So. Guy Bouthillier explained in a letter to the editor the other day he became a sovereignist because he was taunted and called a "pepsi" and "pea soup."
Hm.
Scratches head.
Um.
Sensitive guy, that Guy. He forgot "frog" and "Joe Louis" and "pepper" and "mangeurs d'hot dog."
Let's see. What about when it's reversed? French-Canadians are masters of coming up with racial slurs. Just ask an Italian or Jews who had to face Quebec-style antisemitism or any other minority. I wonder what he thinks about "maudits importees," "wops" and "tetes carres." The very idea of labeling citizens as "francophone," "anglophone" and "allophone" is a Quebecois invention and is filled with pathetic racial overtones. I reject those titles outright. I also reject all Quebec laws - designed to protect one segment of a population at the expense of others - that trample on civil liberties.
All we've done is justify and tolerate subtle racism in the name of cultural nationalism.
What specious (and brave I might add) logic asserted by this man. At some point, he has to get over it. I don't mean to demean what he faced (nor do I think he speaks for all Quebecers), but my point is we've all had to confront such ignorance.
And if this is the general intellectual make up of the sovereignist or independiste (or whatever they call it) movement it's no wonder it's a failure and has no real merit to it. If people who keep looking back, they can never look forward.
I would also like to recall: He who lives in glass houses shouldn't hurl stones.
As I've written in the past, both Quebec and Canada have some growing up to do.
I have been called a bloke when I spoke english and french-canadians were present. I have been told to speak white by an english Colonel. When I needed money to stay at l'École Normale Jacques-Cartier and asked for a application form for a prêt d'honneur from la société St-Jean-Baptiste I was told:" avec un nom comme le tien, perds pas ton temps à remplir le formulaire". That was the end of my studies, 1952, for the next 7 years.
ReplyDeleteI could have been an "anglophone", I choose to stay a francophone despite them and maybe to spite them, who knows.
I am a proud Canadian and will remain so till death do us part.
Nothing about your Greek heritage?
ReplyDeleteIn any event, you've risen above it as I have - I was called a "maudits importees" just a few years back!
Quebec needs to also.
My Greek heritage is limited to my name. My father quit on us when I was about 10. granted my french-canadian mother had forbidden him to teach us greek and objected to his taking charge of me when I turned 6 as a good greek father would have done. That was the beginning of the end.
ReplyDeleteBut I was called a maudit grec like you were called a maudit wop. It made us what we are...and that is not so bad after all.