Kuwentong Peyups
Atty. Dennis Gorecho
Fake news and Red-tagging of Wicked’s green witch Elphaba
London United Kingdom – Elphaba , the green witch in the film Wicked, depicts the present day activists as targets of fake news and red-tagging.
The film is a manifestation how truth becomes distorted through propaganda under the present ‘fake news’ climate. I recently watched Wicked on board the plane enroute to London.
Elphaba’s green skin is an unmistakable metaphor for visible racial, physical, political or ability-based differences.
Elphaba is a witch who was born with green skin and faced prejudice every day of her life. She is incredibly gifted, but no one acknowledges her talents because they are too focused on the color of her skin.
Elphaba feels inferior to her ‘frenemy’ Glinda because of how Glinda upholds patriarchal and racist beauty standards.
Elphaba, as the protagonist, is someone who has been “othered,” a victim of prejudice and propaganda, who sees the pathetic reality of “the man behind the curtain” and courageously thwarts his plot to make himself more powerful.
“The best way to bring folks together, is to give them a really good enemy,” the line uttered by Jeff Goldblum as the Wizard that mirrors our current socio-political climate of fake news.
The Wizard is a false-charmer who hoodwinked a hopeless and desperate population of people. He has no powers, no intellect, no empathy, and his only skill is creating friction and getting people to turn against one another.
The Wizard’s strategy of uniting society through a common enemy mirrors contemporary political tactics. The film’s depiction of how truth becomes distorted through propaganda is an enlightening aspect of our ‘fake news’ climate.
Fake news refers to the general and widespread misinformation or disinformation by various media. Social media play a key role in influencing topics and information ranging from politics, health, belief, religion, current events, aid, lifestyle, elections, and others.
The manipulation of public perception and the exploitation of prejudices demonstrates how those in power can shape narratives to maintain their authority.
The wizard used fake news in spreading propaganda about animals (creatures with human-level intelligence who can talk, but are being eradicated) and misleading people into thinking that they are dangerous criminals – because he believes that by discriminating against animals, that the humans will be better off.
Elphaba acts as a fierce advocate for animal rights, fighting against the systemic oppression and silencing of “animals” in Oz. Her advocacy stems from her empathy as an outcast, driving her to liberate caged animals and oppose the Wizard’s propaganda.
The film delves into divisive spoon fed narratives and a constructed crisis targeting ‘others different to ourselves’ to deflect attention.
People in positions of power will exploit our prejudices and manipulate our perceptions of good and evil to achieve their purposes.
“Good” and “evil” are complex and nuanced concepts. What appears to be evil or good is influenced by people’s motivations, perceptions, prejudices, relationships, self-interest, propaganda, power, and sense of the greater good,
What is “wicked” is in the eye of the beholder. Ultimately, the show implores us to question what we believe about others and recognize how easy it is to be influenced by propaganda and fear-mongering.
Due to her advocacy for the animal rights and fight against the wizard, Elphaba was red-tagged as the “wicked witch” whom the populace wanted dead,
Red tagging is the practice of labeling individuals or groups as communists, terrorists, or subversives, often falsely, to silence dissent and intimidate activists, journalists, and human rights activists,
Through social media posts, public press conferences, and the distribution of posters or flyers tagging individuals, this practice often leads to harassment, surveillance , threats, fabricated criminal charges, physical violence and extrajudicial killings.
“Red-tagging” is a threat to people’s life, liberty, and security, declared the Supreme Court in the case of Deduro v. Maj. Gen. Vinoya (G.R. No. 254753, July 4, 2023).
The Supreme Court stressed that being associated with communists makes a red-tagged person a target of vigilantes, paramilitary groups or even state agents. It also noted that red-tagging uses threats and intimidation to discourage “subversive activities.”
SC Senior Associate Justice Marvic Leonen said red tagging is used by the military and paramilitary units to silence or cause untold human rights abuses on vocal dissenters.
Social media is flooded with the use of dehumanizing language or terms like “corned beef,” to mock the deaths of activists and suspected rebels, particularly during the recent military operation in Barangay Salamanca, Toboso, Negros Occidental left 19 people dead, including two students from the University of the Philippines,
Wicked succeeds as entertainment and a powerful lens through which to examine our social divisions and prejudices.
(Peyups is the moniker of the University of the Philippines. Atty. Dennis R. Gorecho heads the Seafarers’ Division of the Sapalo Velez Bundang Bulilan Law Offices. For comments, e-mail info@sapalovelez.com, or call 0908-8665786.)