I read something quite interesting and thought I would share it. I never knew such anger existed in Quebec, until my son's story opened my eyes to the reality around us all!!!
The Myth and No More Having It Both Ways
In a letter responding to a piece written by G. DeWolf Shaw citing the very real ethnic cleansing of linguistic minorities in Quebec, a gentleman from Three Rivers responded with the following...
"G. DeWolf Shaw accuses French Quebec of "ethnic cleansing." That's quite an insult that trivializes the sufferings of those peoples who were massacred because of their ethnicity - Croats, Kurds, Tutsis, etc.
There will be animosity between francophones and anglophones as long as some anglophones refuse to recognize that it is the French language, not the English language, that is in peril in North America.
There are about 325 million people on this continent who speak English and about 7 million for whom French is the normal, every-day language. That is a ratio of 45 to 1. Who, in these circumstances, has to protect his language and his culture by every legal means available? What would you do if the reverse situation existed?"
The D.A.A.Q. would like to offer some clarity for our Francophone brother, the complacentphone masses, and the world as a whole.
Never would the Anglophone minority of Quebec trivialize, or belittle the suffering of others around the world by comparing the ethnic cleansing of Quebec via forced migration to that of ethnic cleansing by means of genocide and murder. The act and execution of ethnic cleansing sadly yet clearly takes on two official forms as defined by the United Nations.
"Ethnic Cleansing as defined by the 50th Session: The elimination of an unwanted group from a society, as by genocide or forced migration."
It would appear the writer didn't get any further than "genocide" when reading the United Nation's definition of ethnic cleansing.
To assist our letter writer, and our international readers to better understand:
As a non-Francophone in Quebec you ultimately have two choices: Change or leave. It's that simple. 600,000 Anglophones have chosen "leave" from the two choices given to the linguistic minorities of Quebec. What is the other choice you ask? That other choice is, "change". "Parle francais, live our way, or leave". Or as some militants like to spray paint around our communities: "Anglo go home". "Canadian get out". "Maudit anglais". "Loi 101 ou le 401".
Leave your home. Leave your friends. Leave your family. Leave your province. Leave the place your family has lived since your ancestors first set foot in North America hundreds of years ago. Or, see option one.
Allow us to repeat that number once more-SIX HUNDRED THOUSAND have chosen to leave their homes, close their businesses, leave their jobs, move themselves, their entire families, leave everything they know-opposed to living as second class citizens. Was this unintentional when those laws were penned and as they are still enforced? Of course not. It has always been the intention of the Francophone elite and their masses that have bought into the "the English speaking world is out to get us" myth.
You may be asking yourself right now-what is it that has forced so many people from everything they knew? Well the answer is very simple and very real: the laws of Quebec. Not a myth. Not a common misconception. THE LAW! And Ottawa turning a blind eye to it. The Anglophone population becoming stuck between the province's linguistic majority and federal governments need of the lions share of 75 House of Commons seats from the Province. The seats that hold the federal balance of power.
But Francophone Quebec gets to have their cake and eat it to. Oh yes they do. When it comes to language and minority rights-why in that case, they are a provincial majority. When it comes to fictional self victimization-well then, they are a national minority. This "Canadian when convenient" policy has been working very well for 30 years now. Why is it this way? See: "lion's share of 75 seats".
The "ists" as we like to refer to them (Independentists, sovereigntists, nationalists, separatists, whatever they are calling themselves this week), have ever changing rationals and justifications for their protectionist laws. So ever changing-it's like combating a rogue virus that has become immune to the latest antibodies. You can slow it down, but it mutates. Rendering it only similar to it's original form. But still baffling, very ugly and easily spread.
As for our friend the writer. He like all those that have bought into the myth-never offer any evidence, statistics or proof of this "peril" the French language is in. Generally only offering shouting, defamatory comments, and vulgar insults. But Quebec's laws are inclusive apparently. Oh, je m'excuse profusment-Still only Quebec with ethnocentric language laws!
As for his reference to North America's linguistic make-up. Seems our friend forgot a few people. Perhaps our Spanish speaking continental neighbours? It appears the monolingual United States, state by state-from California to Florida. From Georgia to Michigan, has made every effort to offer bilingual signage, state and federal services. So it would appear that even our American cousins have realized it is time for change. The average percentage of Spanish speakers by state, is less than 6%.
English speaking hospitals have been closed down. Emergency services officers that first ask if you speak French, or hang up on you. Our children deprived of educational materials. Anglophones cannot obtain civil service jobs. Anglophones are harassed in their places of employment. Harassed in public. Anglophone business owners constantly in fear that one of their stores signs may offend someone resulting in a visit from the Office of the French Language-AKA Gestapo Quebecois.
But it is still the French language in peril, right? Never any mention of the once vibrant Anglophone communities of Gaspe or the Eastern Townships? No, it is only French Quebec that lives under some threat to it's survival. Yes indeed. No ethnic cleansing in la belle province! Please excuse us while we call our relatives that now live in Ontario, Alberta, and B.C. to see what they think?
We Anglo's can just leave if we don't like it, right?
No more having it both ways! The world is finding out. And we are here to ensure they do!
