Black history month? What a load of...

[I am Groot]

It's partly irritating and partly amusing how the Left in Canada is so disapproving of the US but at the same time is so desperate to imitate whatever the US Left is up to. Nothing makes that more obvious than the subject of Black people. About 13% of the US population is Black. They obviously have a very long history with racism and prejudice and the majority of Blacks in the US (or their parents and ancestors) experienced that history. And so they have things like affirmative action, and Black History Month and all kinds of 'anti-racism' seminars, lectures, books and insistence everyone take courses.

Canada has no such history. That's not to say we were paragons of virtue but we simply had almost no visible minorities in this country prior to immigration being opened up in the nineteen seventies and eighties. Most visible minorities in Canada are immigrants. Most of the remainder are their kids, born to them here. 

Hasn't stopped our Left from doing their best to imitate the Americans. We too have hiring and promotion quotas for visible minorities - especially blacks. And we have the same fixation, even obsession with 'antiblack racism'. Black History month is where the Canadian Left searches desperately for something to say about Black people in Canada and about how important they were despite there being almost none of them here. Today, about 3% of the population is Black. In the 1970s there weren't more than 30k Black people in Canada. 

We put a black woman on the ten dollar bill, replacing our first prime minister with a beautician who had been fined a dollar for sitting in the wrong section of a movie theater. She appealed the fine, lost, and went back to being a beautician. There are no quotes from her because she never said anything notable. Then she moved to the United States. Not, I'm guessing, to escape the virulent racism in Canada. 

Canada Post has a new stamp for "Black history month". Who did they find, what notable person to put on the stamp? A woman who was a slave about 80 years before Canada was even formed. Apparently fearing the Empire was about to end slavery her master took her south to sell her in the US. She struggled and made a lot of noise so that people noticed. That was it, people. That's what get her a stamp. The governor of upper Canada banned such future transfers. Okay. So? 

It just shows the desperation our woke government has to invoke guilt and shame on our 'dark history', despite our history being as pure as the driven snow compared to just about every other nation on Earth. Because that's the purpose of such exercises. To shame Canada, and for Black people to wallow in victimhood while white liberals strut and virtue signal. It's divisive and stupid. 

[Moonbox]

6 minutes ago, I am Groot said:

It's divisive and stupid. 

So are posts like this. 

You know how much time and attention I pay to black history month?  None. 

 

 

[Infidel Dog]

Movements like that come out of Ontario. Then they call them Canadian. They're not. They're Ontarioian.  The rest of us just fall in line. I don't know why? Force of habit maybe. Or maybe we're just weak and lame. I hope that's not it. If it is we need to nut up.

[I am Groot]

4 hours ago, Moonbox said:

So are posts like this. 

You know how much time and attention I pay to black history month?  None. 

 

 

Those of us who watch and read the news get it shoved in our face.

[WestCanMan]

I didn't even know that we had "black history month" until today. https://pm.gc.ca/en/news/statements/2023/02/01/statement-prime-minister-black-history-month

They had one last year too.

How long has this been a thing here? 

Who started it?

Do we have a First Nations History month?Jewish? Latino? Indian? Chinese? Japanese? Hindu? Sikh? LGBT? Trans? 

There aren't enough months to give everyone a month, and I'm completely unaware of any reasons why black Canadians get a month and other people don't. 

[Zeitgeist]

I’m the end having a Black History Month is infantilizing to black people. It’s another way of displaying a race of people like a museum piece.  

[Michael Hardner]

It's really not much to ask, to have a month where we talk about a people who were so mistreated.

Acknowledging them is a minor act of kindness, and most people, thankfully, have it in them.

[Nationalist]

2 hours ago, Michael Hardner said:

It's really not much to ask, to have a month where we talk about a people who were so mistreated.

Acknowledging them is a minor act of kindness, and most people, thankfully, have it in them.

And when is Caucasian month? Shouldn't we celebrate the achievements of the Nordic tribes that came here and made Canada?

What is expected? Should we all bow down to black Canadians for...providing a safe shelter from US slavers?

But I do get it. Canada must be the loudest virtue signaling nation on Earth. It's embarrassing. Just another way for Caucasian dweebs to turn a spotlight on themselves and proclaim their self hatred...while our kids are mugged for their cell phones...by black gangs.

Edited February 2, 2023 by Nationalist

[Michael Hardner]

People with little kindness at all seem to see acts of kindness as virtue signalling, in my experience.

