Last Saturday, when I came first across the now-controversial Chip Tsao article from techie Jim Ayson?s Twitter feed, I did a little research about Chip Tsao and learned that he was a Hong Kong-based practicing journalist and that a twisted sense of humor was the benchmark of his writing.

For those who haven?t read Chip Tsao?s article, it is a reaction to the Philippines? policy on the Spratly Islands. But instead of delving into why he was objecting to it, he wrote that the Philippines, a ?nation of servants?, should not flex its muscles against its master. Then, he went on to describe a scene (most probably fictitious) between him and his Filipina maid, a graduate of international relations, when he told her that should war break out between the Philippines and China he would not be able to retain her services as it would amount to treason.

I posted a screenshot of a portion of the article on my Web log, remarked that it isn?t my style to dignify bad taste with indignation and refrained from playing the role of provocateur. I wrote: ?My interest in Chip Tsao, his style and his article is to point out that low class and tacky journalism is not peculiar to the Philippines. It?s everywhere.? Then, I waited, knowing that a lot of people would not be able to differentiate the person from the issue nor pass off the opportunity to start a gutter fight.

Most of the people who posted comments are not even among my regular readers. While a few took the higher ground and refused to discuss the article on the gutter level, most dove right into the mud, splashing and reveling, calling Chip Tsao names but not really pointing out what was so wrong with the substance of the article. As far as they were concerned, he insulted the Philippines and the Filipinos and, ergo, hurling personal insults at the guy was called for.

But the name calling wasn?t the worst part. Hiding behind his anonimity, someone who calls himself ?Filipino Pride? wrote about crushing the life of the writer. Well, he is obviously a Filipino and proud of himself. I am a Filipino but I am not proud of remarks like that. Another, probably not capable of carrying out a fistfight, said the writer should ?keep his mouth shut or I would ask Manny Pacquiao to shut his lights out.?

Then, somewhere along the line, the attacks against Chip Tsao shifted to the Chinese people in general. The comments turned into a series of racial slurs and outright racist remarks (?Chinese is the plague of the earth?) with one commenter even calling for a boycott of all Chinese products.

Not surprisingly, the name calling was directed against me too after I posted a comment reminding readers that they could criticize Chip Tsao and disagree with his words but calling him names and hurling personal insults at him reflect badly on Filipinos, not on him. I was called insane and unpatriotic. And I could imagine Chip Tsao smiling?gloating?and telling himself how well he has proven his point: See what Filipinos equate patriotism with?

All of a sudden, Chip Tsao?s tacky style of writing paled beside what many of the commenters were exhibiting. And I asked myself: Is this what we Filipinos have become? Equating bravery and patriotism with the ability to think, talk and act like common street toughies? Is this the accepted and lauded reaction to anyone whom we feel have slighted us? call him dirty names, threaten him with bodily harm and insult his race?

I look back at recent events and remind myself that this is only a repeat of how people reacted to the infamous Malu Fernandez article and Teri Hatcher?s lines in that much-maligned Desperate Housewives episode. The voices of the few who strove to fight against both by pointing out why they were wrong in substance were drowned out by the voices of the multitudes who only wanted blood.

What have we become as a people? To what depths of depravity have we sunk? To depths lower and murkier than where the likes of Chip Tsao are swimming in perverted glee?

The biggest irony is how these people ?the ones who call Chip Tsao and the Chinese horrible names?are so self-righteous about it. They actually feel they are above the sleazy madness that engulfs them. They even think that what they are doing is a collective act of courage and patriotism.

Oh, how sad! How even more sad that these depraved people who cannot discern between the personalities and the issues far outnumber those that can. Poor, poor us who will have to carry the brunt of their madness by virtue of the common citizenship we share.

The author blogs at http://houseonahill.net, http://pinoycook.net and http://www.sassylawyer.com