It Is Official: Toronto District School Board Agrees To Open Black Focus School In September 2009
In the past, I would of said it is wrong for the Toronto District School Board to open a black focus school. There has been a passionate debate that I believe is a hindrance. The truth is, 40% of black teens are dropping out of school in the Toronto area. Also, only 5.2% of the teachers in the greater Toronto area are black. Only 9.6% of the principals are black.The question is why are a disproportionate number of black kids not completing their education? Let’s be real and honest here, the attitudes of some racists are that black kids are stupid, lazy, and lacking discipline.
It is obvious to me the issues some black children are encountering go deeper and deal with the psychological such as alienation, hopelessness, worthlessness, and despair. Next, people will whisper quietly of course that “the Asians and the white kids are adjusting and not having problems so why are some black kids struggling?” The covert racists will use this rationalization as an excuse to maintain the state sponsored racist curriculum that is detrimental to black youth.
The answer is obvious different groups are treated differently by the system. In the city of Toronto, black Canadians we have consistently been branded as the “out-group” and categorized as “the other”.
Toronto has a racial hierarchy, and in this racist hierarchy blacks are demonized consistently in the Canadian media and society compared to Asians. The editors, managing editors, editor in chiefs of Canadian newspapers are whites and Asians.
Pick up a Canadian newspaper you will notice no black people in high power media positions. I don’t think this is just a coincidence either. The racism is institutionalized. If more blacks were in power positions in the Canadian media the Canadian media would be run very differently then the lax journalism that currently takes place.
The Canadian media has a propensity to publishing in print or broadcasting on television and radio racist anti black pieces in order to create a pathology about us. Also, notice there are Asians that work in top media positions in Canada but blacks are excluded. Do you even have to wonder why? Race is socially constructed, and when a group of people are bashed consistently it can have a negative psychological effect on some members of a community.
Black lesbian Canadian feminist Dionne Brand, wrote a book about the racist attitudes of the Canadian media in her groundbreaking 2001 book “A Map To The Door Of No Return”. Please, I urge you go to the public library and read Ms. Brand’s excellent book about the ways in which the Canadian media and culture pathologize and demonize black folks. Also, read Dr. Joseph Mensah’s wonderful book “Black Canadians” Dr. Mensah provides statistical evidence with a strong polemical message about the entrenched racism against black Canadians. Both books are available at your local public library.I am sure since its black history month both books will be on “display”.
Dionne Brand and Joseph Mensah’s books didn’t receive a lot of ink in the Canadian press because Canada has this pretentious image of being less racist then America. The truth is, Americans are more real about racism then Canadians. Canada is a place where covert racism thrives and grows like a cancer. Some of these kids may even be depressed they don’t feel the material they are studying is engaging or interesting. When kids are interested in something the passion will emerge and they will try. When children have teachers that are anti racist that actually care about black kids they can achieve. However, the Toronto District School Board has a history of being racist against the Toronto black community and this is a fact.
However, I know from personal experience with the Toronto District School Board the course work is boring and anti black. Black kids are being alienated by racist teachers, racist principals, a system that is a form of systematic racism. I don’t understand the eruption of anger here there is only going to be one black focus school opening in the city in September 2009.
My question is where the hell does the segregation argument emerge from? The term “segregation” is an explosive word. However, aren’t black kids being segregated and alienated anyway by a racist Toronto education system that is anti black? Why is there such an imbalance in the number of black teachers teaching in the greater Toronto area? Teachers also have their own racist prejudices and biases against the black community. I remember when I was a kid back in the early 1990s. I had several battles with the racist teachers that wanted to hold me back because I am black.
Also, another important issue the media ignores is about the racist teachers that keep on discriminating against black kids. It is well known in Toronto that black students are treated differently then the whites and the Asians. In the 1990s, in the city of Brampton, which is a suburb of Toronto there was a teacher that was fired in the year 1993 he was a part of the Ku Klux Klan. Isn’t that scary the Peel District School Board didn’t even do a background check? The Peel District School Board allowed a member of the Ku Klux Klan to teach impressionable children.
However, I now understand this new school for black students that will open in September 2009 is so important. The bottom line is some black children are simply slipping through the cracks and it has taken the Toronto Board of Education this long to realize something needs to be done. I think one school is not the solution but a step in the right direction. It is obvious to me that the hiring practices of the Toronto District School Board needs to change they need to hire more black teachers.
The curriculum also needs to change immediately! Why should black children be forced and subjected to reading racist anti black books such as Harper Lee’s garbage white savior novel “To Kill A Mockingbird” or study just European history? Why can’t black kids learn about the history of the African Diaspora? There needs to be more diversity in the course material to engage and interest black kids.
Some people are getting all emotional but this is only one school so the vast majority of black children in the greater Toronto area still will have to attend regular school. I just hope the Toronto District School Board wakes up and realizes this is just a band aid solution. The real culprit is their apathetic attitude to the concerns of the black community. Why should black kids be subjected to reading Shakespeare? Who cares about Shakespeare? Why can’t black kids read about Canadian writers of colour such as Makeda Silvera or Evelyn Lau?
John Tory Obviously Cannot Take A Hint?
When the wolves eat their young it is not a pretty thing to watch. In Canadian politics this is not rare but this has got to be embarassing for the Progressive Conservative party. The Progressive Conservative party have an annual meeting next month and the leader John Tory is trying to block the members that are against him from attending the meeting. Some members of the Progressive Conservative party want their leader John Tory to gracefully walk off the stage and vanish. Actually some Progressive Conservative party members want John Tory to fall off the stage LOL!
John Tory is adamant he is not going anywhere but it is painfully obvious he is a weak leader for the PC Party. The question has to be asked what is a leader? John Tory may have money but he doesn’t have the “it” factor to be the leader of a political party. Tory has a history of losing. Tory failed a few years ago in the municipal elections to David Miller and Miller is still the mayor of Toronto. Last October John Tory failed to become the Premier of the province of Ontario and the Progressive Conservative party had a humiliating defeat to the Liberals.
Now members of Tory’s own PC party have created a website they want him to go away. I am definitely not PC but even I have to admit the members are right Tory has to get lost. Tory attempted to gain the ethnic vote with his religious schools funding scheme and it exploded in his face. Ontario voters rejected Tory yet Tory cannot take a hint and get lost? Tory has proven he is ineffective he just doesn’t seem comfortable in the spotlight there is just something about Tory that turns people off.
