This is my open letter to the times colonist regarding this racist cartoon that they published on the 10th. I also sent a version directly to the editors and I encourage you all to speak up on this issue as well. I’m writing in regards to a disturbing “Raeside’s View” cartoon published on december 10th. The cartoon is a commentary on acknowledgements of unceded territory in solidarity with indigenous peoples and presents a condescending view that reeks of white supremacy and implicitly outlines the Songhees and Esquimalt First Nations as obtrusive and worthy of dismissal. Until recently, settler culture on the west coast was comfortable with the idea that victoria was a legitimate settlement. Now our own illegitimate municipality recognizes its own illegitimacy to some degree. Expressing that victoria was built on unceded ground is an important step in being honest about an unfathomably traumatic period of colonisation that we are still within. The cartoon unquestionably undermines that process of acknowledgement. Further more, the times colonist twitter account is defending the cartoon by making vague statements about how readers should re-examine it, saying insensitive to whom? Finally the account offered (what is it, an official endorsement?) the official read of the cartoon: Politically motivated apologies are getting fainter and more meaningless. Even your own description in defence of the joke underlines the white supremacist angle. The slippery slope argument that states something to the effect of its only a matter of time before we are apologising for meaningless things combined with the unceded territory acknowledgement literally pinpoints that issue as the initial stage of faint and meaningless apologies. Whoever writes these twitter posts is as ignorant as the cartoonist. The difference is the cartoonist does not represent the editing body of the times colonist. You are allowing your publication not only to DO racist things, but to defend racist things. I am already disappointed. I do not require more excuses or explanations. If you cannot understand me then I and others will strive to continue to explain your defence of racism and colonialism to your readership and your advertisers in ever more concise and direct ways. You only have room to let us know that you will reprimand the cartoonist and employee responsible, issue a public apology and promise to vet further content for racism, erasure and white supremacy. Anything less at this point would not surprise me. Most canadian news outlets promote racism and indigenous erasure. Dig your heads out of your asses and do something about this. Be accountable human beings.
Posted on: Thu, 11 Dec 2014 18:28:04 +0000
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