dialamah

In cold weather, I'm guessing it'd be fine. So, we can't see people with niquab means huge problem because security, but why doesn't that same security issue apply with masks, hmmmm? Even with Covid?

Sexual harrassment and rape of women/girls occurs in many conservative religious communities. This includes Muslims and Christians in Egypt, Mennonites in Manitoba, Mormons in Utah, Jehovah's Witnesses in the community. There's something about men being in charge, women having to be modest and "protecting" the religious groups that make these crimes against women preferable to holding men accountable and responsible for their own sexual urges.

I wear a mask into the bank, covers same part of my face as the niqab and balaclava, no problem. Wasn't even asked to remove it to validate my picture ID. The "must see face" claim is a fake argument.

So the mere hint that a middle ground is attainable, rather than divisive and radical rhetoric is "sermonizing"?

That's a radical position and clearly wrong; as radical and wrong as claiming systemic racism is a non-existent problem in Canada.

There's probably 30 links you could have looked at, but you threw them all out because you know they present evidence of systemic racism in Canada. Why do you demand evidence that you're just going to ignore? Doesn't that strike you as kinda weird?

Funny you should say that, given my post earlier today:

You reject facts, as has been noted by other posters. Here's some cites for you to reject because facts about systemic racism don't match your notions. https://edmontonjournal.com/news/crime/albertas-top-rcmp-officer-admits-systemic-racism-exists-as-lawyers-group-calls-for-his-resignation ER betting on indigenuous people's blood alcohol level Alberta civil liberties assoc - systemic racism Emily Carr University - Canada's systemic racism Systemic racism in employment in Canada: Diagnosing systemic racism in organizational culture A whole bunch of studies on systemic racism in Canada. Have fun rejecting this evidence; please do continue hurling accusations instead of responding to what I say.

Well I have more, but neither my anecdotes nor scientific studies have any chance of persuading you. You prefer the warm fuzzies of alt-right sources to reassure yourself of your white victimhood and the agenda of liberals/progressives against Canada. It'd be funny if it weren't so pathetic.

In the context of this discussion, which is about racism, it would be odd to not discuss how people are treated based on their race. My experience with racism started in 1965, with a classmate, before "racial awareness" as presented by media today. It continued in high school, again before "racial awareness". White people may be unaware of the degree of racism faced by non-white Canadians, but "racial awareness" has been part of non-white Canadians every day life. You can't blame media for that, you can only blame media for putting a light on it. I agree; still, people do sometimes volunteer information if they feel safe and accepted. Most Canadians aren't overtly racist; some are. Most Canadians are unaware of their own racist tendencies (including me); most non-white people recognize the honest intent of Canadians; some are radical in their criticism. Still, we could all do better at recognizing the issue, including understanding what systemic racism is, and how a dominant culture provides privilege to its members. Recognizing these things doesn't equate to calling all whites racists and all non-white people victims: thats a radical position that shuts down discussion and doesn't solve the problem, the same as denying that there is a problem at all. There is a middle ground that can give Canada and Canadians credit for the acceptance and tolerance we already show, while still seeing how we can improve.

Why? I could spend hours finding cites and studies demonstrating that Black people and other non-white people experience racism regularly. You'd ignore them, claiming they're driven by a liberal/progressive agenda - because you've already made up your mind, based on the least reliable sources you can find. Yeah, my partner and I were just discussing how awesome Canada is, so we agree. He and I also agreed that there's no reason not to be even better. Being great and awesome doesn't mean ignoring problems. The anecdote I gave about the 7-year-old black girl was a classmate of mine from around 1965, well before widespread the widespread media - so thats not how she knew the color of her skin made people dislike her. The man was a customer, in about 1974; his wife, two kids - all well-dressed, quiet, polite. They were shocked at being offered the same level of respect given to white customers. Again, it was their life experiences, not media, that resulted in basic courtesy being a shocker. As a teenager, I was called names for befriending a couple of East Indians. As an adult, I've defended non-white folks being verbally attacked in public places. There's plenty of overt and hidden racism in Canada, and too many people who deny that - they're part of the problem, because you can't improve if you don't recognize that improvement is an option. And why shouldn't Canada be even more awesome than it currently is.

