"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!