It's like they despise kindness... the minor gesture of devoting a month to reflect on the treatment of black people bothers them enough to post about it.

[Nationalist]

12 minutes ago, Michael Hardner said:

People with little kindness at all seem to see acts of kindness as virtue signalling, in my experience.

It's like they despise kindness... the minor gesture of devoting a month to reflect on the treatment of black people bothers them enough to post about it.

You want kindness? Well that's a different matter. OK.

Let's do the kindest thing we can for black skinned Canadians. Let's give them self sufficiency. 

Ya...we'll revoke the baby making business...neuter those who have more than I kid from multiple fathers, or men who have kids with multiple women...actively promote family and turn all that well practiced shaming, on all the welfare mommies and derelict daddies...and throw the refuse in jail to rot...for long enough to make them realize, you either join society as a contributor, or you pay the price.

That's kindness. The type that creates worthy citizens...not drains on society.

Edited February 2, 2023 by Nationalist

[Zeitgeist]

3 hours ago, Michael Hardner said:

It's really not much to ask, to have a month where we talk about a people who were so mistreated.

Acknowledging them is a minor act of kindness, and most people, thankfully, have it in them.

How long have you been out of the workforce?  Most of our meetings and training are about anti-black racism.  In Canada everything is about race now.  Also your views as a white male are irrelevant because you don’t have lived black experience.  That’s our reality today.  You should be worried about your children and grandchildren’s work and education prospects. Keep whistling down the garden path. 

[Michael Hardner]

I suppose they are 'offended'.... we have heard such people called 'snowflakes' before...

[I am Groot]

6 hours ago, Michael Hardner said:

It's really not much to ask, to have a month where we talk about a people who were so mistreated.

They are? How are they mistreated in Canada?

Remember that almost all the Black people now in Canada are immigrants and their Canadian-born kids. So if their ancestors were mistreated it wasn't here.

[Zeitgeist]

14 minutes ago, I am Groot said:

They are? How are they mistreated in Canada?

Remember that almost all the Black people now in Canada are immigrants and their Canadian-born kids. So if their ancestors were mistreated it wasn't here.

Slavery was banned from the beginning of Upper Canada.  There were far more slaves held by Northwest Coast Indigenous in what is today’s British Columbia.  Forms of racism persist among all peoples.  We’re biologically programmed to feel safer among people who look and sound like us, but there are not racist laws in Canada except the Indian Act, which Indigenous so far have chosen to keep.  They can change it.

Celebrating black figures because they are black is strange.  Celebrating great accomplishments by people who happen to be black is good.  I understand the value of highlighting the achievements of black people who have been historically marginalized.  Hopefully someday we just do this regularly without having to set aside token periods.

I just think our new emphasis on race risks reducing people to their skin colour.  It can lead to new forms of discrimination based on the values people assume are associated with various races.  It risks racism.  

Edited February 2, 2023 by Zeitgeist

[Queenmandy85]

I didn't know racism was a right vs. left issue. I thought it was a good vs. evil issue. 

Edited February 2, 2023 by Queenmandy85

[Nationalist]

3 hours ago, Zeitgeist said:

How long have you been out of the workforce?  Most of our meetings and training are about anti-black racism.  In Canada everything is about race now.  Also your views as a white male are irrelevant because you don’t have lived black experience.  That’s our reality today.  You should be worried about your children and grandchildren’s work and education prospects. Keep whistling down the garden path. 

Zeitgeist my friend...Mike will roll over if necessary to avoid conflict.

Standing up for what's right...I sense is not his "bag".

[Nationalist]

6 minutes ago, Queenmandy85 said:

I didn't know racism was a right vs. left issue. I thought it was a good vs. evil issue. 

I think its actually a product of our instincts and the measure is not so much...are you racist...but rather...how do you deal with your racially triggered instincts? Thus not good or evil.

 

Edited February 2, 2023 by Nationalist

[Guest]

1 minute ago, Queenmandy85 said:

I didn't know racism was a right vs. left issue. I thought it was a good vs. evil issue.

It probably is, but you have to decide what's good.  Evil isn't a problem.  That's easy.

