"The term Quebec bashing is used in the French-language media to refer to what is perceived and depicted by Quebec nationalists as defamatory anti-Quebec coverage, in the English-language media,"There is no equivalent entry or term related to Anglo-Bashing, but there should be, along with Ottawa-bashing, which seems to be a national sport here in Quebec.
According to Wikipedia:
"Bashing is a harsh, gratuitous, prejudicial attack on a person, group or subject."
During the Vancouver Olympics, Pauline Marois branded several letters to the editor, printed in various English newspapers as "Quebec-Bashing."
The said letters were in reaction to Quebec media whining that there was not enough French at the Olympics.
So which is worse, Quebec-Bashing or Anglo-Bashing???
I recently watched a taped lecture by reknowned Anglo-basher Patrick Bourgeois who gave a rather unimpressive and long-winded discourse on Quebec-Bashing. He brought up a few examples, some dating back to the stone age, which indicates to me that there isn't that much material out there. He read an infamous passage from Mordechai Richler's book Oh Canada! Oh Quebec! where Richler made a reference that Quebec francophone women were treated as "sows," (for the high birthrate, demanded by the Catholic Church,) probably the most famous example of Quebec-bashing quoted by language nationalists.
As for Anglo-bashing, it's hard to go through a day without reading Anglos described as 'colonizers', 'humiliators', 'exploiters', 'racists' and purveyors of 'cultural genocide.' Most of this Anglo bashing is in the camp of the Anglo-hating clan of militant sovereignists, but sometimes it gets into the mainstream media.
Usually these idiotic generalizations make me laugh. It's hard to imagine a drunken, homeless bum on a Toronto street as a colonizer or an exploiter.
One particular case of Anglo-bashing that I saw on TV was particularly distasteful because it happened on a mainstream show on the RDS sports network. (TSN in French)
The commentators were furious that the Montreal Canadiens had brought up unilingual Anglo coach Don Lever, from the minors to help out the team.
The discussion was nasty and the sneering way that he was referred to, left me cold. They even made fun of his name and compared it to soap. When I wrote to the management of RDS, I got absolutely no reply. I firmly believe that these public attacks on him as a unilingual Anglophone led to his eventual dismissal after years of loyal service. Read my post and see the video here.
There's little doubt that Anglo-Bashing is far worse than any sort of Quebec-Bashing.
That being said, it's all strictly minor league. If you want to witness professional bashing, just look south of the border where Americans are the kings of the vicious attack.
Not even the most ardent separatist can work up the rage that the anti-abortionist, the gun lobby and various other militant groups display.
Egged on by by cheer-leading talk radio, Americans make full use of the term 'freedom of speech' to say the most outrageous and cruel things about their opponents.
Here is an example of the very worst Franco/Quebec-bashing I have ever seen.
It comes from American Conan O'Brien, ex-late-night star, whose character, "Triumph, the Insult Dog" is legend.
You need a strong stomach to watch!
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| CLICK to view video at YouTube |
I promise you, it's nasty!
To a large extent Francophones are projectionists. With their complaints about 'Quebec bashing' they are really projecting their desire to do some 'Canada bashing'.
ReplyDeleteEt on en dirait autant de votre part!
DeleteJ'ai commencé à écouter le vidéo de Patrick Bourgeois que tu as linké.
ReplyDeleteÇa parle du parti orangiste (wtf), de Patrick Bourgeois (dans ma tête à moi, Patrick Bourgeois, c'est le nom du chanteur du groupe quétaine les BB, pas un "french zealot"). Well, un groupe d'extrêmiste on dirait.
J'ai pas l'impression de voir de English-Bashing dans mon ma vie.
J'ai pas le feeling de voir du BASHING régulièrement dans ma vie. Ça arrive desfois d'avoir des discussions, de refuser ou d'accepter certaines choses, mais pas du bashing.
Je pense que c'est un mot politique pour pouvoir diviser les gens en deux clans qui anyway ne changeront probablement pas d'idée.
(Le détour de Triumph à Québec, c'était vraiment drole!)
Which bashing is more acceptable? Are you joking? And to say that a comedian's skit is the worst seems weird.
ReplyDeleteSomeone should write about Anglo-Bashing and Ottawa-Bashing on Wikipedia too. So many Quebecois hate Ottawa but they don't stop holding out their hands for more money from the feds.
