Unchangeable
Supposedly, Obasan led to a cultural change. It asked hard questions, such as “what makes an individual Canadian?” and talked about difficult themes, like ‘”identity and belonging.”
(Political Sciences, anyone?)
Kogawa’s historical fiction made citizens realize the damaging effects discrimination had, particularly when the above-mentioned segregation occurred at an institutional level in which the government sanctioned it.
The ripples the novel caused eventually triggered a new tolerance, acceptance, as well as, allowed Canadian culture to cherish multiculturalism in a way that would have been unimaginable otherwise….
Right?
Wrong.
Although Obasan is a beautifully written book, its “accomplishments” are empty.
The government apology served no purpose, except that of appeasing Canadians who were either shocked at the injustice or ashamed of having an ugly part of their past recorded in a novel.
This way of seeing things might appear cynical, but we must realize that a speech and $21,000 dollars could never make up for the disruption and despair caused by internment. How could a government ever cover the cost of emotional damages? How could they ever give a child their innocence back? Or, how could a measly apology ever provide solace after the loss of a home?
It is simply impossible.
Furthermore, let us think of the steps towards greater tolerance and cultural acceptance.
Canadians pride themselves in being welcoming towards immigrants and knowledgeable of other cultures. The word ‘racism’ rolls like a curse off their tongues.
But still, Canadians are no more accepting or welcoming or knowledgeable than most other first-world countries.
I can provide countless personal examples, such as one individual’s great surprise when I told him that Mexicans don’t really wear sombreros all the time (he looked crestfallen), or the innumerable questions I have been asked about my first language, ‘Mexican’. (There. Is. No. Such. Thing. People from Mexico speak Spanish.)
Or I can also give much more broad examples that demonstrate Canada’s racist tendencies. Finding a job if you’re an immigrant, for one, is an almost-impossible feat. Conversations are often started with the question “where are you from?”, particularly if you are not white. Stereotypes are used as naturally in conversation as adjectives. (Who isn’t familiar with “Chinese can’t drive?”)
In the great scheme of things, there has been no change. Canada remains a racist country that must portray an idea of tolerance because it is largely made up of immigrants. Discrimination has not disappeared, it has simply become subtler. And no matter how many apologies or redresses the government makes, or how many books with themes similar to those in Obasan are written, discrimination will never disappear. Not in Canada, and not anywhere in the world.
Edit: I would like to include this brief article about the ties between economy and racism (in USA), since I feel like it is somehow related to my posting.
http://www.bet.com/news/national/2013/02/05/american-money-the-economic-origins-of-racism.html
Well, that is a lot of realization that I have also had time to reflect on. It’s sad to say, but the racist background of the world tends to form tight knit communities…I’m not saying racism is a good thing. But, seeing as it is something that only individuals can really change in themselves (unless you are that one amazing go-getter that motivates masses to reform their ways). Anyways, my point is that those little communities of Chinatowns, Little Italy, etc…all of these form from people wanting to be closer to “their own kind”, and why does this feel safer? Because you escape the subtle (and sometimes not too subtle) racism that exists in our supposedly human rights driven, all accepting country. So yeah. It still exists, but it’s become something that people have learned to live with (sadly).
I think you point out some valid points here Monica about the ways that racism still operates and functions in Canada (especially in relation to immigration). Can a novel change this? Unlikely. But it is important to make room for those voices that are usually left out of the mainstream and to hear people when they try to articulate their experiences of oppression. Will that solve everything? Again, no, but it does give us somewhere to start. 60 years ago I might not have been able to get a job at UBC because I am a woman. 30 years ago I would likely not have been teaching Obasan, and 10 years ago I am not sure I would have been confident enough to try to teach about Aboriginal experience and history in Canada. I think these are real achievements.
I think my argument in the blog was not presented in the right way. I of course think that tolerance has (to a certain level) been achieved. But what I wanted to portray was that even though this has happened, the societal shift in ideologies is not very relevant because the roots of the problem cannot, in my opinion, ever be eradicated. Therefore, any attempt at change is, although noble, futile and doomed to eventually fail. (I don’t think we should stop trying to better our community or discourage respect and acceptance, though.)
Like I mentioned before, I do acknowledge that, culturally, it is now frowned upon to marginalize minorities openly.
I think this is partly due to the stability in this country. Because this nation is socially and economically sturdy, people don’t feel the need to discriminate.
However, if Canada ever encounters a social or economic challenge, it will revert back to its old ways and target a specific group (most likely immigrants) at an institutionalized level.
A view that is very cynical, but at the same time, well founded through reasoning. Of course, an apology and a handful of money really doesn’t compare to the shaming that the Japanese-Canadians may have received, but I find that whether it is an apology or not really depend on the victims themselves.
What did the victims consider to be the appropriate apology? How did they feel after the ‘apology’? If the Japanese-Canadians feel that the Canadian government’s apology was good enough, then I’d say it has been done. If not, then the ‘apology’ was mere lip service and meaningless compensation.
I disagree (on the apology part. I do admit I might be a bit of a cynic sometimes). An apology has no meaning if the person or institution apologizing does not honestly regret what happened.
Furthermore, Canadian government likes to think of itself as democratic and just.
Justice is defined, according to the Oxford English Dictionary as “the quality of being fair and reasonable”, and “the criminal system used to punish [those] who have committed crimes.” Can it really call itself that if it is, in such a crucial issue, unjust?
Finally, victims’ opinions on the government’s apology are mixed and do not matter. The issue here was not whether Japanese-Canadians accepted an apology or not; the real problem was that something as serious as the unjust internment of thousands of Japanese Canadians had been allowed to happen by the same institution that was supposed to protect its citizens, regardless of ethnicity or heritage.
I would have to respectfully disagree on two fronts, first of all that obasan did not progress society and second that Canada is a racist country. Starting with Obasan i think that its completely unfair to say that formally apologizing for what canada has done fails to progress society. I would say that is the definition of progression in society, realizing your mistakes and taking responsibility. From that point Canada is able to reconstruct relationships and attempt to never do it again. Secondly Canada is far from a racist country, even in comparison to other “first world” countries. just look at UBC, there are more chinese students then there are white students: http://ubyssey.tumblr.com/image/66834015802
Furthermore the amount of multicultural families in this country is fantastic. For example i grew up in a family with a jamaican step dad my whole life. I also have many friends in a similar position .