Originally Posted by Marshal
This thread asks if Canadians, and Aboriginal Canadians care about this "day." It claims to simply solicit a neutral opinion, but then dives right into a fairly intense negative attack of the issue. This is a typical move, made over and over again, concerning all of our social challenges.
I didn't notice this "day" at all. I too am tired of some of what our country has been up to lately regarding aboriginal problems. But bitching alone doesn't cut it. In fact, its pointless. As some others have pointed out, what matters is some real progress in solving the astounding degree of difficulty some of our people face.
My bitching point is just that. I am tired of the process. However, I am not dumb enough to equate that with the process being wrong. Sometimes, difficult things progress at a pace that is frustrating. That is no reason to stop. I put "reconciliation" in that realm. My fatigue will not make me take a negative view. It will only urge me to better understand and support concrete change for the better.
By local example, I get grumpy about native art. The fact that we use native art to clothe ourselves (in the premier's case, literally) when we want to sell BC to the world, is simply a false representation of our society. The Olympics and YVR were/are big users of this image. The two would have a visitor believe 60+% of our population was native, and that the rest was particularly uncreative and unspirited. Does this matter? Yes and no. Over the long haul, we must solve the real problems of our aboriginal citizens, and we must be a healthy society, where we are past the need (we are not presently) for affirmative actions, and are open and fair to all, such that we reflect ourselves as a total. But, right now, it is not a worthy complaint. That would be like being offended by the clothes of a homeless hungry person. Feed and house them before moving on to consider tertiary matters. I care little about the fact YVR is loaded with native art/advertising, but the new agreement with the Musqueam might prove to be a worthy effort.
So, I am most tired and bitchy about hearing anyone being tired and bitchy about anything related to our troubled fellow humans: aboriginal, mentally ill, homeless . . . Before, spending any of your effort on complaint, figure out something constructive to do. Sure there are annoying and stupid things, political and otherwise, so what, I for one don't care so long as we have communities with horrid built conditions, isolated for the want of a 5 million dollar (a guess) bridge, rife with drug and other life destroying illness, without potable water, communications, schools, medical care, opportunity! If you learn of a day, like this "day," that the government (or anyone) has set to mark anything to do with all of this, don't whine and complain, get out and collect used eyeglasses and find a way of getting them to a reserve where teenagers can't read the blackboard (if there is one).
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