More Compassionate Possibilities

[humanviewpoint]

Don’t Call it Homophobia

Call it what it is - prejudice and hatred.

June 14, 2016

Does homophobia really describe what the world witnessed in Orlando? There is no doubt that innocent people were targeted for simply being part of the lgbtq community - for being themselves. What I am suggesting is that this term that’s been used repeatedly following Sunday’s violence does not accurately describe what the gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans and queer people have experienced. Nor does it give enough weight to the actions that stem from the discrimination of that community.

Of course the deaths of 49 people and the wounding of so many by the hands of one person is a shock. A shock that forces most of us (maybe for the first time) to acknowledge the level of discrimination faced by our lgbtq comrades. Although the sheer number of casualties in Orlando is shocking, violence directed at the lgbtq community is not new. In Canada, hate crimes against lgbtq people continue to rise and are considered to be the most violent according to Statistics Canada. Trans people are also facing increased levels of violence in the U.S. with homicides hitting record numbers in 2015. On top of physical and sexual violence, governments and institutions continue to deny basic human rights to many lgbtq people here in Canada, south of the border and across the globe. These realities are not the result of fear, so why do we call it a phobia? Why are we choosing to frame outright bigotry in the language of mental health?

When do this, it feels as though the right kind of outrage just doesn’t materialize - And we should be outraged. These acts can not be put in the same category as fears which generally only affect those afflicted. We need to recognize that such targeted violence and discrimination is no phobia - it is prejudice and bigotry.

The use of phobia ignores the deliberate choice made by many who target those they have been taught to think are lesser than them. Unlike genuine phobias, discrimination based on sexual orientation or identity is very much voluntary and is not caused by any sort of pre-existing trauma. We are in essence letting people off the hook when we chalk it up to something we imagine they have little control over. Using the language of mental health also has the effect of lending legitimacy to that so-called fear and the actions that go with it. We do not use such timid language with racists. I mean, a racist doesn’t ‘suffer from racism’ - they are racist. Yet we seem look at perpetrators of discrimination based on sexual orientation or identities in a different light.

Is it a coincidence this same term is used to describe blatant racism towards Muslims? Islamophobia is another euphemism that has seemingly been applied to downplay just how hateful and hurtful these attitudes are.

Again, what happened at Pulse in Orlando was not an expression of fear - it was an expression of hatred. Hatred that is always learned through the actions and words of others. As with all bigots - it does not matter whether they learned it at home, at school, at a place of religious worship, or from the media - the point is they learned it. We are not born to hate like this.

What can we do? It seems automatic to express both outrage and solidarity in the wake of such targeted violence. What needs to come more naturally to many of us is the fierce objection to all forms of oppression. Whether it be jokes, exclusion, the denial of rights or outright violence, the expression of hatred and bigotry marginalizes people and damages all of society. So please, do not wait until another horrible example is provided - speak up each and every time you are able to challenge prejudice in any form. Let people learn from positive examples and stop hate in its tracks.

To my lgbtq comrades  - Stay Proud!

By Jessa McLean

[humanviewpoint]

Clean Water Denied

June 8, 2016

Water, water, everywhere - just not for our neighbours?

Most of us don’t have to think twice about our drinking water. When we do picture people living without access to clean drinking water, most of us would imagine far off places, in countries deemed part of the so-called Third World. We draw to mind the volunteers who raise money for wells in Africa for example. Yet the truth is that this most basic right also still eludes many First Nation communities here in Canada. According to Health Canada’s own website, there are “133 Drinking Water Advisories in effect in 89 First Nation communities across Canada, excluding British Columbia.” For such a wealthy nation with such an abundance of fresh water, these figures are beyond shameful.

Human Rights Watch, one of the oldest human rights organizations, has also recently brought Canada to task, by releasing a report which demonstrates the extent of the situation and acknowledges the harsh conditions our neighbours are living in because our government is not fulfilling their obligations to secure clean water for all of us.

In attempt to get the attention of the media, and to pressure the Ontario government into action, activists from Grassy Narrows marched on Queens Park. The Grassy Narrows community in particular has been dealing with waterways polluted with toxic mercury for years. The Provincial government has known about the contamination for over 40 years, yet little has been done to clean up the mess. Community members were initially told the river would clean itself - when it didn’t, the government refused to take responsibility. Now, not long after making an apology to the Indigenous peoples of Ontario for the horrors faced in residential schools, Premier Wynne is refusing to take the action needed to provide safe water to those same communities. By the time the prostates had arrived at Queens Parks, Premier Wynn had not even bothered to read the report (paid for by Ontario) on the issue. Like Harper and Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women, it just doesn’t seem to be on her radar. It doesn’t seem to be on ours yet either.

Fair too little attention has been afforded to this issue by our media. As a result, most of us are understandably ignorant to the situation, which leaves these relatively small communities to petition various levels of government on their own. But why has our media failed to bring this to light? They often relish in pointing out the inadequacies of government.

Do we all remember the response to the Walkerton water crisis? How authorities mobilized, launched investigations, and pressed charges when the water of a predominantly white community had been poisoned by incompetence and neglect. Where is this same sense of urgency for the people of Grassy Narrows and the 89 other communities under almost perpetual  boil water advisories? The double standard seen in our media goes hand in hand with the two-tiered sense of responsible our governments have demonstrated. The drinking water of off-reserve Canadians are protected by heavy regulations, while those living on reserve have nothing to ensure they are not being poisoned by one of life’s key essentials.

