"We are the OQLF.
We are the OQLF!...Resistance is Futile!
Lower your defenses and surrender your language.
We will add your historical and fraternal distinctiveness to our own. Your culture will adapt to service us.
Resistance is futile."
I must say I was not a bit surprised at the uproar caused by the l'Acualité poll on Anglophone attitudes towards French. (see Monday's post)
The underlying reaction by the Francophone authors of the article and by French language militants reacting to it, is outright shock and rage that Anglophones have no desire to be assimilated into the great Francophone majority of Quebec.
What's worse, Anglos aren't ashamed of that fact and when asked, they unabashedly admit that they wish to see their culture flourish and expand in Quebec!
HERESY!! OFF WITH THEIR HEADS!
All this rage by militants belies a hypocritical attitude whereby they believe that resistance to assimilation is the highest form of social responsibility when it pertains to French in Quebec and across Canada, but racist anti-socialism when it pertains to Anglos in Quebec.
Every single French language militant has no problem with this apparent contradiction, that assimilation of Anglos and Ethnics into Franco-Quebec cultural is considered natural and laudable, while assimilation of Francophones into the prevailing English culture in other provinces is cultural genocide.
The fact that the English in Quebec don't want to become Francophones and that they don't want to join in the great Francophone culture comes as some kind of a shock to French language militants, who hoped that by now, the pressure of Bill 101 would have convinced them to leave or capitulate.
Obviously it hasn't happened and so the Pierre Curzis and friends are demanding that the pressure on the English be ramped up, in order to find a 'final solution' to the English in Quebec.
So much harsh reaction to what Anglophones think, Why?
Since when do the French language militants give a hoot as to what we Anglophone's think?
It's understandable that idiots like Louis Prefontaine rant and rave over a silly poll as if it was some type of a declaration of war, it's what he lives for.
I take a measure of joy in his pain, the image of him sitting at his desk, making uncontrollable little dog whimpers of frustration with spittle running down his chin, as he bangs furiously on his keyboard getting out the invective rage as fast as he could is almost too sweet to imagine!
"HOW DARE THEY, THOSE RACIST ANGLOS!!!!!!!! "
PQ members of the National Assembly, Yves-François Blanchet and Nicole Léger told reporters that they didn't need a survey to see that English is taking over Montreal, despite admitting they had no statistical proof Link{Fr}
To see mainstream politicians reacting to the poll and demanding action because Anglos hold certain opinions speaks to the outright paranoia that permeates the Francophone psyche which is utterly offended that Anglophones reject their vision of Quebec, a place where everybody speaks French in public and where minority languages are restricted to the home.
And so for language militants, the project of one province/one language was thought to be a done deal, where even those opposed have dutifully fled or submitted.
The poll, if anything, serves as a wakeup call that Anglos have never accepted this principle and never will. Nor are they prepared to run away anymore.
Perhaps this is the shock.
Oh those dreadful and ungrateful anglos, imagine the effrontery, caring about their own community more than that of the francophone majority!
Is it so hard to fathom that Anglos believe that Montreal is better for being English?
Is it so incomprehensible that Anglos have no interest in supporting laws that restrict their rights?
Is it difficult to understand that Anglos have a separate culture and society that doesn't include Marie-Mai, Ginette Reno, or other second or third rate talents?
Is it so hard to understand that unlike French language militants, Anglos value their Canadian identity first and feel no compunction at all to conform to Quebec nationalistic ideals, even though they live in Quebec?
And no, Anglos do not accept admonitions such as...."Love it or Leave it!"
And no, as well, Anglos are unashamed and unbowed.
Some say that we have reached some sort of linguistic peace in Quebec.
I see it more as a linguistic stalemate wherein both parties, the English and French are dissatisfied with the status quo, but not so much so that they are willing to risk social upheaval.
Something like the Mutually Assured Destruction doctrine (MAD) of the Cold war.
If the government gives into French language militants and raises the level of oppression, it's hard to predict where all this may end.
In the meantime the hysteria ramps up higher and higher.
A couple of articles in the French language newspapers are all too typical of the sordid and shameful witch hunt against English that is now going on in the province, a situation that would be laughable if not so utterly sad.
In a small town where you'd be hard pressed to find one Anglophone resident, the Chambly Journal, took the time to launch its very own local investigation against the incursion of the dreaded English with the fervor of a HazMat team fighting to contain a virulent contagion.
"Restaurant Bouchard de Richelieu displayed on its outdoor sign "4 to 7 Happy Hour", while a fitness center, 'Proform' displays "Beat the Clock" on its sign in an attempt to recruit new members.
A reader found this most regrettable that they were unable to find a permanent translation...
In order to respect the French language the bar Éclusier needs to replace the term "bar lounge " with 'bar-salon' and the word "vinotherapy"with 'vinotherapie.'
We also found that fortune cookies in a Chinese Buffet are mostly in English packaging. It is difficult to see the text in French. For some time the messages within the cookie were in English and Chinese.... Recently, the small citations returned to French and English
"We also found that at a Sushi shop in Chambly, it can be difficult to make oneself understood in French. A lady who asked if they still had vegetable juice, received neither a response nor a vegetable juice. New employees speak French, but when an employee served our reporter the wrong order of sushi, she chose to explain the situation in English rather than French.
And that's not forgetting that when one paid by debit card, the terminal displayed instructions in English.
Another citizen chastised Tourism Montérégie because documentation was produced in both languages. To the extent that it is tourist documents aimed at attracting new visitors to the area which are widely disseminated, the team chose to include both languages in the brochure....
...You can fill out an online complaint form by visiting the website of l'Office québécois de la langue française (www.oqlf.gouv.qc.ca).
Between 1 April 2010 and March 31, 2011, 3661 complaints were filed with the Board. In Montérégie, 35 complaints were recorded.
In 73% of cases, the situation has been corrected or the complaint was unfounded, while two cases were referred to the Director of Criminal and Penal Prosecutions. The majority of complaints were in connection with sales literature (website, invoices, job applications) or public commercial displays.
Did we miss a display in English or you want to report a situation where French is not emphasized?
Write us or send us a photo. Link{Fr}I particularly like the last part where the newspaper invites readers to participate in its witch hunt.
Another newspaper, this time in La Voix in Sorel complains that too many stores have English names in the local mall.
" 'It's scandalous', according to a retired professor from Sorel-Tracy, Jean Rajotte: "Our mall has existed for several years. How is it that owners and managers of the centre ignored the law concerning French in the name of the businesses. Why not add a descriptor in French? " Link{Fr}Of course, his contention that there is something in the law to that effect is false, something that the OQLF has been trying to convince us that is true, nonetheless.
At any rate, you'd think the writer and the good professor would have better things to be concerned with.
The mall that they are referring to is a disaster, with over forty empty locations, an economic albatross to the owners and a disgrace to the city of Sorel, English names notwithstanding.
But this is Quebec, language tops everything.
