Thread: Canada Day

Originally Posted by BobH

We all might be saying the same thing in very different ways. There has to be a sincere apology given and sincere forgiveness granted to create a point where it is possible to constructively move forward and not repeat the past mistakes.

Bob

The fact is many are ignorant about many bad things that occurred in the past in their respective countries. Many would like it to stay that way for a myriad of reasons.

The first step is education at all levels so there is an understanding.

Well, let's hope a day comes when we can move past this type of tragedy. Hold your heads high knowing that you want it to get better. That's the first step. A little late I know but happy Canada day eh!

Originally Posted by PaulFLUS

Well, let's hope a day comes when we can move past this type of tragedy. Hold your heads high knowing that you want it to get better. That's the first step. A little late I know but happy Canada day eh!

Well, you've hit the nail on the head there.

The world is full of tragedies of huge proportions. Yes we move on but only after society comes to a reckoning and the first step is making sure we never forget and we understand the why's and how's so it never happens again.

It's too easy to just move on and forget.

You all know that old saying about history and of course my old buddy Confucius who said "Study the past, if you would divine the future.

Originally Posted by PaulFLUS

I'm sorry but I just can't go along with this whole public apology thing, especially second or third hand. First of all it is meaningless. Second of all it perpetuates a culture of dissension. There has to be a statute of limitations on wrongs otherwise we have what we see in the middle east where you have people's who have been wanting to kill each other for thousands of years. We have to fix what is a currently existing problem then leave it in the past. Forgiveness is not for the forgiven only it is moreso for the one forgiving.

You're right there. The crimes were committed against people who continue to feel they are 2nd class citizens. This purgation by the descendents of those who committed the crimes is not gonna help them as long as they feel they do not really get equal opportunities.

I agree. However putting some people ahead of others to try to "right the wrong" will create resentment and does nothing to heal or bring people together which is the main issue here. In the US, everyone is fragmented. "African American, Italian American, Greek american," etc etc etc. What's wrong with us all being Americans? Part of the same family. And let us pursue goals that benefit all of us. But maybe I'm asking for too much.

Originally Posted by Bill31521

I agree. However putting some people ahead of others to try to "right the wrong" will create resentment and does nothing to heal or bring people together which is the main issue here. In the US, everyone is fragmented. "African American, Italian American, Greek american," etc etc etc. What's wrong with us all being Americans? Part of the same family. And let us pursue goals that benefit all of us. But maybe I'm asking for too much.

In the case of the Canadian Indian Residential Schools there is no righting of the wrong as you can't undo what has happened so there is no putting of some people ahead of others. The goal is reconciliation so we can move on to see that this never happens again in the future.

To feel part a the family you have to feel like and be treated like you belong. This was absolutely not the case here and in many other instances both past and present.

Bob

That is true. You can't change a thing that happened a second ago though. Let's call it a grave error and let's tell our children it happened. The way it happened. And tell them this type of behavior is unacceptable. Let's go back far enough in history. The side that lost the war were enslaved or killed. This was the way it was done in Europe by Europeans to other Europeans. Asia? Same thing and to who? Other Asians. We're there not massacres and wars in north America before the Europeans arrived? Yes. Who is going to speak of these things? Nobody as it wasn't recorded in the history books. When treaties were signed with indigenous tribes in the us. Unfair treaties. We know because there are records of them that they were allowed to bring their slaves with them to the reservation. So these same people were committing some of the same acts of barbarism that th Europeans were. How many tribes worldwide have been eradicated? There's probably no accurate way to find out. The fish stinks from the head down. Our ancestors all were guilty of some of the same.

One last thing. The last country to ban slavery is I believe Mauritania. There were no laws punishing people for practicing it until 2007! Many of those people are alive today. Why isnt anyone pointing a pointed finger at these people and prosecuting them? Why tell western nations that three generations ago we were barbarians when that same barbarism was practiced most recently in an African nation? ANd VERY recently. It doesnt fit the "everyone is racist" narrative. Hypocrisy if you ask me.

Not everyone is a racist but there are people who are racist in Canada to this day. There is ample evidence of that by the phone videos posted on the net. Those individuals should face repercussions for their behaviour. The "everyone is a racist narrative" and "it has all happened" before seems to be a fall back position of people who feel threatened for some reason.

Bob

That is true. What is racism? It is treating a person different because of their race. Better or worse. Why is Harvard University allowed to limit asian candidates who scored higher than their white latino or african american applicants? Is this not racism? I thought the standard was to take the best qualified person REGARDLESS of race. Affirmative action makes it much harder for non minority people to get the same job because theyre not minorities. Is this not racism? Why did the current administration in the US give business loans to minority applicants whereas white applicants were not even allowed to apply for these loans for 90 days(after the money ran out). Is this not racism? I can go on and on. Defund the police is racism against police officers. After all they are painting ALL the police with a broad brush. I have never discriminated against someone. But yet if im not on the street with a torch in my hand I am racist. Silence is racism they say. So they can call me what they wish. Diversity is good they say. But it wasnt good in South Africa. I can go on and on. There is a lot of validity to these issues. But trying to take it out on non minorities is hypocrisy. Lets look at some of these so called civil rights leaders. One of them has called judaism a gutter religion. Is that not racism? Others have called NY hymietown. Is this not racist? There are plenty of crimes committed by minorities against non minorities. But somehow these never make the headlines. We can on and on. It isnt a sin to be a white european christian. And i refuse to accept that nonsense. Regardless of what my ancestors did or didnt do. My family arrived here first in 1894. So none of us is remotely responsible to the native american issues. Or slavery. Society as a whole has improved. Things are much better. Maybe the media should present the facts and statistics. They do not because it doesnt match the narrative. Heres a recipe for povery.... get pregnant at 14. You are extremely likely at his point to be poor. DOesnt matter what race or what color your skin is. Whose fault is it that this happens? Not mine. I could have done the same. So the flood of unwed mothers who are in 9th grade is the result of what? Slavery, discrimination? Its a lame excuse. But much of these problems are self inflicted.