ReplyDeleteAs far as Triumph The Insult Dog is concerned, he is called an "insult dog" after all. That is his act. Quebec francophones think it is okay to mock many other groups but they always have a fit when anyone insults them. And Conan O'Brien apologized, which really wasn't necessary. I wonder how Americans feel when their national anthem is booed during hockey games in Montreal? Have there ever been any apologies made for this?... No.
Either way, this all leads extremeists to act - et c'est triste pour nous tous. Le déclin tranquille du Québec continuera sans la reconnaissance que ce sont les Francosupremacists propagating hatred of Anglophones. Ceci est la raison pour laquelle j'ai perdu mon poste à la CDPQ - ethnic cleansing from the Govt. workplace.
ReplyDeleteTriumph c'est clairement du bashing, mais c'est ça le show aussi. Le concept du personnage tourne autour de ça (le meilleur est quand il est allé rire des geek qui attendaient devant le cinéma pour aller voir Star Wars).
ReplyDeleteC'est comme un troll internet avoué. Une fois qu'il l'a dit, t'as deux choix: Tu l'ignores parce que c'est vraiment trop con ou tu te laisses divertir et tu sais que c'est vraiment con.
Oui, il y a des gens qui ont ri des blagues de mauvais gout de Triumph, mais ça ne veut pas dire nécessairement qu'ils sont d'accord. Une réplique bien placé demeure une réplique bien placé à mon avis.
MAIS, je comprends pourquoi des gens ont été offusqué aussi, ceux pour qui la langue française est intouchable. Ceux, ce sont presque des trolls d'internet ;)
Quebecers use the term when any criticism is levelled their way. The term has never really had any legitimacy because frankly, on the issues that Quebec is 'bashed' for, it fully deserves it, and then some. But they use it the way over zealous Zionists scream anti-Semite at every opportunity to squash any criticism of Israel.
ReplyDeleteThey use the term Rhodesians in the same manner. All of which make me want to bash Quebec into a pulp...verbally of course.
I don't think you only mean it verbaly. Your hate is just disgusting!
DeleteI was the one who posted that link of Conan O'Brien's skit on the Gazette comments page, looks like you found it. :)
ReplyDeleteYou think that's offensive? Have you seen the French "Bye Bye" series and its attack on English and ethnics?
"There's little doubt that Anglo-Bashing is far worse than any sort of Quebec-Bashing."
ReplyDeleteWha?... Have you been on the web forums of Macleans or the National Post on any article dealing with Quebec lately? The streams of Quebec-bashing are astonishing.
This is just like saying what is worse: a punch in the face or a knock out in the testicles?
ReplyDeleteThe testicles are worse.
ReplyDeleteok that is just stupid ... men i mean i lived in quebec for 3 years and i had never seen canada bashing... not that im for them too but i can understand them
ReplyDeleteNeither type of so called 'bashing' is good [for Canada]. That said, in my experience Anglos bashing is far more prevelent, and is actually socially acceptable among the Quebecois, after being exposed to decades of separatist dogma and indoctrinization. The enemy is clearly defined in Quebec. This is clear to everyone but the Quebecois themselves who will forever deny any wrong doings. Face it folks, the clock is ticking on Canadian unity. The rest of Canada is waking up to the loud and clear disdain for all things Anglos that pours out of Quebec. I predict we will see more and more backlash from Canada as Canadians realize how much the Quebecois hate Canada and Anglo culture. The Quebecois don't hide their hatred, and neither will Canadians. Everyone in this country hangs in limbo waiting for that one contentious issue to explode our country apart. That day will soon come and only a fool would deny it. The ties that bond us are too weak to hold for long, and too much hatred now exists on both sides.
ReplyDeleteje ne déteste pas le Canada, je l'ignore c'est tout,... parcontre les Canadiens aiment nous détester car ils ont rien autre à faire CQFD
DeleteBy definition, Quebec-bashing is a publicly assumed opinion by media and public officials that openly demonizes anything remotely Quebecish as a reaction to Quebec's desire for political and cultural affirmation. It is hate speech pure and simple. And yet, again and again, anglo-canadian media simply get away unscathed with any type of denigration of an entire culture (ethnic group, race, region) simply because that group has a long-standing and constant difference of opinion regarding its place within a federally and militarily imposed foreign constitution. (Check your history books).