Let us not kid ourselves; this is colonialism continued.

No one can survive without water. For this reason alone, water must be considered one of the most basic human rights. And we as a collective are denying that right to countless First Nation families. These communities cannot wait any longer. The studies have been done - we have the capability to do what is right. We need our elected officials to immediately take concrete steps towards providing clean drinking water to all Canadians.

But, like all human rights issues, our governments will rarely act without the vocal support of a substantial amount of people. So, please -  call, tweet, write to your MPP (if you live in Ontario), and/or your federal MP and tell them the time for action is now. Share this with others - people need to know before they can act. 

Let us all say together that we will not allow our neighbours to be denied something so important, and something that is so abundant, especially here in Canada.

By: Jessa McLean

[humanviewpoint]

We need to Open our Minds and Our Borders to Migrants in Crisis

June 1, 2016

Our sympathies have not been enough. Our prayers have not been enough. And what our governments have done to help has not been enough.

In an attempt to jolt the world into action, a humanitarian group and various media sources have shared a tragic photograph of another child forever lost in their family’s attempt to seek a better life. This infant, not yet identified, was one of an estimated 1,000 plus people drowned trying to cross the Mediterranean just last week. These are just from the boats authorities and humanitarian groups were aware of. It is likely no one really knows how many people have paid the ultimate price trying to reach Europe during what many have labelled the Refugee Crisis. This most recent spike in deaths, along with the heartbreaking image of the young migrant, will surely generate another response from the global community. Perhaps it will look similar to what we saw after the photograph of Alan Kurdi went viral. But will it be enough to radically change how we respond to migrants in crisis?

Even after the general public were faced with the haunting images of Kurdi washed up on the shores of Europe, and spoke out in solidarity with the plight of Syrian refugees in particular, very little was done by our governments to address the situation. Canadian and European officials seem to want us to believe that they are doing everything possible within their means. However, when one considers the amount of refugees being hosted by Turkey, Pakistan and Lebanon, it becomes impossible to believe that the extremely affluent, 28 member state European Union has genuinely been overwhelmed by the relatively small number who have reached their borders so far. This influx of migrants is only a crisis because of how the most wealthy nations have responded to it. Nations seem willing to spend untold fortunes on fortifying border crossings and waging war, yet claim they do not have the resources necessary to resettle even a modest amount of refugees. We can not accept this narrative any longer.

Canada has done no better. The new government’s celebrated increase in refugee quotas still does not reflect our country’s capacity for immigration and humanitarian aid, or the population’s willingness to open their doors. Just look how communities across Canada responded to those feeling the fires in Alberta. There is no reason to believe that same level of compassion would not be extended to those fleeing other desperate situations. A May 2016 Amnesty International survey seemed to confirm this hospitable attitude, with 80% of respondents expressing very positive attitudes towards resettling refugees. Yet the Liberal government still refuses to do any more, citing a lack of resources. This is unacceptable. We need to do our part as a prosperous nation. We need to open our doors to migrants in crisis - now!

Our dedication to human rights should never be based on a cost benefit analysis, especially one that consistently frames immigrants as a drain on the economy.  This is especially troubling because it ignores the proven contributions immigrants have made to Canadian society and beyond. Even without acknowledging the positive potential each refugee holds, Canada, along with the EU members states, have legal obligations to accept those seeking asylum under the UN 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees. More importantly, we have a moral obligation not to ignore such obvious cries for help and to assist our fellow global citizens however possible.

Wanting to secure the most basic human rights for our own families has to be one of the most natural instincts we have. This is what pushes parents to spend all their savings to put their children in leaky boats headed into the unknown. Coming from a life of privilege here in Canada, it is impossible for me to imagine the conditions which cause so many to risk not only the dangerous Mediterranean crossing to which the world has repeatedly bared witness to, but the extensive land crossings that face migrants on both ends of their journeys. These are long, perilous journeys to which no one would subject themselves if there were better options available. Whether they are fleeing war, poverty, oppression or environmental disaster, our response to their situation should be the same, compassion and generosity.  

Of course there is immense value in understanding why people flee their homes, their countries and even their continent; however, knowing that humanity has always experienced large scale migration, and anticipating that we will likely see more of it, it seems prudent to establish more compassionate global and national policies to better handle these situations. The restrictive immigration policies of the worlds’ more affluent nations in large part force people to rely on human smugglers and to take more remote, dangerous routes. The appalling conditions of migrant detention centres and the painstakingly slow process of refugee resettlement also work to deter people from following legal immigration avenues. In this era of globalization, where endless resources go into the free movement of capital, information and natural resources, it is time we embraced the equally unrestricted movement of human beings. We all possess equal human value, and our nationalities should not determine whether we experience peace and security. The arbitrary borders that the world’s elite created (somewhat recently in our history) have worked to our collective detriment in so many ways, this most current loss of life is just the most recent example. If we fail to act as a global community - these latest deaths will have been in vain, and they will not be the last.

As individuals, and as a country, we need to start reimagining how we see our borders and those trying to cross them. Only when we embrace our global citizenship and start to view all migrants as potential neighbours will we be in a position to realize a world without borders, and thus, a world without refugees.

By: Jessa McLean