Stop denying your racism

Dear Editor:

We entered this world in a profound sense of love, but along the way we learned to hate. How does this happen? Our memory works through the catalogue of stereotypes as a shortcut to thinking too much. Our preconceptions blind us with mental shortcuts, justifying what we see as normal. But what if that normal wasnt ideal?

When we see a homeless person, do we see someone who lost everything and gave up on their dreams? When we see the cornered minority being questioned by multiple police, do we see the systemic permission to harass the populations of colour with rare adverse consequences? We tell ourselves that it couldnt happen to me, so it cant be with them.

I am First Nation, and I was adopted and raised in the very white community of Kelowna in the 1970s. The white view was all Id been exposed to as I grew up. Into adulthood, things grew complex and I had to face the fact that I held racist views against my own people.

To change this, I switched my view to all First Nations being virtuous and good. Then I worked for the local band and found that they too can be corporate dictators just like every other company I worked for. While putting together a community computer lab in the centre of the reserve, my greatest lessons came from the kids who frequented the place. I realized I had a truly fortunate upbringing.

We learn stereotypes from the family or the community we grow up with.

Now those tides have turned.

The world was outraged by the actions of a cop. Domestic terrorism was used to permit the militarization of police forces. The War on Drugs was its most effective tool. Racial profiling and unrestricted bullying by police directly feed the prison industry. These actions have gone unceasing through centuries fuelled by anger and insecurities of both the aggressors and the targets. Yet the recent public outcry is shifting our views on what a secure society looks like.

Perception changes depending on the angle. We all contain a little prejudice in our past. We can cover it, contain it, and oppress it but it will not help. A proper purging requires dialogue, either with someone else or with just your pen and paper. Put it out there like a confession kept private. Hide from it no more. The pain of dealing with it is called growth, and the relief of getting past moves us all towards a better society.

Darrin LR Fiddler

Marijuana Party of Canada

Kelowna-Lake Country

A bad case of Trumpitis

Recently, I have written about our southern neighbour The Donald and I felt justified in doing so. Never in the history of the United States has a president said and done so much about so little and shown so little empathy for fellow human beings and more interest in the dollar than anything else.

Democracy as we once knew it seems to have lost its grass roots meaning of government by the people, for the people, and of the people.

What about here at home? It would appear that democracy has taken a back seat from its original meaning as well. Of course, I am referring to issues such as the WE Charity. Our illustrious leaders have bounced around this issue like a ricocheting bullet bouncing off rocks. It seems that the premise of going ahead with things and then asking for forgiveness later is the order of the day. It seems like a case of Donald Trumpitis. It centers on if you can minimize the issues in your own mind, its alright.

Both Justin Trudeau and Bill Morneau are implying the old adage, I didnt know the gun was loaded. That argument is weaker than a wet and soggy piece of tissue paper. Of course, they must have known, especially Morneau as finance minister. In his position, one would think that accountability would be first and foremost.

Apologies by both men just dont get the job done. They both should have known better but seemed not to. The lame duck apologies dont make the situation right and questions the ethics of each man. Saying Im sorry might be likened to putting a Band-Aid on a gaping wound and expecting it to heal perfectly.

The fact that both men had vested interests that were, in fact, conflict of interests, speaks for itself. Morneaus family vacation expenditure of $40,000 and Trudeaus family members gratuity payment appear to show clear indifference to anything that would reflect ethics with respect to their relative political positions.

As I said, democracy as we know it seems to have changed immeasurably. In my opinion, unless there is a realistic look at things, democracy could be on a downhill spiral. Perish the thought! It begs the question be asked what were the sacrifices of thousands of people 75 or so years ago for?

Ron Barillaro

Penticton

Liberal amount of razzle dazzle

Dear Editor:

In the movie Chicago, Richard Gere plays the role of Billy Flynn, a super-slick, fact-twisting, incurably corrupt lawyer. Flynns modus operandi is summarized in the lyrics of the song, Razzle Dazzle. Give em the old razzle dazzle. Razzle dazzle em... Give em an act with lots of flash in it and the reaction will be passionate. Give em the old hocus pocus, bead and feather em. How can they see with sequins in their eyes?

