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Religion vs Open-Minds

My neighbour is the pastor of our community church and 2 months ago someone through a rock at his window. Perhaps that is because he was accepting LGBT members to our church which some people were against it.

- Anon

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A Surprise at Lunch

The summer after Trump was elected president of the US I spent the summer in my hometown. One day I decided to have lunch with my grandma and grandfather. We sat outside on the restaurant’s porch excited to have a lovely lunch together. However, we soon noticed that on a wall nearby, within our eyesight, there was a swastika graffiti-ied. This was especially jarring since my grandfather is Jewish and I grew up participating in many of the Jewish holidays. 

I had never felt feelings like I did when I saw that awful symbol. It hurt to see that something which represented so much hate had been painted on a wall in Canada. I truly had no idea that hate crime was a thing that happened in our country. It was shocking to see and it’s a moment I’ll never forget. From the expression on my grandfather’s face to the dread I felt, that summer day taught me that hate was still very prevalent in our society.

However, I hope that one day people who feel such hatred and who feel the need to participate in hate crime will see the error in their ways and open their minds. Maybe one day people will be slightly less horrible. 

- Anon

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We’d love to your hear and post your stories about hate crime and discrimination to keep the conversation on who is affect by hate crime and how often it happens. 

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North American Asian - Reader Submission

Born and raised in Toronto, Ontario as a “non-typical asian” is a summary of my entire life. Growing up, I was not seen as the basic asian… whatever that meant. I may not have experienced direct hate-crime, but I have definitely felt what it’s like to be on the receiving side of racism. 

According to the other kids on the playground, having big eyes and a darker skin tone meant I wasn’t asian. I was just “weird” or “different”. I was left out of a lot of things from the age of 4 to 12 because they didn’t know what I was.Trying to explain you’re Filipino to non-cultured kids at the age of 5-6 is a lot more difficult than one can think. Many of the other students never heard of Filipino, let alone the country the culture originates from, Philippines. Although, as I got older I got over it and ended up going to a more diverse school where there was a pool of students of different ethnic backgrounds. I didn’t feel like the odd one out anymore.

Then I got a job at a prestige country club, where I was surrounded by stereotypes, marginalizing and everything that would make one uneasy. Let me start by addressing a key fact that will help you better understand why this happens. There is a high percentage of asians, particularly Filipino women, who come to North America to work as caregivers. As a result, majority of these Filipino women work and live within the household of their employer and later hope to receive citizenship of the host country. There is nothing wrong with this, at all. Although, the high rate of Filipino women working as someone’s nanny, babysitter, or caregiver, builds a stereotype: “All Filipinos are nannies”. That is incorrect. Not all Filipinos are nannies. Now going back to my story, as I continue to work at this exclusive country club, a gentlemen walked past me and asked if I was looking for a babysitting job? (Even though I was wearing a uniform acquired by staff at the club).

 I couldn’t help, but wonder if he specifically asked me because of my appearance or identification as a Filipino? The next incident, I was finishing up my shift and a different member asked me if I was picking up someone else’s child? (Often caregivers are allowed to accompany a child into the club to their registered activities). The answer was no. No I wasn’t here to babysit. It’s as if because I was Filipino, it wasn’t normal to be actually working at the club instead of for someone who is a member at the club. These actions made me feel uncomfortable in my own skin, where I would look at myself with disappointment because I was Filipino. From that point on, I struggled to accept I was Filipino because the stereotypes were on-going, I didn’t want people to assume I was someone else’s caregiver - I just wanted to be seen as me. Someone who is striving to be much more than what society perceives her to be.

- Anonymous 

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Cruel 7 - Reader Submission

I may not have experienced “hate-crime” or “hate-speech” as much as other ethnicities have being a caucasian female in North America. But there is a story I feel is important I share. As a child, we are naive to our surroundings and pretty much anything seen as “negative” from an adults perspective. In preschool, my best friend’s name was Khalia, and she was the perfect best friend anyone could have asked for at 7 years-old. 

One day after school, her parents were late picking her up so my mom and I stayed behind so she wasn’t alone. With us was another male caucasian student (I think it is important I address his background), his parents were approaching him at the front of the school where we were all standing. His mother seemed to be approaching us quickly with such terror in her eyes, then grabs the boy’s hand yelling at him as they walk away saying, “YOU DON’T HANG OUT WITH BLACKS. THEY’RE BAD PEOPLE!”  I turned to Khalia, and she just put her head down pretending as if she never heard what that mother said.

I was 7 years-old! In that moment, I realized how cruel people can be. I quickly hugged Khalia and told her how perfect she was and that she’s the bestest friend anyone could have ever asked for. Moments later, her mom arrived and my mom and I offered to take us all out for ice cream to cheer Khalia up, while my mom spoke to her about the incident. I will never forget this moment because even though that hate-speech was not directed to me, I felt it just as much as Khalia did. It was cruel and unfair to say such a thing to a young preschooler. I feel that not only kids should be educated of hate crimes, but so should adults. More love, less hate.

- Anonymous 

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To help stop the spread of hate in Canada visit AntiHate.ca

Or, follow them on their Twitter and Facebook for news on how to stop hate and how to spot hate groups. 

[darkchrystal]

I got sent downtown for a job and ran into the Pride Parade goers. It's a shame I have to work the next few days straight otherwise I'd be painted to match a rainbow. #endh8

[szebastianonne]

When will we begin accepting the OBVIOUS & stop hating for reasons that are RIDICULOUS? #EqualLove #HumanRights #ILoveYou - #regrann #EqualLove #LoveIsLove #Fitness #Family #Love #LoveAlwaysWins #LoveIsEnough #NOH8 #ENDH8 (at Docklands, Victoria)