who deserve more attention. Beauty is truly controversial, to the eye of the writer, Mona Pasquil is the real beauty. And who are we to say that he is wrong.
Thanks Vic for your insight. He is indeed comparing the attention being given to both ladies. But I just wished that he was kinder to Rima Fakih in his writings. I still strongly believe in being respectful when giving one’s opinion. But then, that’s just my own opinion.
Nevertheless, just like the writer, I’m definitely proud of our very own Mona who is a beautiful woman inside and out.