Global Climate Strike: Political Action vs. Political Correctness
September 20th and 27th are the Fridays for Future (https://www.fridaysforfuture.org) the global days for demanding action against climate change. Yesterday, Sep 20th, many cities witnessed large groups of students and their adult supporters leaving schools and rallying to tell their governments to act before it is too late. In Ottawa, this is planned for Sep 27th.
While there is a lot to say about this movement, the 15 years old Greta Thunberg who started it, and many aspects of the fight for environmental protection, the news about this event and what's going on in the political scene in Canada as we close to federal election got me thinking about the notion of political action vs. political correctness.
I am from a Middle Eastern background and belong to a visible minority. Even though I have been blessed with a good life and supportive environment in Canada, I've witnessed my own share of discrimination and ethnic abuse. I cannot even begin to compare myself with many who have been victims of much more serious discrimination, but I do appreciate the need for regulations and practices to control hate crimes and actions that offend, exclude, and disadvantage minorities and members of any social group based on their ethnic background, skin colour, religion and beliefs, gender and sexual orientation. As much as I have no doubt about the need for inclusive and supportive practices, I have come to doubt the notion of "political correctness," especially once it is exploited by politicians.
It seems to me that political correctness has become a way for many in politics to say nice things about certain groups, without doing actions that makes a real difference. Consider the example of removing terms that have been used without any derogatory meaning and replacing them with new terms. There is no doubt that insulting names should not be used to refer to any group. But there are much more important issues such as health, education, and employment that need action.
Here is the example that made me write this note.
A few days ago, it was all over the news that back in 2001, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau wore a costume from Aladdin cartoon with a brownface.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/canada-votes-2019-trudea-blackface-brownface-cbc-explains-1.5290664
This soon turned into a big scandal for the Liberal Party in an extremely sensitive time close to the federal election. All other political parties used this opportunity to tell Canadians how they think the Liberal leader is not suitable for being the prime minister.
When thinking about this whole process, I feel serious concerns.
I start with what is probably the most debatable of my concerns and the one that I put the least emphasis on (because of the debate it needs). What really constitutes a cultural insult? Is wearing the costume of a character you like insulting to the culture of that person? Where should we draw the line between reasonable and just concern and being too sensitive, between freedom of expression and cultural respect? Even if there is an act of humour, what level is acceptable? Can a comic make a joke of a prophet, for example? These are rather complicated questions that I'd like to mention but not answer at this time. Let's leave them and move to the other points.
Every society evolves. Our notions of what is right and what is wrong changes over time. Many words, actions, and traditions that used to be acceptable lose their status and become forbidden, and the other way around. For example, the word N***o to refer to African Americans is no longer acceptable but it was used even by those fighting for civil rights, without any insulting intention. When I was a child, kids adored native Americans. We played "Cowboys and Indians" all the time and we loved to be "the chief" or "the warrior". We dressed up to resemble those characters as much as possible, and we did that with no bad intentions. We were not the only ones doing that. Dressing up in the costumes of characters you liked from films and cartoons was normal, and a compliment to those characters. Things have changed. For better or worse, those actions are not quite acceptable now. Can we blame people for doing such things decades ago and without the intention of hurting or insulting anyone? Let's leave this question too, and move to another point.
Nobody is perfect. We all remember the story of Jesus asking people to throw stones at the prostitute only if they have not sinned themselves. Political leaders may have done (or still do) something wrong, but what is more important, wearing an unacceptable costume 20 years ago or solving today's critical problems? Here is an excerpt from the news: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/winnipeggers-react-trudeau-brownface-1.5289301
All Canadians who favour Conservatives, NDP, or Greens should be bothered by their leaders and the attention they are paying to the news of some action 20 years ago. So Trudeau put on some bad costume when he was much younger and now is apologizing for it. If that is the worst thing they can find and say about the Liberals, then nobody should vote for them. Aren't there more important issues to be concerned about?
Millions of kids (who wear costumes all the time) demand political action to save our planet. Can we stop caring about what someone wore 20 years go and do something about our important problems such as on which planet we are going to live in 20 years?