Here is another example that Tory is an ineffective leader he doesn’t even have a seat at Queens Park in Toronto! Yes dear readers, John Tory is a leader of a major Canadian political party but he cannot even sit with his own party at the Provincial legislature in Ontario. Tory lost his seat in a stunning defeat to the Liberal Education Minister Kathleen Wynne. What more proof does John Tory need to prove he is simply not good enough? For my American and foreign readers here is an analogy. Can you imagine Gordon Brown not being able to sit in the House of Lords? John Tory in his delusional mind has a lust for power but not with reality. In politics words mean nothing without results.
Tory has proven he just doesn’t have the charisma to be an effective leader. I think the other members of the Progressive Conservative party will eliminate Tory shortly.I have to admit a part of me actually feels sorry for Tory. However, a part of me is snickering in the distance at the PC party. The PC party caused so much damage in the province of Ontario in the 1990s under former leader Mike Harris. Even though the current Premier Dalton McGunity isn’t perfect the people of Ontario have spoken. We prefer McGuinty over Tory. I admit it is time for Tory to stop his disgraceful behavior and quietly go away.
Links: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080107.wtories0107/BNStory/National/home
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080107.wtory07/BNStory/National/Ontario/
Lower Your Voice Be Considerate On The Go Bus
There might be a Go Transit strike in the greater Toronto area soon. I think this sucks because Go Transit is the public transportation system I use when I travel across the GTA. I like the Go bus for a variety of reasons. One, the seats are so comfortable unlike regular transit. Second, most of the time people are pretty quiet on the Go Bus although the Go Bus is a bit expensive. The only thing I don’t like about the Go Bus is when people talk so loud on their cell phones. Do some people actually believe the rest of the passengers care about your phone conversations? Why do people talk so loud on a crowded bus? Why are some people so inconsiderate?
Yesterday I almost passed out the man sitting behind me was talking so much on the cell phone. The man had really bad breath. It was truly a nightmare to sit on a closed bus and smell the rancid odor. I couldn’t believe how loud the man was I was praying to reach my destination quickly. Once the bus door opened I ran off the bus for fresh air.
Violence Against Women Of Colour Does Premier Dalton McGunity Care?
Is the Ontario Government apathetic to our concerns about violence against women of colour? On Monday Aqsa Parvez a sixteen year old girl was murdered. We just cannot dismiss this violent murder and say its just Muslim community internal politics. As a society the murder of a young woman affects all of us. We must not remain silent to violence against women of colour. Just because Aqsa Parvez was from a different culture does not mean we should be apathetic to the concerns of Muslim women. We are all human beings here. Doesn’t anyone care?
The media reports have focused on the private sphere of the Canadian Muslim community and have ignored the public sphere. Everyone is walking on egg shells. Everyone doesn’t want to appear as though we are offending the Muslim Canadian community. However, nobody can justify violence against women and say it is about “honoring” the family.
I have read numerous articles about apologists stating that “religion” was not a factor in Aqsa Parvez’s death. How can people just blatantly lie and say this? “Religion” may not have been the “only” factor in Aqsa Parvez’s death. However, “religion” is a convenient tool that misogynists utilize to control women. It is obvious to me that patriarchy and misogyny are the root issues here. Why are we so afraid to speak the truth?
My dear readers what are we going to about this? It is a vicious cycle we can all play the blame game. Religion cannot be used as an excuse to conceal male domination and misogyny. We live in a world that is racist, sexist, and anti woman. Male violence is pernicious, vile, abhorrent, and totally unacceptable. However, the question has to be asked where was the social safety net? Aqsa’s high school knew she was having problems at home and didn’t do enough to help her.
Where are the services the programs for women of colour that are victims of domestic violence? The province of Ontario is a rich province we cannot cry poverty. What are we going to do about this? Another young woman’s life is gone and a family is shattered. Why are we silent about the concerns of women of colour? Domestic violence is still a taboo in society we just don’t want to talk about it. Women of colour are even more marginalized then white women due to race and gender. Are domestic violence shelters equipped to deal with the racial, cultural, social, religious, political issues women of colour encounter? You have to wonder? I understand that domestic violence is a serious issue and that money isn’t the solution. However, the more funds available could of helped Aqsa Parvez.
I think the Ontario government should be doing more to reach out to women of colour that are in distress. If you want to make your voices heard contact Premier Dalton McGuinty. You can contact Premier McGuinty either by e-mail, fax, telephone, or write a letter. If people speak up the government must listen. We must shatter the silence about domestic violence in society. If we are united against misogyny and male domination we can make the world a better place.
Dalton McGuinty Main Legislative Building, Room 281,
Queen’s Park, Toronto, ON, M7A 1A1
416-325-1941
Fax: 416- 325-3745
Sixteen Year Old Girl Murdered In Toronto Area Over Religion and Culture Clash With Her Family
In Mississauga Ontario yesterday a sixteen year old girl Aqsa Parvez was murdered, she was allegedly choked to death by her father. According to news reports Aqsa Parvez’s father Muhammad Parvez has now been charged with murder. Mississauga is a suburb of Toronto its a part of the greater Toronto area. The senseless murder is very chilling, depressing, and very sad. Aqsa’s older brother has been charged with obstructing police.
The teenage girl was a Muslim and there was a culture, generational, and religious clash with her family. The story according to Aqsa’s friends is that she did wear the hijab when she left her home for school. However, once the Aqsa arrived at school she removed the hijab . Family members followed Aqas to her high school and found out she wasn’t wearing the hijab.
The mainstream media are framing the young girl’s death as an “honor killing?” What do you think? Do you think the murder was an “honor killing” or is this just mainstream media sensationalism? Or a mixture of both? Will the press be culturally sensitive or paternalistic? Paternalism will not bridge the miscommunication gap between the Muslim communities and the rest of Canada. Will blaming occur and the mainstream press state that Muslim Canadians are not “assimilating” into Canadian culture? Will more finger pointing and blaming take place?
The Ontario government has a critical role here in this case. Once again the question has to be asked, where are the services for women of colour?Some women’s shelters due to inadequate funding have difficulty dealing with the cultural, racial, religious issues that relate to women of colour. Will the Ontario government step up to the plate and address this very important issue or not? Or will Premier Dalton McGuinty provide a politically correct speech and do nothing. The money is available Ontario is a rich province there is no excuse. Premier Dalton McGuinty has a responsibility here and he must act accordingly.
We cannot just sit and watch young women die and say its none of our business just because our cultures are different. We cannot just say we don’t understand Muslim culture and allow another life to perish due to our apathetic attitude and indifference. If we remain silent to misogyny then we are condoning it. I guess the question is now what can be done? What can the public do?
I think there needs to be more studies conducted, more research, and instead of just talking action needs to take place. The Ontario Government needs to realize domestic violence is a top five issue. Why are we so complacent to violence against women?
