Julie Lafreniere's blog

This is humanity at its absolute worst. (Aboriginal man taunted while dying: Witness http://winnipeg.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20090815/bc_body_park_09...)

I am writing this blog at a very emotional place right now. I try to avoid doing this, but right now is the exception.

What happened in British Columbia is absolutely horrendous. I am mortified, ashamed to be a human being and overwhelmingly, immensely SAD.

People keep saying "oh the cops aren't racist" when they're beating up Indians all over Canada.... "oh, the government isn't racist" when there's more Native kids in foster care NOW then during residential schools era... and "oh hospital staff isn't racist" when a disabled Native man dies in the ER after waiting for 30+ hours in Winnipeg....

and now this.

The evidence is RIGHT BEFORE YOUR EYES. Quit being ignorant to blatant racism. How about admit it, and now let's work to educate and change.

I know that as a White person, admitting that your institutions are faulty and improper might blow your mind and throw your whole world out of wack, but my people are dying.

Why continue to deny racism? City workers represent the people of that city. I am ashamed for the people of Vancouver, the people of British Columbia and the people of Canada.

--
Julie Lafreniere, B.A. (Adv.)

I don’t much care to participate in mainstream popular culture, let alone write about it, so when I showed up at the beach toting the book “Twilight” by Stephenie Meyer, it was a shock to my friend who looked alarmingly at me and said “I can’t believe you’re reading that.” I laughed “Why? Can’t I just read something simple once in a while?”

Not that this immensely popular series is at all simple. Just out of character for my book stack.

So I’ve been immersed in these 4 books for about the last week and a half. They are all a minimum of 600 pages each so you can appreciate that all I have done is read for the last little bit, totally ignoring my friends, family and home. I remember being a child/teenager and getting so involved in a novel that I could read 2 in one day. These books brought me back to my childhood appreciation for simple plot driven fiction.

Not that I enjoyed this series thoroughly.

The first book was decent. The second, dreadful. The third book mediocre and the fourth book blew me away – only the last 200 pages though. It seemed as though it should have been one 2,600-page book.

They’re “PG-13” rated books. No swearing, sex and minimal violence, though a main theme in the series is sex, it was implied, hardly described. That seemed like a mean trick to me. There was this massive build up to what the reader thought would be a hot sex read, and nothing. End chapter. Boo-urns.

So who are you?

What you mean… Who am i?... Who are you?

You know what I mean.

Pfft. Everyone knows me. I’m Jules.

Everyone knows you?

Sure. The important people anyways.

Really. Settle down. Now... Who are you?

I’m a mother, a Metis woman, an academic, an activist, a powwow dancer, a catholic and I
proudly rep Peg City!

Sure. You’re very good at reciting that phrase. How long did it take you to write it?

A couple of days.

Very thorough and impersonal.

Thanks. Now who are you?

You know exactly who I am.

Right. Whatever.

Where did you come from?

Your wildest dreams.

You have quite the large head, don’t you.

Hey, if the shoe fits! Or the Yankee fitted!

You’re funny, but remember I know you very well. You can’t fool me.

Right. What was the question again?

Where did you come from?

Well… I suppose I’m the unique hybrid of a cowboy farming family from Idaho and a 15 child Metis family from the north.

Unique hybrid? Is that a good thing?

I guess. I learned how to fit in everywhere. But sometimes it is lonely.

How so?

Mostly I feel out of place. Too brown to be white and too white to be brown.

That could be a useful tool, you know.

Maybe.

Where else do you come from?

…..I come from my Grandmothers.

Why?

Because they watch over me and keep me in line, I can feel their guidance. They died when I was a baby. I try to conduct myself according to their approval.

You need to be kept in line?

Yes.

Why?

Because sometimes I have a tendency to make things ugly.

Really? Like what?

Lots of things, and I’ve had enough of these questions. Can you f*** off now?