While there is a lot to say about this movement, the 15 years old Greta Thunberg who started it, and many aspects of the fight for environmental protection, the news about this event and what's going on in the political scene in Canada as we close to federal election got me thinking about the notion of political action vs. political correctness.
I am from a Middle Eastern background and belong to a visible minority. Even though I have been blessed with a good life and supportive environment in Canada, I've witnessed my own share of discrimination and ethnic abuse. I cannot even begin to compare myself with many who have been victims of much more serious discrimination, but I do appreciate the need for regulations and practices to control hate crimes and actions that offend, exclude, and disadvantage minorities and members of any social group based on their ethnic background, skin colour, religion and beliefs, gender and sexual orientation. As much as I have no doubt about the need for inclusive and supportive practices, I have come to doubt the notion of "political correctness," especially once it is exploited by politicians.
It seems to me that political correctness has become a way for many in politics to say nice things about certain groups, without doing actions that makes a real difference. Consider the example of removing terms that have been used without any derogatory meaning and replacing them with new terms. There is no doubt that insulting names should not be used to refer to any group. But there are much more important issues such as health, education, and employment that need action.
Here is the example that made me write this note.
A few days ago, it was all over the news that back in 2001, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau wore a costume from Aladdin cartoon with a brownface.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/canada-votes-2019-trudea-blackface-brownface-cbc-explains-1.5290664
This soon turned into a big scandal for the Liberal Party in an extremely sensitive time close to the federal election. All other political parties used this opportunity to tell Canadians how they think the Liberal leader is not suitable for being the prime minister.
When thinking about this whole process, I feel serious concerns.
I start with what is probably the most debatable of my concerns and the one that I put the least emphasis on (because of the debate it needs). What really constitutes a cultural insult? Is wearing the costume of a character you like insulting to the culture of that person? Where should we draw the line between reasonable and just concern and being too sensitive, between freedom of expression and cultural respect? Even if there is an act of humour, what level is acceptable? Can a comic make a joke of a prophet, for example? These are rather complicated questions that I'd like to mention but not answer at this time. Let's leave them and move to the other points.
Every society evolves. Our notions of what is right and what is wrong changes over time. Many words, actions, and traditions that used to be acceptable lose their status and become forbidden, and the other way around. For example, the word N***o to refer to African Americans is no longer acceptable but it was used even by those fighting for civil rights, without any insulting intention. When I was a child, kids adored native Americans. We played "Cowboys and Indians" all the time and we loved to be "the chief" or "the warrior". We dressed up to resemble those characters as much as possible, and we did that with no bad intentions. We were not the only ones doing that. Dressing up in the costumes of characters you liked from films and cartoons was normal, and a compliment to those characters. Things have changed. For better or worse, those actions are not quite acceptable now. Can we blame people for doing such things decades ago and without the intention of hurting or insulting anyone? Let's leave this question too, and move to another point.
Nobody is perfect. We all remember the story of Jesus asking people to throw stones at the prostitute only if they have not sinned themselves. Political leaders may have done (or still do) something wrong, but what is more important, wearing an unacceptable costume 20 years ago or solving today's critical problems? Here is an excerpt from the news: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/winnipeggers-react-trudeau-brownface-1.5289301
Shahina Siddiqui, executive director of Winnipeg's Islamic Social Services Association, said there are more pressing things to focus on — especially in the midst of a federal election.
"There are many more important issues facing our country right now," Siddiqui said, adding that First Nations left without access to clean drinking water in northern Manitoba, or women banned from wearing hijabs to work under Bill 21 in Quebec, don't get nearly as much attention.
"Why are we not talking about these issues?" she said. "This is what I want to hear from our politicians. Not this below the belt, ridiculous, creating scandals out of nothing."
All Canadians who favour Conservatives, NDP, or Greens should be bothered by their leaders and the attention they are paying to the news of some action 20 years ago. So Trudeau put on some bad costume when he was much younger and now is apologizing for it. If that is the worst thing they can find and say about the Liberals, then nobody should vote for them. Aren't there more important issues to be concerned about?
Millions of kids (who wear costumes all the time) demand political action to save our planet. Can we stop caring about what someone wore 20 years go and do something about our important problems such as on which planet we are going to live in 20 years?