ReplyDeleteIn essence, Quebec-bashing is an irrational attempt to discredit any organized attempts for democratically elected members of Quebec society to solve problems that they perceive as essential to the advancement of their society. The debate is ongoing, and there is no bloodshed.
Since the conquest of Canada by the British, colonial and subsequent federal and provincial GOVERNMENTS (ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES OF THE PEOPLE or the QUEEN) of all denominations have actively and purposefully voted laws that relinquish, de-possess, and reduce the rights of the french-speaking population over the centuries. These publicly endorsed acts have been recorded by minutes and stored in GOVERNMENT ARCHIVES in all provinces, as well as the governments in Ottawa and Westminster Hall in London. More than enough historic proof of racial vilification against the french-speaking population also exists in the Public Archives of Canada.
Things have changed over the years, but the "free-speaking" canadianiac MEDIA still does not have the right to slander an entire culture (a fashionable word-replacment for race). Denying this culture's existence is the most insolent form of ethnic superiority, akin to holocaust-denial.
Change the word Quebecker for Nigger, Wop, Hymie, Chinko, Fag, Dyke, or Hooto/Tootsi and you've got a clear case of hate speech. Why would it be different for Quebeckers ? 'Cause we canadians all sub-conciously think it to be true ? Who would complain when we pick on the french, right ?
What individual canadians think of Quebec is their own private business and related to personal opinion or experience. It just should not take place in the public arena as complacently as it has so often in english-language media over the years. Why ? Because we canadians have a God complex and Quebec-Bashing in the media is its unfortunate socially-accepted ugly expression. It simply sells more copy to the angry mob.
Bleeechkkkk.
I salute your honesty sir! Hate speech fuels a viscous circle that leads nowhere good.
DeleteThis is just a lost of time while Franco and Anglo are bickering the establishment vote some funny law example in the G-20 in Ontario.
ReplyDeleteAll that French and English little war is crap teach both language and make this country bilingual like some European country like Switzerland , Belgium , Morocco, and ton's of other place.
The real deal that affect our life if those secret meeting G-20 the world trade organization secret law to give more power to police without public consent this is a real debate not mention by main stream media because it doesn't sell paper!!!
I am a Francophone Quebecois and watching that stupid clip made my blood boil! I, like many Francophones, react very poorly to any critique of Quebec from the outside. This was only a comedy sketch done if poor taste and really it should be viewed as they say "with a grain of salt".stly,
ReplyDeleteAs mentioned Quebecers react poorly to critique from non-Quebecers, or more accurately from non Francophones. We in Quebec, I do not know about the rest of Canada, need to mature a little
It's funny how one of the main theme of Quebec-Bashing is described as followed in your wikipedia article : "One of the themes of criticism of Quebec is the attribution to Québécois of racism and of discrimination against Anglo-Quebecers, (including the Jewish community), aboriginals and other minorities. The expression "pure laine" ("pure wool"), used to denote Quebecers of French descent, has often been cited as a manifestation of discriminatory attitudes. It has been portrayed as a common contemporary way of seeing race in Quebec, while counter-critics deem the term obsolete."
ReplyDeleteHello "no dogs"
ReplyDeleteYou've got a clever name for you blog. :) It reminds me of these racist rules for public access to beaches in Ontario in the 1930's, equating dogs to Jewish and black people
If you're into defending minorities in Canada, you might want to take a look at this http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?Params=A1ARTA0006458&PgNm=TCE
Victimization does not help anyone, francophone or anglophone. We should all try to filter out any feelings-based discussion and stick to cold, hard *documented* evidence and you'll see that a lot of this "bashing" thing melts like neige au soleil.
As far as I'm concerned, Anglo bashing is nonexistent in contemporary Quebec main stream media. Patrick Bourgeois is a fringe element, who is making a lot of noise to get as much media as he can. So anyone quoting him in an argument shows how little they know about Quebec.
But in Canada's mainstream media, Quebec bashing is very real. A notorious example is the infamous Jan Wong's 2006 paper written after the Dawson college shooting. The Prime Minister of Canada denounced it as "[...] patently absurd and without foundation" and "the House of Commons unanimously passed a motion requesting an apology for the column". (wikipedia)
We should not make false equivalencies, right?