I lived the first 12 years of my life in Montreal, Quebec, a city known for multiculturalism. In public school, I was friends with black people, Jewish people, Italian people, Muslim people, and white people, among others. Although you can chalk it up to being a kid, I never cared about the background of my classmates or anyone around me.
My family moved to suburban Kingston, Ontario in 1997, and the difference was undeniable. Everyone was white. Not only that, but racist jokes were rampant. In my time in Kingston, I've heard jokes about most ethnic backgrounds you can think of, and most of the time, they're not clever. I had to quickly get used to this, because when I first heard these jokes, I was speechless. I would have NEVER heard these types of jokes in Montreal, but in Kingston, I heard them spewed freely. Here's an example of how ridiculous it can get:
Last time I was in Kingston, I was leaving a restaurant with my friends, and this guy we went to high school with thought it was completely acceptable to try to get our attention by yelling, "Hey n*gg*rs!" I was floored. I whipped my head around to see if there was a black person jumping out of his seat to introduce his fist to this young man's skull. Of course, it was Kingston, so there was nobody of ethnic decent anywhere in the restaurant. I though to myself, "This guy needs to get out of Whiteville, Ontario for a day to understand the way the world works."
It's pretty apparent that racism and prejudice still widely exists across North America. The movie "Crash" is a hauntingly accurate portrayal of everyday stereotypes that people hold. When I began college in Toronto two years ago, the multiculturalism was a breath of fresh air. I loved being in a city that reflected the real world, not a pocket of society I was exposed to in Kingston. I would be lying if I said I don't think certain people look at me differently because the colour of my skin. It's undeniable that there is hostility bubbling beneath the surface, and sometimes, it makes its way to the surface.
I've thought for several years now that one giant leap towards ending racism would be for a white U.S. president to stand up and apologize for the atrocities that existed during slavery. But that hasn't happened. This is why when my friend made me watch Barack Obama's "A more perfect union" speech, I was floored. Finally, a presidential candidate has the guts to stand up and say, "There is racial tension in our country, let's not deny it. Let's acknowledge it and make strides to rectify it."
I am not in denial, nor do I have unrealistic expectations. I don't think that one man, no matter how charismatic or intelligent Obama may be, can end such a long history of racial tension. What I do have is an unwavering belief in people. I think that should Obama be elected and one of his main goals be bridging the gap between different ethnicities, we can all begin to move forward. We must never forget, but we must attempt to move forward, together. The best scenario in my mind, would be for Obama to be elected and consciously help this issue, and Hillary Clinton be his vice-president and concentrate on the atrocious American health care system and other issues affecting families. And the fact is, much of the time, our Canadian prime minister follows in the American president's footsteps, which should Obama be elected, I wouldn't have a problem with. But one step at a time.
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