Following Canandian politics I find myself longing for simpler times. It seems to me that Canadian politicians are using race and religion to divide the nation rather than to bring Canadians together. Multiculturalism is the new buzz word while the Canada that I know and love has always been multicultural. Let me explain. I was born in Vancouver Canada, in the spring of 1970. My father was an American that came to Canada as a Vietnam draft dodger. He was Native American/Dutch. He met my mother who was English/Irish decent, but a 3rd generation Canadian. They were poor so we grew up poor. My mother was mentally ill and my my father beat her often. I didn’t know this so called white entitement because I didn’t get any of it. I was what would be called white trash and a hodgepodge of white trash given my Native American Heritage and white mix. I never knew special treatment, but I did see it given to other kids at school who’s parents had money. I remember in grade 5, when I was living in Langely BC; my male grade 5 teacher took the class to the Parliament buildings in Victoria BC. I loved politics and wanted to go with the favored rich kids to watch the house debating but my teacher was only allowed to bring in 5 kids. He choose all the kids from wealthy parents and when I complained because I knew I was smarter than them, he said to me ” Gracie they have a chance at being able to do this as adults because of thier upbringing. You do not and so thats why I chose them.” my entire life has pretty much been set by that tone. Everything I have in my life has been due to hardwork, struggle and saving every penny. I guess I could of had sugar daddies but my self respect and diginity could of never allowed me. Something in my spirit just will not let me sell out.
Anyways, I grew up in Langely and Surrey BC Canada until I was 13. I really related to Sesame Street and of course grew up on it; my neighbourhood was very multicultural and at the time, as far as I remember the government wasn’t forcing other religions or scaring people into thinking every other culture and race was out to get them. I had Greek families, Iranian, Scottish, Italian, African American, mixed race families and East Indian. Through my Grandfather I also had Native American friends and Families. It just never occured to me to be racist or to be afraid of other races. Maybe it was because the families I knew from other cultures, practiced their homeland’s culture and were also very grateful to be in Canada, to be apart of Canadian culture. I remember my Greek friends dad telling me how much he dreamed of Canada and it’s culture before he came to Canada. Yet we see our government today expressing that Canada has no real culture of it’s own so we need to adapt to outside cultures. The reality is that Canadian culture is both multicultural and Canadiana. Obviously the government has stopped working for the people as it is pitting the people against eachother rather than celibrating our diffences and similarities towards coexisting. The government and the media working for the government seems to have an agenda over the people not for the people. And the government is working to place religion into laws to further divide the peole to control the people. I am not saying racism doesn’t exist; of course it does as does privilege but privilege knows no race or colour more than it runs by personal wealth and social status, or so it seems by my personal experiences.
The picture in this post was taken by my parents at my 6th birthday party. The little girl with me was a freshly immigrated East Indian Sikh; her dad wore the big turan so thats how I know now. As a kid I didn’t know or care. Her name was Sandeep but she let me call her Sandy for short. We met on the playground; the first day of grade one. She didn’t speak any english yet; she was very tall and big for her age so the kids had started to bully her. She came running around the side of the school.. running from the kids. I saw her by the big tree, she had snot running down her face, her face was stained with dirt and tears. When she got closer I could see she had a bloody nose and a bleeding lip. Just than a group of kids came around the corner to pelt her with pinecones and rocks. My big sister was with me as I sprang to action and blocked her with my body so they would stop, they hit me too; but my sister ran to get a teacher. We both got beat up pretty bad before the teacher came. The next thing I remember I was waiting with her in the office for our parents to arrive. He mother and father cryed when they saw her. They cupped her face and kissed all the bruises. When my mom came they thanked her and me. I was told I was their second daughter. Turned out they lived just down the street. Our mothers became friends and we played at eachother’s homes. They were very poor too. My mom showed her mother all the best places to shop and where all the best playgrounds were.
I remember one thing all the mothers of all the nationalities had in common down our road and in our neighbourhood; that was domestic violence. That is one thing that hasn’t changed since the 1970s. It really doesn’t matter what race, culture, wealth or social status women and their children come from .. their common denominator is domestic and sexual violence towards women and girls. Maybe if the Canadian government cut the shit; and stopped with the fake feminism; fake because it gives religion power over women in the name of diveristy.. just than, maybe we would see some progress for all of humanity..
So how do I end this post? How do I wrap it up from here? I guess the only thing that is going to save the people from the government ruling over the people by dividing the people, is for the people to see what we all do have in common vs what divides us. If you are a true Canadian or if you want to be a true Canadian than you must want and fight for everyone equally and we have to stop putting political and religious ideologies ahead of humanity. After all the religion, and gender separation we all bleed red and cry wet tears.. unlike the governments crocodile tears. Lets not be divided by rhetoric that serves the true privileged .. the elite.