In Canada we have laws and violence against women. It is clear there needs to be more social services available for younger women and teenaged girls across racial, cultural, and religious lines. I believe not enough money is being spent on domestic violence services for women of colour. Maybe if there was a social safety net available this girl’s life could of been saved?
It is important when these tragic news stories occur to not jump to conclusions or make generalizations. The mainstream media should be careful to not “frame” and make stereotypes about an entire religion and focus on the news. However, I hope “othering” does not take place here and the mainstream media will utilize caution. However, it is well known when tragic news occurs outside of the mainstream community there is a tendency that “othering” may occur. The news here is that a young girl was terrified of her father to the point that she even left her home a few days ago.
My perspective is that religion should not be used as a blanket to conceal misogyny. The teenager obviously wanted to fit in with her classmates. It is normal for a sixteen year old girl to want to belong and be just like her friends. The murder is a tragedy a young life is now lost and a family is shattered.
If you want to voice your concerns to Premier Dalton McGuinty here is his info:
Dalton McGuinty Main Legislative Building, Room 281,
Queen’s Park, Toronto, ON, M7A 1A1
416-325-1941
Fax: 416- 325-3745
Link: http://www.mississauganews.com/article/9341
http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSN1151774720071211
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20071212.GIRL12/TPStory/National
Should Black Focus Schools Exist In The Province Of Ontario?
There was a town hall meeting in the city of Toronto yesterday between educators and the public about black focused schools. The educators think it would be a good idea because they say a disproportionate amount of black students are dropping out of school. I can admit that I used to have negative thoughts about “black” focused schools. I still have visions of the African American feminist writer Zora Neale Hurston denouncing the “Brown Vs Board of Education” decision from the Supreme Court in the year 1955. I don’t know anymore? I can honestly say maybe a black focused school should be opened. What harm could one school really do?
I remember a book that was published a few years ago by a black York University professor Joseph Mensah called “Black Canadians”. Every single black Canadian should read professor Mensah’s groundbreaking book its available at the public libraries or at the book stores. You have no excuse to not read professor Mensah’s book. Professor Mensah’s book was a real eye opener it was depressing at times but also Mensah comes out with some hard hitting facts. Yet notice, Professor’s Mensah’s book wasn’t a blockbuster best seller he also wasn’t on CBC, or in the Globe and Mail, and his wonderful book wasn’t discussed much in the Canadian media. Its just typical of the Canadian media to ignore the issue of race as though ignoring it the issue will go away.
Although Professor Mensah’s book was talked about in the ivory towers of Canadian universities and Academia it didn’t reach the masses. Go read Professor Mensah’s book “Black Canadians” it will change your life and it will open you eyes to the truth about Canadian racism against black people.
In the book “Black Canadians” professor Mensah provided evidence through statistics that black Canadians encountered racism in terms of finding employment despite having university and college degrees. The racist stereotype is that black Canadians are not graduating from post secondary education at decent levels and that’s a lie. All you got to do is read professor Mensah’s book and the truth is there. I went to York University during my undergraduate days and York has a very large black student population. I didn’t like the University of Toronto because there simply wasn’t enough courses about black Canadian history and culture compared to York.
When I was younger during my middle school and high school days history class was extremely Eurocentric. We learned about Europe, and the English and French Canadians. I don’t think I learned anything about black Canadian history until grade seven or grade eight. Most of the discussions were about white Canadians and occasionally Asian Canadians and First Nations people were explored in history class. However, the contributions of people of colour wasn’t a focal point of the Canadian history curriculum. The contributions of black Canadians was definitely at the bottom of the list in my history classes. Usually, black people we were only discussed the topic of slavery, the war in 1812, and the underground railroad and that was it. What about the domestic workers scheme of the 1970s? Is that all there is? Why wasn’t that included in Canadian history classes? However, blacks have been living in Canada for over the past four hundred years since the 1600s.
It wasn’t until I reached university that I was able to take courses in black history and truly learn about the incredible contributions blacks made in Canada. The truth is black Canadians we are not considered a real “part” of the “fabric” or “members” of Canada. Why deny the honest truth? In Canada, black people we are still considered “immigrants” or children of “immigrants” and “outsiders” looking in. Black Canadians we are “framed” with the “lens” of being the “other”.
There are more Asian Canadians in Canada then blacks. The social hierachies in the province of Ontario dictate that Asian Canadians are considered less of a “threat” to the white Canadian majority. If you’ve noticed the media in Ontario doesn’t really “attack” Asian Canadians in Ontario with the same venom they do to blacks. However, in the Western provinces the racism in the Canadian media is a different story. In Vancouver British Columbia the incredible racism against South Asians is very real and its disgusting. Next, in the Western provinces and in central Canada First Nations people are attacked by the Canadian media.
In the United States despite the racial discrimination African Americans encounter they view themselves as “Americans”. I admire the African American people because they fought so hard for their rights and for social change. In Canada there is this utopia attitude that “racism” doesn’t “exist”. The Canadian media acts as though “race” is not a social construct and that its all a mirage or an illusion. At least African Americans are a “part” of American history and culture. There are also forty million blacks that live in the United States they make up 12% of the American population. Canada only has about 600,000 blacks we make up less then 1% of the total Canadian population. America has a lot of social problems but in America if you’re black you can still make it you can be a somebody. Sometimes I wonder if this is possible here? I mean pay attention to Canadian culture, Canadian politics, and Canadian society its all white. Do you think a Canadian Barack Obama could exist? America has black mayors, black governors, and black politicians. The city of Toronto always has a white mayor we don’t even question it? Why is the police chief of the city always white? Why are all the editor in chiefs of Toronto or national newspapers or broadcast media always white? We all become numb to this collective thinking that whiteness must always not only be exclusive but the “only” way to think about society.
We always have white male Prime Ministers in Canada. Do you think a black Canadian could ever be Prime Minister in this country? When hell freezes over! The status quo is very hard to change here because the Canadian society is afraid of change. The anger about the black focused schools and the sensationalism by the mainstream media I think “centers” on this “irrational” fear. I think that’s the real fear here is “change” to admit the public school system is failing some children.
Next, the Canadian media will say that black Canadians “complain” too much. The attitude here is that black Canadians we should just “ignore” the “obvious” racial prejudices and biases against us we should just “go with the flow”. Whenever overt or covert racism takes place here the Canadian media will say blacks play the “race card”. Next, the Canadian newspapers or radio stations will find the “resident Oreo” or “House Negroes” that “agrees” with the “status quo” and they use these blacks as though they speak for “all black Canadians”. The white Canadian media also plays the “race card” very well. The white card attempts to circumvent the power of racism.
