Don’t let local ‘idiot’ define us
Like many Cape Bretoners, reading the local newspaper is a daily ritual that kick-starts my day.
A recent front-page story (“International students victim of verbal attack,” Cape Breton Post: Sept. 26) made me sad, and then angry.
The incident occurred outside a gas station in Sydney and after trying to think of something to describe the aggressor who felt that he had the right to hurl verbal hatred on three innocent Chinese students the only word that comes to mind is “idiot.”
This man is not representative of our Cape Breton way of life. We pride ourselves as being a welcoming society yet we seem to have people in our midst who are undermining our best efforts.
International students come to our country to improve their language skills and to experience a new culture.
Whether they enroll in programs at Cape Breton University or sit in our classrooms in the Cape Breton-Victoria Regional School Board, they are an asset to our community. They pay a hefty tuition fee to attend our learning institutions. In fact, the staff at Cape Breton University is travelling all over the world to recruit new students.
These students shop in our grocery stores and buy cars and gas along with buying clothes that are more suitable to our climate. What a boost to our local economy!
These students make our community a better place. Our towns and villages are becoming more global in nature. The world is coming to our doorstep and we are so much better due to their presence.
This incident makes me wonder if the influence of the Trump mentality is affecting our little corner of the world. His racist and bigoted views seem to be filtering down to the lowest levels of society. Trump seems to be giving people like this “idiot” the courage to spew their hatred on other cultures.
That man does not represent us! Let the rest of us show these students that we are a kind and welcoming people.
How can that happen? The next time you see an international student, stop for a brief chat to ask how they are doing.
For some of us, it might be difficult to speak to a complete stranger. That “idiot” should be a good enough reason for us to step out of our comfort zone to be a welcoming voice for these students.
One of their main goals is improving their English language skills so even a brief conversation will be a learning experience.
Many of us will never travel to Beijing or other international destinations. This will be our opportunity to learn more about other cultures.
Let us show these students from far-away lands that we are worldrenowned for our hospitality.