| Blogs > Nileyears > My Blog |
7/12/2016 8:30 am |
I have no argument with these stats. I have personally witnesses enough incidents, especially in Alberta, to know that prejudice against Canadian aboriginals is alive and well. However, it would be shed more light on the situation if one looks below the surface of these numbers. Item: those who live off reserve generally live better Item: conditions vary widely even on reserves. Some are far better run. There are two reserves in Chilliwack abuting each other. One is clearly in better shape than the other. The four Cree nations on the reserve south of Edmonton have received untold millions in oil royalties over the decades, and yet the housing their is awful. Item: There is more diversity among Canada's native groups than among Slavs, but no would say Russians and Czechs were the same, so it's unwise to see them as all the same.
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Nileyears , SFF isn't just an American site...it's also an international one...it's very easy to forget that. In fact, there are some Americans here, who constantly put down anyone who is not American. In my years here, I have been insulted hundreds of times, and every time by a small core of people. It seems to me that if they want to b*tch about their country, their government, or their own people, they might be better to do so on an "Americans only" site. That way they could ensure that we, the international members they call anti-American, can't comment. Added to this is the odd perception that America is none of our business...that we have no right to say anything and that we are all just ungrateful "colonials". Well, that's a very short-sighted view, (not to say xenophobic). When America bills itself as "The leader of the world" and what happens there affects the rest of the world...how can we not be affected? America does not exist in a vacuum. As to racism, that exists...we all know it...and it exists everywhere, without exemption. Countries are not racist people are. Because your country has so large a population it stands to reason that there may be more racism than elsewhere. But racism is solely down to individual choice...it can hit anywhere...it is deep seated and insidious and even religious people can be prey to it. I knew Catholic priests and nuns who were racist. We will never see a racism free world...but what we can do, is teach the upcoming generations what racism is and how to avoid it. I've been doing that all my adult life. I believe that's vital.
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7/12/2016 9:21 am |
I have to admit, Rae, this blog rubbed me the wrong way. Like Rocket and Bijou, I don't feel like we look to knock the USA. When something happens anywhere in the world and a blog is written about it, we comment as human beings not as Canadians. I have never put up a post knocking any country. I am disappointed by this post. I know you enough to know it wasn't your intention to offend. Israel on Palestinians Canada on sending soldiers to Afghanistan Britain on the EU Poland on its swing to the right
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7/12/2016 9:23 am |
Hardly everything. I have never written a bad word about US national parks.
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7/12/2016 2:50 pm |
Dandee is annoyed with me because I said xians are delusional. As far as castigation goes, I suspect he would be fine with me castigsting Portlanders for being loonie lefties.
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Yes Nileyears, I agree with you on the whole. I wasn't brought up to hate anyone either, certainly not for their religion, culture or colour. . but, as an atheist, a Brit and a liberaI I have been constantly ridiculed and personally insulted by the same few people in SFF who seem to hate everyone who disagrees with them. And it is only a few. They think Europeans (and others) are simple minded cowards who owe America gratitude for saving them... and they say so...frequently and in no uncertain terms. After so many years, this gets old, that's why I speak my mind nowadays. I have never, in my life, found that sort of nasty behaviour anywhere but here in SFF. Nor have I seen the level of racism which the same people display. And yet, they say they are "good Christians" and I am a stupid atheist sinner with no feelings and no beliefs. Now that really makes me laugh, because I have always spoken with feeling, empathy and compassion, simply because that is me. I do not believe in stereotyping whole groups of people, to me, we are all one race just trying to get by in life as best we can. Doesn't matter what we believe as long as it doesn't cause us to treat others as inferior. I try not to insult, but we Scots are known for our directness of speech...and sometimes we need to be very direct. I think lot's of people do not understand that, but we are not a cowardly Nation.
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Yes Nileyears, I agree with you on the whole. I wasn't brought up to hate anyone either, certainly not for their religion, culture or colour. . but, as an atheist, a Brit and a liberaI I have been constantly ridiculed and personally insulted by the same few people in SFF who seem to hate everyone who disagrees with them. And it is only a few. They think Europeans (and others) are simple minded cowards who owe America gratitude for saving them... and they say so...frequently and in no uncertain terms. After so many years, this gets old, that's why I speak my mind nowadays. I have never, in my life, found that sort of nasty behaviour anywhere but here in SFF. Nor have I seen the level of racism which the same people display. And yet, they say they are "good Christians" and I am a stupid atheist sinner with no feelings and no beliefs. Now that really makes me laugh, because I have always spoken with feeling, empathy and compassion, simply because that is me. I do not believe in stereotyping whole groups of people, to me, we are all one race just trying to get by in life as best we can. Doesn't matter what we believe as long as it doesn't cause us to treat others as inferior. I try not to insult, but we Scots are known for our directness of speech...and sometimes we need to be very direct. I think lot's of people do not understand that, but we are not a cowardly Nation. I don't care what people believe in, or what they don't believe in, but I will defend a friend if they are attacked for their beliefs. I'm guessing I've missed those blogs you speak of and I would never say any country is cowardly, heck, Scotland is still on my bucket list of things to do before I die, along with Ireland, and no way do I want to make enemies there before I get there!
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7/16/2016 8:31 pm |
After years of telling Canadians to mind their own damned business about America's problems, I am not about to offer any advice to them. Whatever happens to Canada is Canada's fault and of no interest to me. Therefor, I truly don't care about their fate. Fossil
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Nileyeats, as a Canadian who has had friends throughout the Aboriginal tribes in Canada, I can assure you that Rocket is right on insofar as the media is concerned ("the media is one of the biggest purveyors of doom, gloom, and hype"). We have come a long way in this country and fortunately some of the problems for our First Nations are being solved, however, it's their chiefs who unfortunately control their money. What in fact this means is that their people rarely benefit from the purse strings. These people do not pay tax while everyone else (on the reservation) does and many of them remain on welfare. A very sad situation indeed!
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Nileyeats, as a Canadian who has had friends throughout the Aboriginal tribes in Canada, I can assure you that Rocket is right on insofar as the media is concerned ("the media is one of the biggest purveyors of doom, gloom, and hype"). We have come a long way in this country and fortunately some of the problems for our First Nations are being solved, however, it's their chiefs who unfortunately control their money. What in fact this means is that their people rarely benefit from the purse strings. These people do not pay tax while everyone else (on the reservation) does and many of them remain on welfare. A very sad situation indeed!
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I am with Rocket on her comments. I do not castigate the Americans here on the blogs about the racism in the USA. I watch the Canadian news on TV all the time and our news has a good portion of what is happening south of the border. You should take care of what is happening in your own front yard before criticizing what is happening in your neighbors. Plus I have tons of relatives scattered across the USA and I have a good relationship with most of them.
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