Black Canadians we are constantly “framed” and ” attacked” by racist Canadian editors, television producers, radio editors, story producers, managing editors, in the mainstream Canadian media. Yet you will never read about the hypocritical racist bigots that work “behind” the scenes in the Canadian media. The social constructions of race, class, gender, come into play when discussing black Canadians. African Americans have so much more social, economic, and political weight and power in the United States. There are also racist radio and television talk show hosts in Canada that sit and “wait” for the latest controversy and then they bash black Canadians or any other “marginalized group”.
I have conflicting thoughts about Canada. Sometimes I think the opportunities such as education, low crime, living in a prosperous nation, are solid reasons why black people should live in Canada. I would rather live here then say Switzerland, Austria, or Germany that’s for sure. There are other times when I absolutely hate living here there are not a lot of writing opportunities here in Canada. The Canadian press is drenched with supremacy, racism, and lies. The Canadian press will sensationalize the whole black focus school subject because it spikes up television ratings, radio show ratings, because the incredible racism against black Canadians is so strong. And its not just whites that have anti black prejudices in Canada. Some Asian Canadians also believe black people we are inferior. I have noticed that at major Canadian news, print, or broadcast media they will hire Asians before they will hire blacks. The Canadian media in Ontario definitely has a racial bias against black Canadians and that’s a fact. I keep on wondering sometimes why did my parents choose this country to live and start a life instead of the United States? Most of my relatives live in America.
I recall when the former Prime Minster Paul Martin asked CBC journalist Michaelle Jean to become the new Governor General in Canada there was discontent in the Canadian media. Suddenly, editorials and opinion articles sprouted up like a wild fire across various Canadian newspapers denouncing Paul Martin’s decision. The Canadian media complained that Ms. Jean must give up her French citizenship and that her white husband was a separatist. The bottom line is the Canadian media didn’t want a black Canadian woman to have such a high profile role as a symbol of Canada.
Paul Martin got it right if Canada is truly a “multicultural” nation as the Canadian media claims then black Canadians we should be allowed the opportunities to be able to reach our “dreams” and break the glass ceiling. Of course the racism in the various opinion articles about Ms. Jean were “covert” no N word was used no racial slurs. However, beneath the surface the ugliness of Canadian racism was easy for the eye to see. The editorials and articles by various white Canadian writers did not want to just be “real” and “honest” for five seconds.
Another problem I have with the Canadian school system is the “kinds” of books black children are forced to read. White literature is forced on black children all the time and this has got to change. Why can’t there be more diversity in the classroom? Why can’t children of colour read books by Canadian writers of colour more often? Where are the books that are required reading by Canadian writers of colour such as Nalo Hopkinson, Wayson Choy, or Evelyn Lau, or by Rohan Mistry?
I also remember when I was in grade ten I was forced to read Harper Lee’s racist garbage book “To Kill A Mockingbird”. I absolutely hate that book! Lee may be praised by the North America media but Harper Lee’s novel is a racist piece of filth. Lee uses the N word to the extreme in the novel it makes me want to vomit. I can understand the use of the N word to make a point but Lee uses the N word about a million times in the book.
I also have a problem with the paternalistic racist approach to the novel. The Atticus Finch character is a classic example of white supremacy and patriarchy. Mr. Finch he is the classic the white male lawyer he is the “voice of reason” to defend the “savage” black man accused of raping a white woman. I find this subjective kind of reasoning to explain racial apartheid abhorrent and derivative. Black male sexuality once again is presented as violent and deleterious.
Also, notice in “To Kill A Mockingbird” Lee also made sure the two young white characters in the book Scout and her brother Jem have a black mammy maid Calpurina. Calpurnia is the stereotypical “mystical”, “loving”, “nurturing”, mammy. Lee frames black women in a racist, sexist, and very stereotypical light. Yes all black women are good for according to Harper Lee is to be the resident black mammy dispenses “advice”, “cook”, “clean” make pancakes and be the universal mother figure to the rich white Southern children. Calpurnia has no thought no purpose in the novel other then the be the loving mammy and inferior and obedient to white people.
Notice that the Atticus Finch character in “To Kill A Mockingbird” is the classic noble “white male liberal”. The white man is still viewed as the real ” white hero” of the book. The racist stereotype of black male sexuality as “savage”, “pernicious”, and “dangerous” permeates through this abhorrent book.
I want to take a bottle of gasoline and set “To Kill A Mockingbird” on fire! It angers me that I had to read this book when I was just a kid. Lee fails in her pathetic attempt to “bridge” the racial divide. Lee still stereotypes black people as “dumb”, “poor”, “stupid” that we have no “reason” no “thought” that blacks still need the “white male savior” to “save us” from ourselves. The political, social, and economic systems in the American south kept many blacks poor it wasn’t because blacks didn’t want to achieve. Blacks were denied access to higher education in America despite being taxpayers in various cities and towns. It is also the reason historical black colleges and universities such as Howard University were created to give blacks a chance to advance in society.
It makes me cringe how racist Lee’s book really is! I remember being disgusted when I was in grade ten I was forced to read this racist piece of crap! In order to graduate high school I had to read “To Kill A Mockingbird” a book that is false. “To Kill A Mockingbird” is not about fighting racism in fact the book reinforces racist and sexist stereotypes about black people. Black kids still have to read this racist shit book “To Kill A Mockingbird” if they want to graduate high school.
I remember being so upset with the racist language, the plot, and also the storyline. No one questions the psychological effects racist literature such as Harper Lee’s “To Kill A Mockingbird” still has on black children?
I also recall when I was in grade twelve I was forced to read Shakespeare for my English class. I did like the play Hamlet. I hated the play Othello though and the obvious racist language Shakespeare uses in that play against black men. However, I never had the chance to read black Canadian writers such as George Elliot Clarke, Dionne Brand, Makeda Silvera, and Austin Clarke when I was in high school.
The curriculum needs to change ASAP its too whitewashed. No wonder some black kids are “bored” with school when white history and white literature is slammed down the throats of black children. We are just told to “accept” this kind of racism. Why shouldn’t black kids and all children in general be allowed to have a range of diversity of books to read? Why does Harper Lee gets so much praise for her racist novel? Why isn’t Richard Wright’s book “Native Son” on the book list for high school English classes in Canada or Zora Neale Hurston’s “Their Eyes Were Watching God” or Langston Hughes work such as “The Big Sea” or “I Wonder As I Wander”?
The discussion was passionate on both sides about the issue of “black” focus schools. In a previous blog entry I said that I didn’t agree with black only or black focused schools. Now I am not so sure about that. I can admit that I may be wrong. I do remember when I was a kid I did not have a black teacher until I reached grade eight. I recall how shocked I was that my grade eight science teacher was a black man. I remember I did feel a sense of “comfort” and a sense of “pride” having a black teacher.
