Lockdown regulations needed
This is one in a series of columns written for Black History Month.
Letter writer John P.A. Budreski, arguing against lockdown rules says: “We are an intelligent and informed nation and without regulatory requirements, the population would surely adopt its own individual protections that would act very much like the prescribed government regulations.”
This is a lovely idea except for two things. People are clearly not following government rules. Second, what evidence is there that leads the writer to say “surely” they would?
I know of no instance where all people have voluntarily done the right thing. At best, most would, but many would not.
R.P. Woolstencroft, Waterloo, Ont.
Iwant to give a big up to the massive importance of Black culture that is Black History Month, which can build the esteem of Black and racialized people by showcasing stories of excellence. It’s a month that offers a roadmap to inspiration for any person from any circumstance to emulate success and achievements.
Black History Month is an opportunity to detail the historical achievements of Black people, offering a victors’ voice of bold narratives, new learnings and reflecting on Black heritage for all Canadians.
Despite systemic obstacles — too numerous to count, too regularly ignored or dismissed as innocent mistakes or big misunderstandings — February is about honouring the triumphs of Black people and those who claim Black heritage or whose experiences defy what has historically been depicted.
It’s no surprise there are questions about the relevance of Black History Month.
“Is it even necessary?”
“A day maybe, but a month seems excessive?”
Astonishing questions, originating from people from diverse racial backgrounds, and from Black people, too. The short answer is, yes. Black History Month is important. It does many things, including bringing people together by giving a voice to those who may have been disregarded, silenced or downgraded from critical moments in Canadian and world events. After all, history is the thin boundary between being remembered and forgotten.
The proliferation of Black stories this month should not offend anyone or ostracize any group or culture. It’s about highlighting facts that humanize and combat pervasive cultural ignorance. It provides the currency of information to fight intolerance and racial hatred, and provides Black people with the space to share their stories and perspectives, which may not otherwise be popularized in traditional mainstream media.
Black History Month was a community response to the absence of historically accurate information about Black history in Canada.
As an example, I happened to come across an article published on Wednesday, Feb. 17 by the National Post, in the Arts & Life section. The story was about the notable rapper Kodak Black, and his plans to launch a US$100,000 fund for Meadow Pollack, a victim in the Parkland High School shooting. In error, the paper published a picture alongside the article of the popular rapper Lil Wayne.
Not quite doppelgangers when compared, apart from both men being Black. Evidently merely an example of someone’s lack of attention to detail and nothing more. Yes, the error is forgivable. What’s worse, in this world of public keyboard commentary, it appears only I caught the error.
In the paper’s defence, the photo came from a wire service and the caption mentioned both artists despite picturing only one of them, so blame can be widely shared. But I do wonder how many of the Post’s current readers caught the Kodak Black error? It raises questions about how Black History Month can challenge all publishers to push harder into more diverse communities.
Without Black History Month, this narrative might not have been published, and my observation may have gone unnoticed for quite some time. Diversity of perspectives helps businesses be better at what they do, as it’s the information in the corners that often gets missed.
The appearance or lack of reaction to the misidentified photo of a Black rapper is telling by the silence or failure of many readers to appreciate the error. This month is about getting everyone to notice. It offers the wisdom to see inspiration all around us.
Remember the ’80s song Turning Japanese by the Vapours, and teenagers pulling at the sides of their eyes while dancing? Then, as well as now, it was uncomfortably wrong. A whole generation of people, dancing and singing along, making slanted eyes, was very disturbing. Black History Month takes away opportunities for discrimination to be normalized.
Challenges to Black History Month will always be present.
It was no surprise last week when Quebec Premier François Legault posted on Facebook, that universities “should be places for respectful debates without censorship for truth-seeking, even if the truth can shock and provoke.” It’s disappointing that Legault chose to post this comment this month, a time honouring Black people, to talk about his right for free speech, and his view that the right to use the N-word is, above all, about academic freedom. One can only shake their head and fight on.
Black History Month is about educating the uneducated and most educated among us. It’s about teaching the unteachable and arming the defenceless.
Thank you to early proponents of Black History Month, Dr. Daniel G. Hill, Wilson O. Brooks, Rosemary Sadlier, and the Honourable Jean Augustine, the first Black Canadian woman elected to Parliament.
Theirs is a tremendous legacy. These men and women and so many unnamed people gave us such a special gift.
SORRY, IT ISN’T FREE. IT IS BEING STOLEN. — JOHN CHACHAS
BLACK HISTORY MONTH IS ABOUT ... TEACHING THE UNTEACHABLE AND ARMING THE DEFENCELESS.