Know what completely blows my mind? How people of colour think only white people are racist. White is a colour, too. We bleed red, too.
I've listened to people of colour from other countries put Canada down because we allow our women to vote. I've had First Nations women go out of their way to slam into me in the crowded aisle of a clothing store. I've listened to Oprah Winfrey use the word "white" with such a derogatory tone that I deemed the woman a racist. I haven't watched her show or network since. Listened to many different races speak ill of white people. Somehow, white people are not allowed to claim people of colour are racist. Double standard? Definitely.
First Nations people constantly claim everyone is an immigrant to Canada, except them. Needless to say, this assumption is false as historians have found evidence they immigrated from Asia. Yet another common complaint is what the white people stole from them, such as their language.
I've heard people of colour cry discrimination as soon as a white person looks at them with their "resting bitch face" on. I'm tired of people of colour demanding rights above and beyond what other Canadians have.
I'm also very sick of black people calling each other "niggas", but move hell and high water if someone who isn't black uses the word. Every day on social media this word pops up -- from the black people; not the white ones. Perhaps you should set the example if you don't want the rest of the world using this term you find both derogatory and racist.
First, we are all Canadians, not our colour. We should all have the same rights, regardless of our ancestry. To the people who think women shouldn't vote: if you truly believe that, this is not the right country for you. Your homeland would be a much better place for you to raise your sons and daughters. Please don't try to change our country to imitate the one you left. I assume you left yours for Canada because it is a better, safer place to live with more opportunities than the country you left.
Second, don't assume you are the only race discriminated against. We all bitch about people from a race different than ours: First Nations are racist against whites, blacks are racist against whites, and people of Asian descent are, also. Just as some white people are racist against a variety of ethnicities. However, I also believe most people will take each individual at face value when we meet them. If you're an asshole, you're an asshole -- no matter your colour or ethnic background.
Third, how did we "steal" anything from the First Nations people? The federal government gave you land to call your own so you could practice your tribal ancestry. You get to hunt at any time of the year to honour your heritage. There are medical and educational benefits you are not required to pay for, while other Canadians must. If your languages have become lost, perhaps you should blame that on the elders who didn't pass it on as they should have. I think you should also blame your chiefs for the mismanagement of money on your reservations, instead of the federal government. Many of you live in abject poverty on your reserves. It makes me incredibly sad to see the state some reservations are in. Yet, the white man didn't do this to you -- your greedy chiefs did by mismanaging the money allotted to them to maintain your reservations. However, the white man did do your people wrong when we took your children from you and insisted they be educated in white schools. This was exceptionally cruel, and I know it affects some of you negatively to this day.
I'm of Irish, Scots and Dutch descent -- and a little First Nations, if you go back far enough. I don't know any of my ancestors' ways of life or languages. Nor do I feel I have "lost" an integral part of myself because of this lack of knowledge. Why? Because I view myself as Canadian, rather than what blood-lines I came from.
As long as there is no extremism involved, I don't think it's wrong to be proud of your ancestry: whether that's First Nations, European, African or Asian. Let's do the world a favour and admit we are all racist to some extent.
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