The bottom line is the Toronto district school board isn’t hiring enough teachers of colour. Now of course, black parents have a responsibility they have to be involved with their children’s education and that’s a fact. When I was a kid my parents always went to the parent teacher meetings because they wanted to know how I was doing in school. Now when I think about it I see both sides of the argument. On the one hand black children need to “learn” to get along and study besides children of other races there should be no “segregation” based on race. However, I also see the other side that states due to the statistics some black kids simply aren’t performing well in school and are dropping out. I think there should be a compromise. I think a program should be created to help the most at risk black children that do need more assistance with their school work. The truth is the Canadian media of course ignores the issue of the lack of black teachers in the class room. Also, why do black children and children of other races always have to learn about white Canadian history all the time? I think the course work should not alienate black kids and other children of colour. The Toronto District School Board needs to realize the issue is much larger then just “creating” a black focused school.
The issue here also pertains to the deleterious attitude Canadian society has for black kids. Let’s face it when teachers talk “privately” everyone knows what they are saying. Who decides what kids have to read in school? There needs to be more public forums taking place for everyone to see what’s really going on. Some educators and teachers are racist they think black kids and black people are “dumb”, “lazy”,” not willing” to “work hard” and are “slow to pick up” the material. Now think about it? How can some black kids achieve when racist bigots are grading black students assignments? I remember when I was in high school there was a controversy over a teacher that was a part of the KKK. Nobody wants to admit in Canada these racist stereotypes exist. Recently a white Nobel Prize winner insulted black people and said black people were stupid. So how are some black kids going to do well in school when they have white or Asian teachers that also believe these racist stereotypes?
Nobody wants to be real nobody wants to be honest. Whites and Asian Canadians will say “in private” that white kids and Asian kids “do well” under the current education system in Ontario so why can’t some black kids also achieve? Maybe the framework is all wrong?
I remember when I was a child I had white teachers that made me feel “stupid” and “dumb” and didn’t encourage me or give me the assistance with my school work that I needed help with. I’m not going to mention the names of these teachers but I definitely felt that some of these white teachers have covert racist beliefs about black people. I think anyone that wants to be a teacher should be forced to take anti racism and anti oppression training. I also believe that the attitude of the Toronto District School Board needs to change. Maybe black children wouldn’t feel so “left” out if the school board actually did their job and hired more black teachers.
The Toronto District School Board needs to be held accountable because a complete overhaul of the education school must take place in the province of Ontario. One black focused school isn’t going to solve the problem that is just a band aid solution. No the Ontario government needs to admit racism against black kids in the Ontario school system is a serious problem. Education is so important its crucial to advancing up the social ladder. No wonder some black children children are apathetic about the educational system when the racist framework exists? How can black kids in high school truly be interested in English class when they have to read books such as Harper Lee’s racist novel “To Kill A Mockingbird” ? The issue here is clearly larger then just black focused schools racism needs to come out of the closet in Canada. Canada needs to “change” and address the fact that the hiring standards of the Toronto District School Board, the curriculum, and even the Ontario government needs to wake up and get with the program.
Links to articles about black focused schools: http://toronto.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20071109/balck_focused_schools_071109/20071109?hub=TorontoHome
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/toronto/story/2007/11/09/black-schools.html
http://680news.com/news/local/article.jsp?content=20071109_075759_5704
The Liberals Wins In A Landslide but the PC Leader John Tory Is Out Of A Job!
The results are in and the Liberal leader Dalton McGuinty wins another majority government in the province of Ontario. McGuinty winning is not a surprise but the strength of the Liberal majority government is. For a second time McGuinty is the Premier of the province of Ontario for another four years. It is the first time in seventy years that the Liberals have back to back majority government in the province of Ontario. McGuinty is in control of the province. The Liberals won 71 seats, the Progressive Conservative party only won 26 seats, and the New Democratic Party as usual was in third place with only 10 seats.
The real shock however, is that John Tory the leader of the Progressive Conservative party not only lost the election he’s out of a job. Tory lost in his own riding to the Education Minister Kathleen Wynne. It is the first time since 1990 that a leader of a political party lost their own seat in the province of Ontario. It will only be a matter of time before Tory is removed as leader of the PC party. Tory has lost the confidence of the Ontario public he has to go away and disappear.
The Progressive Conservative party will have to choose a new leader. Tory had a crushing defeat he didn’t even win a seat at Queens Park. Tory is finished. Tory says he will continue as leader of the Progressive Conservative party. How is this possible when he doesn’t even have a seat in the legislature? How can Tory be leader when he doesn’t even have the confidence of the public in his own riding? Maybe its time for John Tory to think about getting a new job out of politics? In the year 2004 Tory also ran in the municipal election to become the mayor of Toronto and he lost to David Miller. Now Tory has lost at the municipal level and the provincial level, I guess that leaves Tory one last place to lose at the Federal level?
Tory lost the Ontario election for one reason the faith based school scheme. Tory thought by attempting to reach the “ethnic vote” he could secure enough votes to become the Premier of Ontario. Ontario citizens rejected the faith based school scheme because taxpayers do not want to pay extra taxes for people that want special schools for their kids. If people want Jewish schools, Muslim schools, Hindu schools, Korean, Japanese, or Chinese,schools they have to pay out of their own pockets. I believe Catholic schools should also be abolished in the province of Ontario. There should be a separation between church and state. The public school system exists for a reason its for all people and its the only system tax payers dollars should be funding.
The second reason Tory lost was due to his personality. Tory just doesn’t have the strength to be a leader. Tory always appeared to be a follower behind McGuinty. Tory came across as defensive and indifferent when asked tough questions. What would Tory had done if he became Premier of Ontario? I think it was the unknown that frightened people. People still remember the havoc the last Premier of Ontario Mike Harris caused the province of Ontario.
The quandary for John Tory was that the faith based schools scheme was the “only” topic that the media and public focused on. Tory backed off on the issue of the faith based schools scheme when the polls indicated he was losing the support and confidence of voters. When Tory backed off I knew he lost because it was a sign of weakness. The Progressive Conservative faith based schools strategy also allowed Premier Dalton McGunity off the hook. The auto sector is suffering in the province of Ontario, health care is always an issue. McGuinty wasn’t challenged about the lack of social housing, about the issue of domestic violence, about rising tuition rates. All the other important issues were left unexplored. McGuinty was attacked by the New Democratic leader Howard Hampton and John Tory but it didn’t phase him at all. McGuinty appeared confident and it showed that he should not be underestimated as a leader. Due to the Progressive Conservative party’s incompetence McGuinty soared to another majority.
