arondn:

Shé:kon, hello. I ask that white people do not scroll past this, and that you please read it and internalize it, especially white Americans.

I’ve been seeing an influx of white people asking/joking about moving to Canada after the events of today (Jan.6 2021) and I want to say something about it.

Many of you talk as if Canada is any better than the U.S when it comes to things like the riots and storming of Capitol hill today. We are not.

I need you to consider how your whiteness makes you view the country north of you, because it vastly impacts it. You likely consider Canada better because we don’t have (or at least you don’t hear of) major police violence, or shootings, or bomb threats. Now, I don’t blame you for not knowing this, but we do. Perhaps not as often, but they do happen, and they are always racially motivated.

You may consider this country to be safer, but to the many black, indigenous, and other people of colour who live up here, it’s not. If anything, I would almost argue it’s more deadly because we don’t get the coverage on racist attacks, murders, and all of that. It gets swept under the rug so much easier up here.

Specifially talking about today’s events, we’ve had gatherings of trump supporters at various locations across the country. I didn’t know about this until very recently, even though they’ve seemingly been going on all day. The founder of the Proud Boys was Canadian. Our Conservative party hasn’t said anything about the events of today, even though many of them have been buddy-buddy with Trump in the past.

Canada is not safer. It is just quieter. Myself and many other Canadians of colour are absolutely terrified right now, because we already can see what to expect coming up; spikes in racist violence will happen across the country, they will be talked about for 5 minutes, they will be brushed away.

Be aware that while you may feel unsafe right now, the joking (or even serious) desire to move to Canada is an ignorant one. Because while you may be feeling unsafe, you still have a massive shield. Even if you’re trans, or queer, or disabled, or neurodivergent, or a woman… you are still white. You are still not the target of these people. You are not their main target, and you cannot act as if you are. The main target of these nationalistic terrorists are people of colour, particularly black people. You do not get to act as if you’re at a major risk here. The only exception to this are white jewish people, as antisemitism is a major card these people play at.

So, please, look me in the eye and tell me how much safer you’d feel in Canada, just because our problems don’t make news like this. The only reason you would feel safer up here is because you would once again have the shield of ignorance. Do not desire to put the blinders on again, not when black and indigenous people are getting the RCMP called on them, arresting them for peaceful protesting against pipelines that would ruin sacred land. Not when I remember at least 3 mosque attacks in the last 2 years. Not when I remember the black people who we have lost to police violence this year just in Canada. Not when I personally have seen mmiw posters for people I’ve recognized in communities I live in. Not when I personally have been facing quiet racism since 8 years old that has had nothing done to rectify the incidents.

White people, use your shield to protect BIPOC. Do not play victim here. You are not their targets.