Both authors
Yawching (2013) and O`Connell (2010) suggest that multiculturalism does not
mean antiracism. In her article Donna Yawching suggests that multiculturalism
is a mere politically correct concept (no more, no less); and once the anonymity and no-witness
situation suffice, it can quickly transform into racialization and racist
commentary (as we read her description of the encounter at the parking lot and as we read many comments online in different social media). Even though I
do agree with Yawching (2013) to a good extent, I still think that Toronto Star
follows the `binary media protocol`. The picture for that article showing
residents of Quebec (supporters of the
controversial Quebec values charter) does not correlate with the incident at the parking lot in Toronto;
there is nothing further in the article mentioning if the values charter was
amended or not. Again, brushing most of Quebec residents as “the current flag-bearer for such sentiments” might not
depict the true situation.
The
article by O`Connell (2010) was a very useful read; particularly, for the insights
provided on differences in urban and rural settings in the issues of
multiculturalism and racism. The author used expressions of rural whiteness to show that they are part of the structure
called “multiculturalism as a contemporary form of white liberal tolerance” (p.537). Comparing racialization in rural and urban
settings provides us with a wider picture of new racisms and tolerance that
does not necessarily equal anti-racism.
I am both hands for
the proposed constructive dialogue about race, multiculturalism, anti-racism;
this idea resonates with the previous authors we read (Bonilla-Silva, 2015; Song,
2014; Paul, 2014), who talked about the importance of facing the new racisms
that continue to exist in a post-racial Canada.
My question is: Is
multiculturalism a necessary step towards anti-racism or does it actually take
us further away by creating color-blindness?
Yawching, D.
(2013). The silent racism of post-racial Canada: Canada`s multicultural
rhetoric is skin-deep illusion. Toronto Star, Oct. 27, 2013. Retrieved from: http://www.thestar.com/opinion/commentary/2013/10/27/the_silent_racism_of_post_racial_canada.html
O`Connell, A.
(2010). An exporation of redneck whiteness in multicultural Canada. Social Poitics,
17(4), 536-563.
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