A sociology professor at the University of British Columbia is urging people to consider another approach when reacting to the racist images of Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau 害羞草研究所� one of reconciliation and learning, instead of punishment and aggression.
害羞草研究所淲e are now treating racism as a crime that you cannot recover from,害羞草研究所� professor Rima Wilkes said in a phone interview Thursday, after two photos and a video surfaced this week showing a younger Trudeau in brownface and blackface.
害羞草研究所淥ther crimes, you can serve your time and you are allowed to come back into society. But what we害羞草研究所檙e doing with racism is that, if we find any indication that you have ever been overly racist, then you should lose your job.害羞草研究所�
The images, which Trudeau himself has dubbed as racist, are having an impact beyond the campaign trail, prompting many people to question how they react to people in power committing acts of racism, especially ones made decades earlier.
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Wilkes, who studies radicalization and , said labelling people as racist and shaming them leaves little room for mistakes to be resolved and learning to be had.
害羞草研究所淚f you stay racist and you害羞草研究所檙e promoting racism on purpose, that is one thing,害羞草研究所� she said, but society needs to accept someone when they act racist and apologize for it, and examine how they themselves can create a more accepting society.
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Trudeau was in front of the media issuing an apology within hours after Time magazine害羞草研究所檚 story broke on the internet, featuring a 2001 photo of him in brownface posing as Aladdin while a teacher at Vancouver害羞草研究所檚 West Point Grey Academy.
害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 asking Canadians to forgive me for what I did,害羞草研究所� Trudeau said. 害羞草研究所淚 shouldn害羞草研究所檛 have done that. It was a dumb thing to do. I害羞草研究所檓 disappointed in myself. I害羞草研究所檓 pissed off at myself for having done it. I apologize for it.害羞草研究所�
But another instance of Trudeau in blackface was released by Global News shortly after, in addition to a second incident Trudeau himself admitted to from when he was in high school.
Trudeau apologized for a second time Thursday, saying he didn害羞草研究所檛 recall some of those earlier images, he didn害羞草研究所檛 see at the time that it was wrong because of his privileged upbringing and he deeply regrets his behaviour.
Just as quickly to react were Trudeau害羞草研究所檚 foes, including NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, the first visible minority to lead a national party in Canada.
Rather than condemn Trudeau, Singh told the cameras that his opponent害羞草研究所檚 actions will hurt Canadians who endured racism 20 years ago, and more importantly, will hurt young people facing discrimination now.
READ MORE: 害羞草研究所楾roubling, insulting害羞草研究所�: NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh reacts to Trudeau害羞草研究所檚 brownface photo
害羞草研究所淚 want to talk to all of the kids out there, all the folks who lived this and are now grown up and still feeling the pain of racism,害羞草研究所� Singh said Wednesday night. 害羞草研究所淚 want you to know that you might feel like giving up on Canada 害羞草研究所� I want you to know that you have value, you have worth and you are loved.害羞草研究所�
Satwinder Kaur Bains, the director of the University of the Fraser Valley害羞草研究所檚 South Asian Studies Institute, applauded Singh害羞草研究所檚 reaction, and said that while the photos are 害羞草研究所渧ery disheartening,害羞草研究所� they should prompt a national discussion, rather than political division.
害羞草研究所淚 feel like times like these, we all go into our silos,害羞草研究所� Bains said, but instead, politicians should come together.
The photos can help Canadians learn why dressing up as visible minorities is unacceptable, she said, and how that is linked to the barriers and racism faced by people of colour.
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Both Bains and Wilkes acknowledge that an apology doesn害羞草研究所檛 instantly rid the harm and pain that害羞草研究所檚 been caused.
Countless electoral candidates and community leaders, including those at a meeting of the B.C. Assembly of First Nations in Vancouver on Thursday, have rebuked Trudeau and called for his resignation.
Joan Philip, NDP candidate in Central Okanagan-Similkameen-Nicola, has called for Trudeau to resign from his leadership position.
害羞草研究所淗is apology is hollow. There害羞草研究所檚 two parts to the apology. There害羞草研究所檚 the apology and then there害羞草研究所檚, 害羞草研究所楬ow do I make it right?害羞草研究所� Just like Canada when they apologized for what they did to us. They have to make it right,害羞草研究所� said Phillip to The Canadian Press.
But Michelle Corfield, the Liberal candidate in Nanaimo-Ladysmith, said that though she is disappointed, she believes everyone deserves forgiveness when they ask for it.
害羞草研究所淚 hope the country learns a lesson from this,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淗e has asked for forgiveness, he has said sorry. It is now time for us as a country to look at that and take something from it.害羞草研究所�
- with files from Tyler Olsen at The Abbotsford News and The Canadian Press
ashley.wadhwani@bpdigital.ca
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