The Futility of Hyphenated Identity
Yes, the wonders of multiculturalism and the comfort it brings to those who believe in its implicit truth. It's easy enough to buy into the idea; just think the two keywords: "respect" and "equality". Then add "differences" and "enrichment". You might think that respect and equality could not be afforded newcomers to a society whose culture and mores are different than that they left behind, without the official sanction of multiculturalism. You might anticipate that differences could somehow meld happily and result in societal enrichment, but obviously our Canadian legislators felt this could never happen without official multiculturalism.And in the name of multiculturalism a lot of taxpayers' money was spent, not only in advertising to boast to Canadians how different they were than most other countries in that we had no expectation of assimilation into the welcoming country's social system and structure, but that the immigrants could and should retain their own, while at the same time respecting Canadian laws. Sounds very humane, most admirable, but in retrospect, perhaps a trifle misguided. It's one thing for the Department of Heritage and Multiculturalism to dispense operating funds for various ethnic groups' community centres and newspapers to make everything possible in this brave new world which offered economic advancement while at the same time the home country's ethnic and cultural values remained intact in the welcoming country of refuge.
It's quite another for immigrants to wish to integrate into the culture and the society at large when they see these incentives to remain loyal to their past associations. So, in effect, we have government-sanctioned and taxpayer-assisted social, religious, civic, cultural solitudes. These were called, once, ghettoes, and were considered to be abhorrent in a open and fair civil, civic-minded society. Within the ghetto culture the memory of the past flourished, but the opportunities to become a part of the new culture were vastly diminished. The result was alienation from the larger society and with it resentment of lack of opportunity.
So what have we got to show for this prodigious effort to make every and any group comfortable in this spaciously generous country of ours? Confusion. Alienation. Undeserved entitlement. Demands that can be construed as unreasonable, when such demands include a stated desire that the receiving country's civic institutions and laws be altered to reflect the values and mores of countries from which many immigrants fled in search of a "better life".
It's rather sad, but I'm quite fed up with hearing about hyphenated Canadians. I'm fed up with the discontent voiced by representatives of hyphenated-Canadian groups espousing their unhappiness with the type of social inclusiveness demonstrated within Canada; that very same inclusiveness that welcomed new immigrants, but also makes space for gender-differentiated Canadians, for example.
I'm fed up with hearing the pathetic whines from people who choose to behave differently, dress differently, cherish different values, all of which we accept gladly, but who are offended at the social freedoms we accord those among us who eschew the "sanctity" of civil or religious marriage, or conversely those among us who demand to receive the same rights to marriage rites between same-sex partnerships. While, alas, multiculturalism is still the accepted Canadian way, so too is a larger acceptance that varying lifestyles that do no harm to others are legitimate in this society.
More to the point, when we have potential threats of terrorist acts laid at our doorstep, and those exercising these lethal threats belong to a clearly identifiable group, why is it seen to be unreasonable to view the group at large with a modicum of unease and even suspicion? We're not all idiots; we know that extreme behaviours don't represent great numbers of individuals, but this is a readily identifiable, readily visible group, and society has become wary, given the threats acted upon in the deadliest of manners elsewhere.
I have no patience with the concentrated cries of Muslim Magnified. I have no doubt that the anguish is real, and I am sympathetic to it, and feel great regret that so many people, so many doubtless good people feel collectively punished by the accident of their association with these world-wide vicious malefactors. It's called fall-out; you happen to share a religion, a belief, a culture, a way of life, albeit benign, as opposed to the malevolent interpretation. Because you do, expect to be singled out.
Direct your anger where it rightfully belongs, to those members of your cultural, religious group who you feel have co-opted your religion for their own nefarious purposes. Voice that anger, there can be no ambiguity about this. Insist that their goal is not yours, even if you feel that should be obvious to anyone, for these fanatical Islamists are commiting their atrocities in the name of your god. Deny them that comfort, let them know, unequivocally, and with a single voice, that this is neither right, nor true. Deprive them of their pulpit, drive them out of your houses of worship.
Become unhyphenated Canadians, and take your rightful place among other Canadians. Be proud of your heritage, cherish it, teach your children about it, but teach them also that they are now, first and foremost, Canadians.
posted by Pieface @ Friday, June 16, 2006
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