DAAQ.International@gmail.com
http://www.daaq.wordpress.com/
The Myth and No More Having It Both Ways
In a letter responding to a piece written by G. DeWolf Shaw citing the very real ethnic cleansing of linguistic minorities in Quebec, a gentleman from Three Rivers responded with the following...
"G. DeWolf Shaw accuses French Quebec of "ethnic cleansing." That's quite an insult that trivializes the sufferings of those peoples who were massacred because of their ethnicity - Croats, Kurds, Tutsis, etc.
There will be animosity between francophones and anglophones as long as some anglophones refuse to recognize that it is the French language, not the English language, that is in peril in North America.
There are about 325 million people on this continent who speak English and about 7 million for whom French is the normal, every-day language. That is a ratio of 45 to 1. Who, in these circumstances, has to protect his language and his culture by every legal means available? What would you do if the reverse situation existed?"
The D.A.A.Q. would like to offer some clarity for our Francophone brother, the complacentphone masses, and the world as a whole.
Never would the Anglophone minority of Quebec trivialize, or belittle the suffering of others around the world by comparing the ethnic cleansing of Quebec via forced migration to that of ethnic cleansing by means of genocide and murder. The act and execution of ethnic cleansing sadly yet clearly takes on two official forms as defined by the United Nations.
"Ethnic Cleansing as defined by the 50th Session: The elimination of an unwanted group from a society, as by genocide or forced migration."
It would appear the writer didn't get any further than "genocide" when reading the United Nation's definition of ethnic cleansing.
To assist our letter writer, and our international readers to better understand:
As a non-Francophone in Quebec you ultimately have two choices: Change or leave. It's that simple. 600,000 Anglophones have chosen "leave" from the two choices given to the linguistic minorities of Quebec. What is the other choice you ask? That other choice is, "change". "Parle francais, live our way, or leave". Or as some militants like to spray paint around our communities: "Anglo go home". "Canadian get out". "Maudit anglais". "Loi 101 ou le 401".
Leave your home. Leave your friends. Leave your family. Leave your province. Leave the place your family has lived since your ancestors first set foot in North America hundreds of years ago. Or, see option one.
Allow us to repeat that number once more-SIX HUNDRED THOUSAND have chosen to leave their homes, close their businesses, leave their jobs, move themselves, their entire families, leave everything they know-opposed to living as second class citizens. Was this unintentional when those laws were penned and as they are still enforced? Of course not. It has always been the intention of the Francophone elite and their masses that have bought into the "the English speaking world is out to get us" myth.
You may be asking yourself right now-what is it that has forced so many people from everything they knew? Well the answer is very simple and very real: the laws of Quebec. Not a myth. Not a common misconception. THE LAW! And Ottawa turning a blind eye to it. The Anglophone population becoming stuck between the province's linguistic majority and federal governments need of the lions share of 75 House of Commons seats from the Province. The seats that hold the federal balance of power.
But Francophone Quebec gets to have their cake and eat it to. Oh yes they do. When it comes to language and minority rights-why in that case, they are a provincial majority. When it comes to fictional self victimization-well then, they are a national minority. This "Canadian when convenient" policy has been working very well for 30 years now. Why is it this way? See: "lion's share of 75 seats".
The "ists" as we like to refer to them (Independentists, sovereigntists, nationalists, separatists, whatever they are calling themselves this week), have ever changing rationals and justifications for their protectionist laws. So ever changing-it's like combating a rogue virus that has become immune to the latest antibodies. You can slow it down, but it mutates. Rendering it only similar to it's original form. But still baffling, very ugly and easily spread.
As for our friend the writer. He like all those that have bought into the myth-never offer any evidence, statistics or proof of this "peril" the French language is in. Generally only offering shouting, defamatory comments, and vulgar insults. But Quebec's laws are inclusive apparently. Oh, je m'excuse profusment-Still only Quebec with ethnocentric language laws!
As for his reference to North America's linguistic make-up. Seems our friend forgot a few people. Perhaps our Spanish speaking continental neighbours? It appears the monolingual United States, state by state-from California to Florida. From Georgia to Michigan, has made every effort to offer bilingual signage, state and federal services. So it would appear that even our American cousins have realized it is time for change. The average percentage of Spanish speakers by state, is less than 6%.
English speaking hospitals have been closed down. Emergency services officers that first ask if you speak French, or hang up on you. Our children deprived of educational materials. Anglophones cannot obtain civil service jobs. Anglophones are harassed in their places of employment. Harassed in public. Anglophone business owners constantly in fear that one of their stores signs may offend someone resulting in a visit from the Office of the French Language-AKA Gestapo Quebecois.
But it is still the French language in peril, right? Never any mention of the once vibrant Anglophone communities of Gaspe or the Eastern Townships? No, it is only French Quebec that lives under some threat to it's survival. Yes indeed. No ethnic cleansing in la belle province! Please excuse us while we call our relatives that now live in Ontario, Alberta, and B.C. to see what they think?
We Anglo's can just leave if we don't like it, right?
No more having it both ways! The world is finding out. And we are here to ensure they do!
DAAQ.International@gmail.com
http://www.daaq.wordpress.com/