The New Democratic Party also has questions to answer. The NDP has not been in power since 1994. For over thirteen very long years the NDP has seen its numbers grow smaller and smaller in the province of Ontario. How much longer will Howard Hampton be the NDP leader? Hampton’s had his chance its now time for Hampton to make a graceful exit and let someone else be the leader of the NDP. The NDP needs a change and it needs a change right now. I doubt members of the NDP party are happy about their lack luster performance in the provincial election. Its obvious that Ontario voters have not warmed to the NDP in over a decade. The NDP has serious questions to answer if they ever hope to return to power in the province of Ontario. Howard Hampton has failed to increase the power of the NDP party in the province of Ontario. Perhaps someone fresh, maybe someone younger someone with new ideas, someone fresher, should be the new NDP leader? Howard Hampton did maintain his seat but how long will he keep his job? John Tory’s stunning defeat will indeed have the Liberals snickering in secret of course.
McGuinty may have won a second majority government but he has to realize that there are serious social and economic problems in the province of Ontario that needs to be addressed. The next four years are crucial for the Liberal party. McGuinty can enjoy his victory tonight but if McGuinty continues to raise taxes and doesn’t do enough to benefit the people of Ontario he could face the anger of the public. John Tory learned the hard way not to underestimate the public and now he’s out of a job.
Liberals are in the lead Tory’s faith based voting scheme failed
I just listened to 680 news and it looks like the Liberal Party lead by the current Premier Dalton McGuinty may be heading towards another majority government. The Progressive Conservative leader John Tory’s faith base vote scheme has backfired. According to the polls the Liberals are now in a solid lead with 43% and the Progressive Conservatives have lost some ground they are at 33% of decided voters. The NDP and the green party are in third place with 17%. I am actually surprised at the leap the green party has made. Its surprising since the media tends to ignore this party looks like they have made some solid strides. Here is the link http://www.canada.com/topics/news/politics/story.html?id=f920ead0-e993-45a7-9658-7a20b14727fd&k=33388
Its so obvious that the Progressive Conservative party’s faith based scheme to get “ethnic votes” even backfired with this group as well. People are intelligent enough to discern that Tory has refused to talk about “the real issues”. It simply would be too expensive for taxpayers to pay for these special interest groups schools. As I have stated before I believe Catholic schools should be abolished as well I think the only school system that should exist is the public school system one system for all people.
Dalton McGuinty the Liberal Leader and his party have ads on TV linking John Tory to Mike Harris and that’s an effective ad strategy. The destruction Mike Harris the former Progressive Conservative leader caused in the province of Ontario in the late 1990s and the early part of this decade is fresh in the minds of Ontario voters.
Domestic Violence And Violence Against Women Should Be An Election Issue. Why Are We Ignoring The Violence of Heterosexual Men?
I just woke up this afternoon around 2:20pm and a woman is on the line from the Progressive Conservative party. The lady says “hello this is the PC Party would you consider voting for John Tory?” And I just said “absolutely not.” And that was the end of the phone conversation. There is no way in hell I would vote for the Progressive Conservative party. John Tory right now is all smokes and mirrors he’s done a very good job of being basically a ghost. Tory vanishes when he is asked the real serious tough questions.
Its obvious to me that certain TV, news and broadcast media outlets in the Toronto area obviously have their own self interests about the outcome of the election. Where is the professionalism though? I don’t see Global Television asking John Tory the tough questions? All I see on Global is their commentators complaining about Dalton McGuinty. And I think its fair that yes the news should discuss the Liberal leader’s mistakes and faults. However, how about some balance in the reporting? Why hasn’t the print media picked up on this? I mean lets be honest here CTV is a very conservative TV station everybody knows that and the same thing for Global television. On the radio CFRB 1010 is basically PC country its hard listening to the rhetoric on that radio station. The Toronto Sun newspaper is clearly conservative even though its just a tabloid newspaper and not about serious news. The Toronto Star, Globe and Mail and National Post aren’t asking John Tory the tough questions. And I wonder why?
Its election time in the province of Ontario and the PC party like all the other parties know a lot of the votes are in the suburbs. The Liberals and the NDP aren’t exactly the greatest political parties out there but the Progressive Conservative party is indeed the worst out of the three.
I think the biggest dilemma for John Tory is that he’s really the “unknown” out of the three. I don’t think Tory has done a good job on selling to the public not only his “image” but also the issues he “stands” for. Tory has been very cryptic about what he intends to do if he became the Premier of the province of Ontario. And I think that’s a dilemma for voters. I mean why vote for somebody when you don’t know the specific issues this person “really” believes in? Tory’s “faith based schools” voting scheme got him some press but even conservative voters in the latest polls aren’t too interested in that issue.
The real issues of course are jobs, education, health care, minimum wage and social housing. There is a serious crisis in the city of Toronto in relation to social housing there simply needs to be more space available for the disadvantaged.
Domestic violence is an issue the three political parties have ignored. Why isn’t this an election issue? We simply cannot ignore the violence of heterosexual men. Heterosexual men are raping, beating, murdering, and exploiting their wives and girlfriends. The news media only reports stories about random sexual assaults against women like the recent York University case. However, the truth of the matter is violence against women in the home is a very serious issue. Its also an issue the Toronto media ignores.
We need more funding to open up more shelters. However, opening up more shelters for victims of domestic violence is not the final answer. There needs to be more done. Violent heterosexual Men need to be brought to justice. The judicial and political system is the real problem there is not a solid framework to help these women. Where are the programs to assist women of colour that are victims of domestic violence? The media doesn’t focus on the concerns of women of colour. A lot of these women’s shelters and programs for victims of domestic violence are white female centered. What about black women, South Asian women, East Asian women, Aboriginal women that are victims of domestic violence? Why are women of colour consistently ignored? Why is the focus always on white females? What about women whose first language is not English or French? How can these women be reached? Where is the money to help these women?
I just read an article in the New Zealand Herald about a young Chinese woman that was brutally murdered by her ex husband Nai Yin Xue. The ex husband abandoned their only child Qian Xun Xue at a Melbourne train station and then he fled to the United States Its a tragedy. The link: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/feature/story.cfm?c_id=1501364&objectid=10465329&pnum=0
In the New Zealand Herald the Annie Liu story is a tragedy she was a young woman with big dreams she moved to New Zealand hoping to further her education and start a new life. Annie married a man twice her age they had a child and he killed her last week.
We read these stories over and over again and nothing is done. So when is domestic violence ever going to be an election issue? New Zealand just like Canada is a first world nation so where are the resources to help women of colour so that they can find out where to find support? Where is the money? Why is this not an election issue?