After watching Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus performance vis--vis the WE Charity, I cant help thinking of him as Canadas very own Billy Flynn.

Lloyd Atkins

Vernon

Obama selling lies at funeral

Dear Editor:

I was watching the news tonight and was absolutely sickened by former United States President Barack Obamas speech at John Lewiss funeral today. He took away from remembering a great civil rights leader, a brave man who marched the Edmund Pettus Bridge from Selma to Montgomery and took a baton on the head for his beliefs. He also walked with the late Dr. Martin Luther King.

He served the American people for many years as a great political leader for the Democratic party and at his service, former president Barrack Obama took the stage to sell a lie to all who were listening, and Im sure there were millions online and TV. He said recently, in Portland, government troops are arresting mostly peaceful protesters. If you have seen the mostly peaceful protest in Portland you know thats not entirely accurate, It looks like a war zone. Almost like the siege at Khe San in Vietnam back in 1968. There are Molotov cocktails, lasers being shot into officers eyes, fireworks and rocks thrown. There is no such thing as a peaceful protest in Portland. As I am writing this letter, the news just had a breaking report: Antifa stabbed a reporter in Portland; fortunately he lived. He was a black reporter being stabbed at a Black Lives Matter mostly peaceful protest.

The real deal in Portland (Chicago and Minneapolis) is there is lawlessness and mayhem. The President tries to help and is beat up for doing so because its against the constitution. Apparently in the United States a mayor has to ask for help.

Its a sad state of affairs on a day a great man was put to rest, these very ideals he fought for, took a police baton on the head for, and served our American friends. Shame on Barack Obama for electioneering at Lewiss funeral. Shame on the American Democrats. Its vampire politics.

Doug Rosen

Kelowna

The Theatre of the Absurd

For those of us who enjoy watching political theatre, there was a double billing in Ottawa on July 28 and 30. The Kielburger Keelhauling played in a four-hour marathon on Tuesday, followed by the seemingly shipwrecked Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his girl Friday, Katie Telford for almost as long on Thursday. These performances before the parliamentary finance committee proved good entertainment for the audience on live television, but with many lines definitely blurred between fact and fiction.

The Kielburger brothers, who co-founded the WE Charity, were trying to impersonate Bill Clintons appearance before the Grand Jury prior to his impeachment trial in 1998. His was a textbook display of non-answers and evasive tactics in dealing with Ken Starrs prosecutors reaching his zenith, or nadir, depending on your point of view when he answered the lawyer: It depends what the meaning of the word is is? He was known as Slick Willie in his native Arkansas, and the Kielburger Kids tried their best to be just as slick, but certainly didnt do themselves nor their multi-layered organization any favours.

Childish evasive tactics remained the order of the day when the PM spent 90 minutes before the same committee on Thursday, and those listening close enough could hear Little Richards early rock n roll standard: Slippin and Slidin playing in the background, as he tried to be slick, too.

Following the PMs most uncomfortable turn in the hot-seat, up rode Telford swearing to tell the truth as she took her turn in the saddle of the bucking bronco. Many watching her on Thursday remembered that fictional moving bill she claimed as expenses when relocating from Toronto to Ottawa in 2015. A large chunk of the over $80,000 she charged taxpayers, including over $23,000 made out to herself in cash, had to be returned. Not a great start for someone pledging to bring transparency, honesty and integrity into the Prime Ministers Office, but shes now settled into her job of preparing her boss for parliamentary jousting.

Hopefully, the farcical fiasco at Ottawas Theatre of the Absurd goes into summer recess for a short while.

Bernie Smith

Parksville, B.C.

Originally posted here:

Letters to the Editor: Tuesday, August 4, 2020 | Opinion - pentictonherald.ca