Racism at Osgoode?
The law school student newsletter today mentioned that pamphlets titled "Jewish Supremacism Unmasked" and containing vicious anti-Semitic content were scattered all around Osgoode yesterday. White supremacist groups are said to be responsible. I should say I'm more than a little suprised. Didn't expect something like that to happen here. I hope no law student was involved - it rather defeats the purpose of studying and hoping to practise law.
4 comments:
I remember the time in Waterloo when white supremacist groups shoved their pamphlets into the Imprint. The content of the pamphlet was pretty hostile, mostly anti-Semitic rhetoric, but it also contained material that attacked Islam because the incident was soon after 9/11.
There was also the anti-Islam graffiti spraypainted all over the Ryerson MSA's prayer room or office a couple of years ago; and threats of killing Muslims on campus. An extreme right-wing pro-Israel group claimed responsibility.
And now this at York. Tsk, tsk. And they call these places "institutes of higher learning."
It is quite disturbing to hear of these incidents. Canada has always been praised for how people of different cultures and faiths are able to get along so peacefully, especially when compared with the United States.
You would think that at places of higher learning, sorrounded by educated people, it would be even less likely for these types of incidents to occur. There are not many places in this world where you can escape racism.
I think (and I didn't used to before) that this picture of all cultures, races and faiths co-existing peacefully and getting along with each other so well is wishful thinking on part of Canadians to a great extent. If the time or 'need' arises, I wouldn't be surprised if racist policy became acceptable to a majority of people.
One of my professors here mentioned in class one time that we are all racist and/or sexist at some level - we just refuse to admit it, maybe even to ourselves. Then a little later he quickly said that there might be exceptions (although it was clear he was saying that just to cover his behind).
I do admit though that universities are among the last places one would expect any kind of blatant display of racism.
Ali, I agree there's a little bias in all of us. It's human nature to paint entire ethnic/religious/racial/financial groups with the same label or stereotypes. The more you see how Canada's first peoples are living, out of the spotlight, away from the big cities, the more you accept that there are multiple Canada's for multiple communities. The news in your original post doesn't surprise me at all. But then again, I'm a cynic.
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