Like most Canadians, I’ve been shocked by the terrible events taking place in the United States over the past several days. The picture of a white police officer kneeling on a dying George Floyd’s neck while other officers stand idly by was horrifying. His death was avoidable, the outrage understandable, the violence predictable. Clearly, Martin Luther King’s dream for many Black Americans has not been realized, and now, more than ever, they are living in a nightmare.
In Canada we have no room to be smug or complacent. Discrimination knows no borders. Too many of our citizens are still judged by their skin colour, gender, religion, or culture rather than the content of their character. We are still trying to right the historical wrongs visited upon our Indigenous, Black and Asian ancestors. We’ve made some progress, but much work remains.
The pandemic has given us the opportunity to pause and look critically at our society. People of colour, the elderly, the poor and disenfranchised, are falling ill and dying in numbers disproportionate to their population. Clearly, something is amiss. Further evidence, as if more is needed, that fighting discrimination of any kind is everyone’s responsibility.
Our moral obligation is clear. We encourage all Islanders to look critically at how we think about and behave toward our fellow citizens and students who are experiencing racism and other forms of discrimination. If, individually, we change how we think and act, collectively we’ll create a more equal, peaceful and healthy community.
If you are experiencing distress or need support as a result of these recent events, please contact our counseling services team at counselling@hollandcollege.com.
Sandy