It's not the covering per se, it's the "difference". If I go to a Muslim-majority country, my lack of covering is likely to draw attention and disapproval, especially from people who think "different" is wrong and unacceptable. Some of those people might even verbally or physically assault me for my offensive dress.

If decent people didn't experience racism, a seven-year-old would not say "some people don't like me because of my skin color". If decent people didn't experience racism, a black man in a suit wouldn't say, at 40+ years "That's the first time I've been called Sir". If decent people didn't experience racism, we wouldn't have all the studies that demonstrate identical resumes with just a name change from "white" to "other" received less positive responses from employers. If decent people didn't experience racism, the white guy next door to us wouldn't have have had a restraining order prohibiting him from coming within 500 yards of his home due to his ongoing and threatening behavior towards the non-white people in this complex; now would we have been called 'race-traitors' for befriending our neighbors of color. If decent people didn't experience racism, our new neighbors of color - quiet, sober, hard-working people - wouldn't mention how they appreciate living next door to people who aren't racist. If decent people didn't experience racism, we wouldn't have regular videos or news reports of white people screaming "go back to where you came from" towards non-white, born in Canada, people. If decent people didn't experience racism, we wouldn't have a surge of attacks against Asians because of racist people spreading lies about Covid-19. If that were true, you'd understand what racism feels like and you'd know that it exists.

I'm sad for the people lost, and hardships suffered by so many. I'm glad our leaders paid attention to experts, including changing their response and advice as more was learned about this virus. I've no doubt mistakes, large and small, were made by people in leadership roles, individual healthcare workers and citizens across the country and the world. With rare exceptions, I do not believe mistakes were made through maliciousness or because someone didn't care. I remain grateful that Canada has fared relatively well and that few people can answer "yes" to the question "Do you know anyone who has Covid-19."

I'm glad there are so few, due to Canadian and Provincial government actions, that people can pretend they've over-reacted.

Yes, two people.

However much tribalism is a natural instinct and may have served some useful purpose in the past, its pretty clear its not immutable. People can work at minimizing or even eliminating this "natural" tendency, making the effort to get to know and understand "the other", to remind themselves that "different" is not "less", "wrong" or "unacceptable in my society". Bigots do not do this. Instead they focus and build on anything that confirms their dislike of those who are different. They minimize any indication that "the other" might have any redeeming quality. They set "the other" as a class apart, assuming, and even insisting, that the majority are less honest, trustworthy, intelligent and moral than one's own group. In the bigot's mind the essential humanity of "the other" is reduced so they may justify their own hatred. Tribalism might be instinctive, but its a weak instinct and people, as individuals and societies, have overcome that instinct throughout history. Bigotry is ultimately a choice people and nations make to embrace and build on that tribal instinct, to hate those who are different, to lead bigots towards individual and systemic bias against "the other", individual and legalized violence against them and if left unchecked, to genocide. "Instinctive" is not automatically "acceptable", and using that as justification for one's dislike of those who are different is a failed argument.

They may also get a lot sicker than expected and may have long-term effects on their lungs, brain and blood. Even people who were never sick enough to hospitalized are still having symptoms weeks and months later; I'm seeing more stories about these long term effects, especially with people under 40. It will likely be a while till we know the actual percentages of those who recover fully and those who don't, even when they're deemed recovered even though they still can't walk more than a few steps, or end up in hospital with a covid-related stroke or heart attack.

If what you say is true, it might be worth considering that Asian and South Asian chose to come to North America. Black people were brought to North America against their will, to be enslaved. Indigenous people had their land taken, their culture destroyed, their children taken and were forced onto reservations. Perhaps history does have some influence on how people view their place in society.

Heard a lot of these tickets were purchased by teenagers just to troll Trump. Guess the next generation of voters want to have fun too.

Me too. You could have seen first hand how many people didn't show up.

I don't think they're trying to persuade people to be gay, because most people, especially people in MSM, understand that being gay isn't a choice. If anything, they might be trying to make being gay acceptable, so that gay people aren't shunned by family, friends, their religion, beaten and killed. 2. Does what cause issues? Encouraging society to accept gay people? It only causes issues for those who lack understanding of human sexuality, and for thosr who follow religions that tell them to hate gays. 3. Getting rid of backwards-thinking people who don't accept gay people will be good.

Never mind, redundant.