Domestic violence is a top five election issue its an issue society likes to ignore and not discuss but its serious and its about damn time something be done about this.
Tory has been silent about these kinds of issues such as domestic violence. Its also not surprising that the mainstream Toronto media once again is not taking Tory to task about what issues he really “believes in.” And I think that’s dangerous and sinister. Its the unknown that worries me about John Tory. If John Tory became the Premier of Ontario would he be as draconian as the last Progressive Conservative leader the pernicious Mike Harris?
Mike Harris dragged the province of Ontario into the ground. What is John Tory really all about? What makes him tick? The press in Toronto haven’t done a very good job on writing articles or conducting news broadcasts about the “specific” issues Tory is really interested in. Now this week Tory did say he was interested in changing up the health care system and the fear is Tory is going to introduce a two tier health care programs and that’s sinister. Once again poor people, single mothers, the elderly, the university students, and disadvantaged could be left out of the loop. Tory may not come across as “unlikeable” and “abhorrent” as Mike Harris but there is something false about Tory. Tory seems transparent I just don’t believe that this is the “real” John Tory that is presented in the media.
Mike Harris was just a disgusting man I can’t be more honest then that. Harris was a very unpleasant man he was haughty, obnoxious, and pretentious. However, despite Harris not having the best “personality” in politics Harris was pretty straight forward in his election platform that he was going to destroy the province of Ontario and he did. John Tory by contrast, he’s basically is a snake in the grass that’s for sure. Tory’s public relations team has been attempting to “soften” his image and make him appear more “human” more “likeable” but I am not buying it. Tory’s real personality remains hidden behind his small eyes. Tory is definitely a wolf in the darkness he will strike if he wins the election you can bet on it. Its shocking that the mainstream Toronto media have not pealed beneath the layers of skin to uncover the “real” John Tory. The public needs to know what this man intends to do to this province and the truth. Who is the real John Tory? Why hasn’t Howard Hampton the NDP leader gone after Tory and his bogus faith based school scheme? Why doesn’t Hampton and the Liberal leader Dalton McGuinty let the public know more about what Tory’s real intentions are for the province of Ontario? John Tory is being left off the hook Tory’s election campaign has zero substance.
Which party is is the lesser of two evils the Liberals or the NDP?
I watched Global news last night and the topic of discussion was the Ontario Provincial election. We are living in a dystopian era right now in the province of Ontario. My analysis was correct that most Ontario voters don’t care about the Progressive Conservative party leader John Tory’s early election smoke screen about “faith based schools.” I can say this right now I’m not voting for the Progressive Conservative party because they don’t give a damn about the disadvantaged. The track record and history of the PC party is well known since the days of Mike Harris and the “Common Sense Revolution.” The problem is though that the PC Party is very close to the Liberals in the polls and the NDP is in a distant third place. The NDP is not going to win this election they simply are so forgotten by the people of Ontario. I wish there was a strong fourth political party? Unfortunately Ontario voters are stuck with just three.
There are three bottles of poison on the table and the question is one may kill me but the other two poisonous bottles can cause a lot of damage. Which political party is the least evil? It is a hard question to answer? Which one will cause the less amount of destruction to the province of Ontario?
The quandary I am having is which party should I vote for the Liberals or the NDP party? Which party is the lesser of two evils? One school of thought is that of course I should vote for the Liberal party because its safety in numbers. The ideology is that a vote for the NDP is a wasted vote and that ’s splitting the vote between the two more “left” leaning parties. And this is exactly what happened back in 1995 when Mike Harris came into power the left was split and the PC party was able to come right through and win the election.
The NDP party barely has “legitimate party status” I mean that’s how pathetic the NDP party are these days. Its really disconcerting that once again the NDP has not done enough to gain more respect from Ontario voters. The real issue for me is how can the NDP party differentiate itself from the Liberal party and the PC party? The NDP has failed to attract enough new voters. And I think that’s the key for the NDP party right now. The NDP party I believe has some voting power within the city of Toronto and perhaps Hamilton, Ottawa, Windsor. However, the problem for NDP party is that they are losing votes outside of the cities.
The real votes for this provincial election are in the suburbs and in the suburbs are where a lot of very conservative with money people live. The standard of living in the suburbs are increasing and more and more families are leaving Toronto because the house prices are lower, there is less crime, and more work opportunities. The PC party and their “faith base” school smoke screen should be a perfect example to people about where the focus of the PC Party is. The PC Party is willing to waste taxpayers money on just acquiring more “ethnic votes” and not worrying about improving the province. And isn’t that the real election issue? How can the province of Ontario improve and get better?
Social housing should be an election issue so many people are suffering across the province of Ontario and require more housing. And if Tory wastes taxpayers money on “faith based” schools more people will be homeless and there will be increased poverty in the province of Ontario. I believe Catholic schools should be abolished. I really don’t think any religious schools should exist at all. Can you imagine the amount of money saved if Catholic schools were eradicated?
The minimum wage issue is another very important and its one that must not be dismissed. People need to work to keep the economy growing and improving. Now of course the minimum wage issue should be an election issue because lets face it the way to move people up the social ladder would be an incentive for more people to work. If the minimum wage was increased to at least $10 dollars an hour I bet a lot more young people would be working right now. Of course $10 dollars minimum wage isn’t going to save the province of Ontario but it is a step in the right direction. Notice also that the PC party isn’t talking about this issue at all? And why hasn’t the media put the PC party’s feet to the fire on this very important topic? The PC party doesn’t care about young people and the lack of unemployment rate. The PC party is also apathetic to the concerns of the poor.
The NDP party needs to do a lot of grass roots work in the suburbs of Hamilton, Windsor, Ottawa, GTA and then the rural areas in the province of Ontario that’s where they can acquire more votes. The real voting power is outside the GTA.
However, I have some problems with the Liberal party at the moment. There are a couple of issues that I think black voters should think about in relation to next month’s provincial election.
The first issue was the racist incident back in May 2007 when the African American speaker Malik Zulu Shabazz was barred a few months back in May from entering Canada and speaking to black youth. Does anyone remember that racist incident? Don’t forget about it black voters. Well here is the link to an article about this issue: http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/story.html?id=cdfd2ebc-0bf9-45e8-bde8-de2b185cf08d&k=9162
I will refresh your memory for you. The Jewish organization B’nai Brith claimed that Mr. Shabazz is an Anti Semite and he should be barred from the province. And the Jewish community isn’t Anti black? Give me a break. The Jewish community in the city of Toronto have demonstrated over and over their anti black prejudices and racism. The Ontario government which is lead by the Liberal party at the moment swiftly went in and barred Mr. Shabazz from talking to the black youth. Are the Jews perfect? Sure seems like it doesn’t it. I believe the incident with Mr. Shabazz underscores the racism of the Jewish community. The Jewish community didn’t care what Mr. Shabazz had to say they just wanted the black speaker removed because he had some previous comments they didn’t agree with. Is this a democracy? Why the censorship?
