Didn’t take long for ‘racism’ charge

Posted on February 9, 2010 in News // 1 Comment

It didn’t take long for someone to call me “racist” over last Saturday’s column.

“You may try to say your not a racist, but your words tell us other wise,” wrote Kathleen Manuel in an email that appeared in yesterday’s In box. Manuel is a Secwepemc language teacher and took offense to my comments about the Secwepemc language.

If you read Saturday’s column, you’ll know I was comparing perceptions between natives and non-natives about each other. At one point I wrote that “I understand the importance of bringing back indigenous languages — how can you have a healthy, vibrant culture if your language is gone?” And I added, in brackets, “It seems no two people, of any descent, are able to even pronounce Secwepemc the same way.”

It was an exaggeration, of course, and maybe a little tongue in cheek, based on what I hear from politicians in particular who attempt the word. They all have some trouble with it. Even Chief Shane Gottfriedson has taken lessons in the Shuswap/Secwepemc language so he can use it, especially on public occasions. Good on him.

It simply emphasizes the dire straits in which native languages find themselves. Indeed, many are already extinct and more are endangered. That’s a terrible thing. It’s an excellent thing that Kathleen Manuel has taught the Shuswap/Secwepemc language to 100 students. Good on her, too, because young people are the real hope for rescuing these languages.

But why is it OK to call someone a racist for even mentioning it, and for identifying examples of misunderstandings between natives and non-natives?

All of which perfectly makes a key point I was getting at with the column: the “racist” label is so readily thrown about that most people are afraid to even talk about the differences and issues between natives and non-natives. It’s so bad now, it would seem, that you aren’t even allowed to mention someone else’s racism without being called a racist yourself.

Real racism is easy to identify and easy to find. Don’t insult those who want to do something about it.