The Don Cherry controversy has once again highlighted a fact of life in Canada — racism in this country is a one-way street.
Anyone familiar with Don Cherry knows nuance isn’t his forte, and he certainly seems to have crossed the line with his “you people” comment. I found his remarks obnoxious and plain wrong knowing that many new immigrants, and many of them visible minorities, display their poppy with as much pride as others in Canada.
For Cherry to say that all immigrants show no respect for Canada’s veterans is a stark untruth. His remarks deserve condemnation.
But does he deserve to be sacked?
For if Cherry must be sacked for identifying immigrants and by implication several racial groups with a negative trait, a large number of commentators, writers, journalists, intellectuals and politicians should have been sacked long ago for identifying another racial group — the whites — with several negative traits routinely.
It has become a norm in racial politics to always blame all white people for the behavior of a few — and that never attracts consequences Cherry has had to face. Blaming all the white people for racial discrimination is not just in vogue in Canada, but a pre-requisite if you want to position yourself as a liberal or progressive person.
Blaming white people for nearly every social ill is a very liberal thing to do. And no one is singled out for scorn and derision more than the old white male, a symbol these days for all that is wrong.
And yet this everyday racism continues without any calls for resignations or de-platforming.
The Don Cherry affair reminds of another racial incident involving hockey.
As the entire country reeled from the Humboldt Broncos tragedy last year that claimed the lives of 16 young people and Canadians donated generously, a Montreal-based commentator wondered if the “maleness, the youthfulness and the whiteness of the victims” was the reason why Canadians were being so supportive of the families. I wrote a rebuttal to her totalising narrative. Such anti-white racism is common among scholars and writers in Canada — and there is rarely a consequence.
Such free-for-all white-bashing was in abundant display on social media during the municipal election in Vancouver last year. Politicians, journalists and many other public figures all competed to express outrage at the supposedly racist white people of Vancouver for not sending a person of colour to the council. They implied that every white person who voted in Vancouver was racist. Again I wrote a rebuttal.
How was that different from Cherry’s “you people” remark? But no one was sacked. No one even demanded any resignation.
Cherry has made an obnoxious remark. Yet he may not be totally wrong in his observation. A lot of immigrants might not be wearing poppies. Perhaps not because they don’t care but due to lack of awareness and education.
The response to Cherry’s remarks should not be his sacking but showing him the reality. See what a group of Muslims did in Calgary. Read how Ahmadiyya Muslim mosques across the country collected donations for the Royal Canadian Legion for weeks.
Cherry has been rightly called out for his crass remarks, and he has had to pay a heavy price for it. Sadly, those on the other side — the anti-white racists — carry on with their racism without any consequence.
Racism in Canada is indeed a one-way street.
Gagandeep Ghuman is the editor, North Shore Daily Post.
Your comment about racism being a one-way-street is so accurate.
Don Cherry is a red-neck who fits the punch-up audience of hockey … not my taste.
But the danger of firing a Don Cherry is to curb free speech and to drive the red-necks away to the alt-right .. and worse – underground,
So hockey fans are a „punch up audience“ according to you !!! Obviously you‘ve never attended a hockey game!
Firstly, Hockey is Canada‘s National Sport ! It’s watched and played by ALL generations. The majority of us have watched and listened to Don Cherry every Saturday Night also known as Hockey Night In Canada!
He is our Hero, a Canadian Icon,,,,,his comment was taken completely out of context. Don Cherry would NEVER
disrespect ANY Canadian, male, female, black, white, young or old, it’s NOT who HE is.
We don’t buy it, you cannot convince us,!!!
Exactly spoken. And all totalitarian regimes began with the WORD and suppression of the freedom of speech! Ideology of political correctness is no exception!
Vladimi Cicha
Well written and thoughtful commentary, contrary to Don’s clumsy, inarticulate way of saying that every Canadian resident, citizen or immigrant should gratefully buy and wear a poppy, wish he had clarified, wish he was still on the air.
Did he really use the word “immigrants”? Please show me that phrase that says “immigrants”. I read the post, heard it on TV and did not hear that word. I did hear “you people”. So, please post the comments with the word “immigrants” in it.
I find it interesting that there is an assumption that “You people” means “Immigrants.” I simply took it to mean those people that failed to wear a Poppy. I too have annually felt an annoyance at those who fail to wear a Poppy. But those Citizens do so for a multitude of reason. I wear a poppy because I lived in England during the WAR and understand the full meaning of WAR.
Its Don Cherry’s natural belligerence that has earned him his popularity and thus a great deal of money for himself and his Promoters. We all loved it. But those days of crassness are over. The population has changed, the ownership of Don’s contract has changed. Don’s “ACT” has fast become a dinosaur. We have all moved on. Its time for Don to put on his dressing gown and relax.
The kids playing Hockey today, are younger than his Grand kids.
Don Cherry, as can be proven easily, has used the phrase “you people” for years (as Ezra Levant pointed out, sort of in the same way that Americans say “y’all”). If Don Cherry WAS in fact using the phrase to single out immigrants, would this not also imply white people, or are no more white people coming to Canada? At any rate, it’s stupid to get so worked up just because someone who makes his living being obnoxious and has made others (including Ron McLean, who threw Don under the bus) millions of dollars, made a slightly obnoxious comment, which may very well be true.
The bottom line is – as Don himself stated later – EVERYONE should wear a poppy. People died for their country, for freedom. The least we can do is spend a couple of dollars and show respect for their sacrifice and the continued sacrifices of those who give so much. By the way, Don has gone to Afghanistan at Christmas to visit troops, so he isn’t just all talk. And anyone who knows Don personally knows he’s a very caring, down to earth guy. That never goes out of style.
It’s very, very, sad that someone who has the courage to speak up for Canadian values is fired for his stand upholding our customs? Canadians are the losers in this, shame on Hockey Night in Canada!
don cherry has probably forgotten more about hockey than any other commentator will ever know. im sure most hockey fans would rather listen to dons commentary than the want to be s out there now. who ever fired him should get with the program.