Now the issues Mr. Shabazz was going to talk about was black focused schools, gun violence, and post secondary education. Mr. Shabazz was not even going to talk about the Jews. However, since the Jews have a lot political and social power in the province of Ontario Mr. Shabazz was quickly barred from entering the country. And no one questioned the racism of the Jewish community at all of course? Now this is what I find very interesting is the “silence” about the obvious bigotry and prejudice of Toronto’s Jewish community. Does anybody even have to question why their racism is ignored?
I mean people have to remember the Jews in the city of Toronto have a lot of political, economic, and social power. Mel Lastman is a Jew and he’s also the former mayor of the city of Toronto. Lastman was known for making racist statements against black people and of course the mainstream Toronto media just pretended to act as though Lastman’s comments had no meaning and no social power. The subliminal message was sent that white people can say whatever the hell they want about blacks but when black people speak up about the racism of the Jewish community suddenly the Toronto media is deaf and mute.
Turn on City TV who do you think owns that network? Moses Znamier is a Jew. Oops, I can’t say that. I’m not supposed to say that now am I? Now if you turn on Global Television the Asper family owns that network as well. And guess what? The Aspers are Jews too. Oops I’m not supposed to say that either? So if you have one community that owns two of the most watched television networks in the country do you actually believe that this “community” will have objective reporting about race related issues that speak the truth about the racism of that specific community? Of course not.
For the people that discern through the blizzard of murkiness its obvious the GTA media cannot be objective when it comes to reporting about the racism of the Jewish community. We are not going to get the complete full story. Now over at the Toronto sun there is a racist that worked there as well his name is Lorrie Goldstein and he’s a Jew as well. Have people forgotten about Arnold Minors? Goldstein has a lot of power at the Toronto Sun when you are an editor at a major newspaper and you have the “ability” over what is printed in that specific newspaper then you have the power to “control” people’s minds. Critical media literacy is crucial to understanding the “images” and “messages” the media is presenting to the public and people have to discern and be cognizant of their biases. I have mentioned already two TV networks in the Toronto area and one major Toronto newspaper and you will still have the Jewish community whine and complain that they are some how oppressed in the city of Toronto? Please give me a break. No the Jewish community in Toronto has a lot of power and they have exploited their power to discriminate against black people.
The racist incident to me was a perfect example of the lack of political and social power black people have in the province of Ontario and the incredible amount of power the Jews have. The Jews will complain and say they encounter discrimination. I never knew being white made the Jews a minority in the province of Ontario? The vast majority of the Jews living here in Ontario are white people they are a part of the white majority. The Jews have white skin privilege and in Canada that’s a form of social power right there. And since the Jews have an incredible amount of economic and political power in addition to their social power the Ontario government quickly answered to their complaints. However, what did the Jews think they have accomplished? I think the incident with Mr. Shabazz underscores the real issue is that whenever young black people are organizing white people become “afraid” and have a problem with that. Notice, none of the mainstream Toronto newspapers “dared” to talk about the real issue. No one was plotting to do anything to the Jews. The issue here was specifically about problems within the private sphere of the black community and how we as a race can work together to improve ourselves.
The Jewish organization B’nai Brith demonstrated their true racist colours by exploiting the situation and trying to say that Mr. Shabazz was trying to promote hated against that community. Where were the white people when Reverend Phelps was allowed to cross the border and promote homophobia? Isn’t that an important issue? Oops I forgot Mr. Phelps is white and not black so there is no “anger” from white people when an obviously bigoted white male individual such as Mr. Phelps can preach homophobia. Why didn’t the Premier of Ontario Dalton McGuinty say anything about that? Oops I forgot Mr. Phelps was the wrong colour.
The real reason the white community had a problem with Mr. Shabazz is whenever black people are organizing white people have a issue with it. White people will find a way to eliminate and destroy our attempts to help ourselves. What power do black students have? Mr. Shabazz was going to talk to a bunch of university students. No one was walking with weapons or pitchforks or whatever. Knowledge is power the mind is a very powerful thing and I just hope young black voters do not forget the actions of Dalton McGuinty and the Liberal party on this very important issue. The Shabazz incident was an example of white skin privilege, and white power over black people. The mainstream media of course was silent about the “real” issues they focused on Mr. Shabazz previous comments about the Jewish community. Of course, the mainstream media ignores the hypocrisy and racism of the Jewish community. I forgot this is the province of Ontario the Jewish community is “perfect” and can never be “racist” and free from criticism.
The second issue young black voters need to think about is the racist incident that took place just two months ago in July 2007 against the young black man Evon Reid. Here is the link to the Toronto Star article: http://www.thestar.com/article/238572
Now has Aileen Siu been fired? Of course not she “resigned”. The issue here is bigger then Aileen Siu, the issue here is about the accountability of the Ontario government to deal with employment discrimination and the systematic racism against black youth. Dalton McGuinty the Premier of the province of Ontario said all of the politically correct public relations speech and the issue was swept under the rug. The mainstream media once again did not really care about the issue because it wasn’t considered economically viable to them. I mean who cares if a government employee is a racist? Where is the sensationalism there? How will that sell papers? Everyone wrote into the newspapers there were a few editorials and the issue suddenly vanished. Remember young black voters when black youth are humiliated in this racist and deleterious manner as far as the Ontario government is concerned our concerns don’t matter.
Oops I forgot again Aileen Siu is not black she’s not even white she’s an Asian Canadian woman. And in the province of Ontario the social hierarchy is that blacks are treated as inferior to other racial and cultural groups. Siu called Evon Reid a honours student at the University of Toronto “this ghetto dude.” You see if Siu was a black person she would of been fired on the spot. Since Siu isn’t black the issue was swept right under the rug. Why should black voters take the Liberal party seriously when they obviously have a track record of not only ignoring racism in the province of Ontario but pretending the issue doesn’t exist? Employment discrimination is a very serious issue.
To be honest the Liberals and the NDP will of course turn against each other and the PC party can come through the middle and win the election again. The NDP hasn’t done enough to get on the radar and the Liberal party every single day looks more and more conservative. Will this provincial election next month be Deja Vu just like 1995? It could happen. And if it does happen everybody better watch out. None of the three parties can really be trusted that’s for sure.
Gayblackcanada 
