With the repeal of the Liberal sex-ed curriculum, I was almost tempted to discuss the obvious religious pandering and the negative effects this sex-ed curriculum would have on children. However, this op-ed sums up most of my thoughts perfectly.
I came across an op-ed at work which actually leads to the main point I want to discuss. A hardcore Ford supporter shut down any criticism of Ford’s heavily white, 20-minister cabinet. The writer’s argument was that Ford was picking skill, not diversity. That statement sums up the implicit racism that is so dominant today.
This op-ed writer thinks diversity and skill can’t go hand-in-hand. This assumption is a key factor behind most of the resentment of affirmative action: The assumption that minority degenerates (as opposed to qualified minorities) are beating qualified white people for jobs.
This assumption isn’t just about affirmative action though. It sends a larger message about this person’s perception of minorities. They are denying the possibility that any minority individual is good enough to join this cabinet. Ultimately, they are denying the possibility that minorities as a whole are good enough for the cabinet or for any other high-calibre role.
This is the paradox of the new colour-blind racist, the one who views the discussion of racism as divisive, while also being racist. These colour-blind racists deny that employers can be biased, and then say minorities simply need to work harder when they are denied opportunities, such as the opportunity to join Ford’s cabinet.
Now, some racists use this “divisive” talk as a smokescreen for the racism that they know they harbour. However, many are so convinced of this “divisive” narrative that they genuinely don’t see the racist assumptions their worldview rests on. Even minorities who are either self-hating or simply trying to be enlightened can end up mirroring white supremacist talking points.
I had one such minority as a friend on Facebook for a while, and unfollowed them months ago because I was sick of seeing one post after another dismissing talk of Trump and racism as “divisive.” Ignoring an issue does not make it go away. The only thing “divisive” about talking about it, is that the discussion of racism seperates the racists, the enablers and the sympathizers from people who truly want equality. One side only wants to protect the status quo. Even when black people were being beaten by cops for protesting against Jim Crow, there were still white people who said they were being too divisive by protesting and drawing attention to these issues. If white people and sympathizers from all races, can think protesting against Jim Crow is divisive, then obviously it is easy to see the discussion of discrimination as the true evil in society.
The excuses don’t change, only the subject of the excuse does. For most people, minorities should just be grateful we’re equal on paper, and ignore all the signs around us that there is still work to do e.g. a premier cabinet that comes nowhere close to representing Ontario’s diversity and likely didn’t even consider more than a handful of minority candidates.
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