Think about your words before you say them.
One of the biggest reasons why racism is alive and well in our society in 2019, is because many Canadians don’t before they open their mouths.
You might be reading this right now, telling yourself you don’t contribute to racism – you treat everyone equally, regardless of what you see on the surface.
Even though you may stay away from engaging in disparaging conversation, you don’t associate with racists or you may even defend people of minorities when they come under attack. Despite all of this, you may still be a part of the silent problem.
For a Lethbridge resident who told his story under the request to remain anonymous, subtle racism is something he encounters every time he goes to work as a server at a local restaurant.
Though originally from Columbia, he is as Canadian as any of us are today. He has perfect English, is well-spoken and has no distinguishable accent.
Yet, the difference in treatment that he receives compared to any of his white co-workers is astounding.
When making conversation with a table during the evening, topics can range from the weather, to politics and everything in-between. The most common question, by far, is “Are you in Lethbridge for school?”
For this server, the range of questions he faces are completely different.
“This item on the menu… is it spicy? But your level of spicy is probably different than mine, because in your country you probably eat it all the time.”
This question is not only ignorant because it is quite obviously racist, but also because Columbian food is not spicy by nature, anyway.
The most common one, “How come your English is so good?” is one he said he gets nearly every shift.
He said his response is always to reply politely by stating the number of years he’s been in Canada, then volleying back the same question.
“It’s great to watch their skin change a bit in colour as they backpedal, or struggle to spit out an answer through their nervous smile,” he said.
A response like this is usually enough to get people to think twice about what they’re asking, but many minorities put up with these issues without saying a thing.
These subtle acts lead to more noticeable actions, such as warily looking at a person of colour when walking late at night or following a minority around a retail store. Both of these actions happen to him all the time.
He adds he doesn’t think this behaviour is necessarily the fault of the person behaving this way. He attributes it to a generational trait, gone uncorrected or not updated throughout a family lineage.
No matter the reason, the lack of awareness allows the perpetrators of racism to continue to go about their life thinking they’re doing nothing wrong.
If your questions are truly born out of curiosity, there’s nothing wrong with it. Many people would love to talk about their culture and help you understand a little more about their life.
However, choosing the right forum to pose your question is paramount. At a dinner table, talking to a person that is serving you, is not the place.
In a multiculturally diverse place like southern Alberta, there are already enough senseless acts of racism each day that are brash, ignorant and wrong.
Taking two seconds before you open your mouth can be the difference between allowing racism to subtly continue, or helping to eradicate this long-standing issue.