It used to be that eliminating racism was a goal for all right (correct, not political) minded people.  I don't think that's the goal any more.  It seems that more and more differences are to be highlighted, celebrated, and then fenced off and restricted.  Groups are to be separated and kept separate, and rules are to apply differently to people based on the group to which they belong. The problem is that if you are going to eliminate racism, you have to do it by actually eliminating racism, and that is going to take a while and it's going to hurt, because by definition, you have to treat everyone the same.

 

[RedDog]

There is no significant or meaningful black history in Canada.

Give another year and it’ll be black and gay and everywhere 150 years ago.

[myata]

8 hours ago, Michael Hardner said:

It's really not much to ask,

And so we keep coming back to the same celebrated theme. Too much or not, who's there to decide that, how? Independent citizens representatives, we don't have those sorry. Correctly reflected and represented political views of the population, not here, try next door maybe.

Again Michael: who decides what is and isnt' too much, how they do it and why they can do it?

Can you decide what isn't too much for me, and I, for you? Can I ask you for a few grand tomorrow, it's really not too much (I say) what?

Edited February 2, 2023 by myata

[Zeitgeist]

36 minutes ago, RedDog said:

There is no significant or meaningful black history in Canada.

Give another year and it’ll be black and gay and everywhere 150 years ago.

There’s meaningful black history because Ontario was the end goal of the Underground Railroad to freedom for slaves.  Ontario was called New Canaan.  There are also important historical black settlements in Nova Scotia.  Canada was a relative safety haven though racist attitudes by today’s standards were certainly prevalent.  

[Michael Hardner]

1 hour ago, I am Groot said:

1. They are? How are they mistreated in Canada Remember that almost all the Black people now in Canada are immigrants and their Canadian-born kids. So if their ancestors were mistreated it wasn't here.

Just to be clear, Canada doesn't now and has never had significant black racism?

[Dougie93]

57 minutes ago, Zeitgeist said:

There’s meaningful black history because Ontario was the end goal of the Underground Railroad to freedom for slaves.  Ontario was called New Canaan.  There are also important historical black settlements in Nova Scotia.  Canada was a relative safety haven though racist attitudes by today’s standards were certainly prevalent.  

that safe haven was not instituted by the Government of Canada

quite the opposite

while there were freedom loving Canadians who could not abide slavery

the Government of Canada invoked the Union as its sworn enemy

and the Confederacy as an ally of the Crown

the Confederates openly operated out of Canada, their intelligence service HQ was on Front Street in Toronto

when the Union won the war, Canada provided a safe haven for Confederates fleeing in the face of it

upon his release from a Union prison

the defeated Jefferson Davis was invited to tour Canada, feted as a hero everywhere he went

moral of the story : Canada's fear & loathing of American freedom, incites Canada to do evil hysterically

not much has changed;  Canada panicking once again in the face of an American civil war

Canada siding with the Democrat plantation aristocracy once again

Canada invoking the Republicans once again, as a threat to overthrow Canada

Canada twisting itself into tyrannical disorder, in the face of its first & greatest enemy

The Glorious Union at the gates, as it was at the gates of Richmond

Canada simply being the Confederacy which won the war against the Union and lived to tell the tale

Edited February 2, 2023 by Dougie93

[Nationalist]

1 hour ago, Michael Hardner said:

Just to be clear, Canada doesn't now and has never had significant black racism?

Do you see overt racism in our current society?

 

[Dougie93]

2 hours ago, Queenmandy85 said:

I didn't know racism was a right vs. left issue. I thought it was a good vs. evil issue. 

well I was raised by leftist intellectuals in the 1970's to follow the leadership of Martin Luther King

and at that time, it really was the left who was agitating against racism as an ideology

but now in an Orwellian twist of fate, it is the left who has turned against Martin Luther King

now Martin Luther King is being invoked by the left as being the "Black Face of White Supremacy"

ludicrous as that may be, it speaks to the truth that the Devil is inside all of us

and as Christian Soldiers, we must resist being drawn into this totalitarian dark age

away from the light of our civilization

upon a Ridge at Pas de Calais across the sea

where Canada Bereaved broods over the fallen

between two great pylons representing English & French Canada

turning from this figure to look up at the pylons, you will see at the highest points Justice and Peace

arranged below them are other figures representing Truth, Knowledge, Gallantry and Sympathy

around these figures are shields of Canada, Britain and France

on the outside of the pylons is the Cross.

in the centre, at the base, the Spirit of Sacrifice throws the torch to his comrades

Deas Gu Cath

Edited February 2, 2023 by Dougie93