It was quite unsettling to see a swastika superimposed on the Canadian flag at the demonstration against the Supreme Court's ruling on Bill 104. It happened when a small group of Quebec language ultra-extremists vented their rage in front of the Old Montreal office of Brent Tyler, who successfully challenged the law on behalf of clients.
While there is nothing wrong with exercising one's democratic right to protest, I am amazed at the mindset of these extremists who harbour so much hate.
For the vast majority of Quebeckers, both for and against sovereignty, hate doesn't really enter into the equation. Anglos who remain in Quebec have made peace with the fact that almost half of Francophones would prefer independence. That being said, Anglos don't hate Francophones who share that opinion and by and large the vast majority of Francophones don't hate Anglos at all.
In fact most of us count numerous friends on the other side of the equation, it's the way it is in Quebec.
Most of those who voted for sovereignty don't hate Canada, they just feel that culturally Quebec should become independent to protect it's heritage and future as a Francophone society.
Fair enough.
They recognize, however that they enjoy personal and political rights that are the envy of the world, coupled with one of the highest standards of living.
However, there is a small coterie of language extremists who can best be described as unbalanced.
They equate the struggle of Quebec independence as a heroic battle of oppressor and victim. Breathlessly they re-live the Battle of the Plains of Abraham on a daily basis and view their perseverance of 250 years of Anglo domination as a heroic struggle of epic proportion.
They view themselves as embattled Palestinians, victims of a powerful and overwhelming enemy. In fact, at most demonstrations, they fly the Palestinian flag (sometimes even the Hezbollah flag.)
Here's a collection of hate, culled from various web sites.
These people live in a dangerous fantasy world. Not only do they hate Anglos, but also those Francophones who don't agree with them.
They rant and rave, using words that confound the imagination;
COLONIZATION
HUMILIATION
CULTURAL GENOCIDE
OPPRESSION
RESISTANCE
FREEDOM
Perhaps Louis Prefontaine, a next generation Anglo-basher sums up their attitude;
"Anglophones and Francophones do not share historical equality. The French carry the weight of 250 years of domination and decline, while Anglophones in Quebec, behave like a small Rhodesian minority, imposing their values and language."
The next deluded fool who says that, as an anglophone, I live in Rhodesian splendor, lording it over the Quebecois underclass, should visit my basement apartment some time. The beer and reality check are on me.
ReplyDeleteIn fact, most anglos have never been on top of the hierarchy.
As a Franco-American from New England (born/bred/continuing francophone) this is both distressing and disturbing. I love both my languages!
ReplyDeleteMy sympathies with you folks, who pay high taxes into such a bigoted system. As Canadians, aren't you entitled to services and commerce in English, too? In New York City, every service and convenience you can imagine is available in Spanish, Chinese, etc., yet the shared language of commerce- English- is not under any "threat."
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
ReplyDeleteFUCK U MOTHERFUCKER
Since Confederation in 1867 Quebec has always had a Francophone ruler. Francophones have always controlled the government in Quebec. So how were they "oppressed"?
ReplyDeleteI say let these franco extremists and wingnuts in quebec seperate. we take back our federal institutions, end the farce of bilingualism and let this welfare province of bigots go. anglos are tired of subsidizing quebec. be sure to pay the toll at the bridge in canadian currency, its not like quebec dollars will have any value
ReplyDeleteLike any far right movement, notice how they create lies to pump themselves up for an excuse to be violent? They always want to blame a minority to create a punching bag for all their frustrations. They even believe their own lies and revisionist history. These people, like Neo-Nazis, tend to be uneducated and poor. BTW, we don't have Neo-Nazi groups, we have these extremist separatist people instead, but preaching the same hate.
ReplyDeleteI was stuck growing up alongside some of these mental cases, and my francophone 'friends', like people in other fascist environments, would stay quiet, wussing out on fighting back, making me wonder if they even were passive foes, rather than colleagues I could trust.
As you may guess, in many ways, it's hard living in Quebec. At a glance, it looks like everyone gets along, despite the political uncertainty. However, look closer, and you see a natural divide forms between French and English. The French reject all those 'not French enough', like me, although I'm fully bilingual.
I just wish this separatist problem could go away. Two referendums was more than enough to prove the idea isn't popular enough, why go on and on? Can't they accept defeat and move on? How many more referendums will it take?! Why be so mean, cold, and irrational about nationalism??????