Friday, May 23, 2014

HELP SECURE A HOME FOR LULU AND HER FAMILY!

HELP SECURE A HOME FOR LULU AND HER FAMILY!  By Celine Leduc

Lulu and her family are Romani (Gypsies) they came from Hungary and sought asylum from Canada.  Their dream was and is to lead a sedentary life and not a forced nomadic life.  All over Europe Romani people are discriminated against, they rarely have a chance to settle down and establish roots, they are pushed away like unwanted people. The language used to describe them is reminiscent of the Nazi era, words such as rats, vermin are used, by the civilized ones who are NOT civil.  
Gypsies they are called they are labelled as kidnappers of children, mostly those who are blonde. As a child living in Léry near Montreal, we knew the Gypsies were coming as spring arrived, we saw them wanting to settle down and find temporary seasonal work.  They would paint homes, make repairs, help you with roofing for a fee, they worked hard and at night return to their camp.  They were not allowed to camp on the shores of Lake St-Louis but were welcomed in Kahnawake which was not far. When you got close to their spring/summer residence you could hear people sign and smell food cooked outside.  Parents would tell their children do not go they will kidnap you.   I did venture and meet some of the gypsies as my favorite uncle took me over to meet the people. My parents never wanted to take me to their camps, however I had a rebellious uncle who heard me and listened.  He drove me to where the Gypsies camped, I was happy listening to the music and seeing women dance, and I wanted to join them.   The women did give me some food and blessed me but then told me to go home to my parents, study and listen to my mother and father.  Life was too hard on the road.  They did not live up to their “reputation”. I wondered why as a child?  Today I know everyone had lied to me about the Gypsies they were known or identified themselves as Romani and were family oriented.  They did not want to destroy families because family was important.   Yet they had suffered because their own families were destroyed as children were taken away from them.    Fast forward 50 years or so, in Canada a family is to be torn away from the Canadian dream, a 5 year old child and her family will be deported, to a country that does not want them.  The worst part is that Canada my country does not want them to live here. 
Do politicians know how to read? Do they know international politics? They talk the empty talk of let us rid ourselves of prejudice and racism and yet they use racism and prejudice to deport Romani families. In Canada we tell the world we care about our children, all children we have laws to protect them from abuse.   We have laws to make sure children get a proper education, are not discriminated against.   We have laws yet where is the law that protects Lulu and her family?   If she is deported she will be put in a very dangerous situation.  In fear of losing her identity and her life.   Because she is Romani she will not be able to be properly educated.  She will live on the street, in a caravan going from town to town forever being rejected because of who she is, Roms.   She will be harassed, told she is a crook a criminal based false data and on assumption and not truth.   She will be referred as a vermin, be pushed shoved and mistreated in Hungary by the extreme right and their mindless followers. 

Canadian politicians are not honest they dismiss claims from Roma asylum seekers from Hungary the same way that they dismissed claims from Jewish German asylum seekers in the late 1930s fearing infiltrations by Germans of the Nazi party.   Here is an article that talks about the plight of Roma people http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/02/16/conservatives-to-announce-further-barriers-to-deter-bogus-refugee-claimants-report/  On this site you will see the Canada billboard warning about bogus Roma asylum seekers  http://www.cireport.ca/category/communities/gypsyroma-community Many groups are denouncing these practices http://jonjayray.wordpress.com/2009/07/05/canada-trying-to-keep-gypsies-out/  Why? I ask because hypocritical Canadian politicians believe the lies told to them as children, do not trust the Gypsies, they will kidnap your kids, sadly what these unethical politicians are doing is they are sending families back to a country that does not want them.  A German woman once told me that between 1939 and 1945 the Gestapo would try to sell Jews and Gypsies for a truck or car, not one European country wanted Jews or Gypsies, 2014, history repeats itself and we as Canadians claim we are civilized, yet we are neither civil nor compassionate.  Here are two videos that shows the life of Hungarian Gypsies life on the road  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Z7CuUWo9sg   another film found on YouTube this video opens with the heart wrenching question from a Roma Women Who cares about me  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAfUeNOa-uE  I care what about you?   If you do care sign the petition https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAfUeNOa-uE write letters to help Roma refugee claimants from Hungary we cannot change the past but we can work towards a better future and make sure we do not repeat mistakes that have cost the lives of millions of people between 1939 and 1945, our lack of caring helped kill 6 million Jews and millions of Roma people.  Showing empathy and compassion is a must the words I heard 50 years ago are still true, family matters, education is a must, respect your parent.  I was fed and blessed by a Roma women 50 years ago, now is the time to say Lulu hope you and your family can stay in Canada.   

Saturday, May 17, 2014

TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION

TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION by Celine Leduc May 2014

Truth and reconciliation commission was started a few years ago stemming from an official recognition and apology from the Canadian government.   Sounds good does it not, on the surface it does as it whitewashes the reality and it is used to save face. To apologize is hypocritical on the part of the governing body and all the political parties.   Why?  Because we as Canadians are doing nothing concrete to change perspective and we still perpetuate ignorance on our part and make sure the educational system in First Nation reserves is inadequate and proves the unfounded prejudice that “Indians” are dumb.  Therefore, things do not change. The Truth and reconciliation document the horrors that First Nation people went through inn residential school, then the government teaches it to Canadians kids and the children of survivors hence creating division fostering shame on the part of Canadians and fear of the other that lead to hatred of each other hence creating distrust and separation instead of coming together as equals.  We as Canadians develop a false sense of victimization vis-à-vis First Nation we see them as victims but do not look at ourselves as the bully or aggressor.  Instead of seeing a victim why not develop empathy, feel the pain inflicted, see the outcome, and do something to heal the wound.  Kids are not encouraged to meet one another, to talk to each other and this is one of the recommendations done by Lee Maracle.  Her daughter got Canadian and First Nation kids asked them to research and speak about their findings.   Yes our crimes need to be exposed. Yet as Canadians, we need not to apologize unless we ask for forgiveness or even better learn to forgive our ancestors and ourselves for perpetuating the lies of my grandfather.  

YES as Canadians we need FORGIVENESS do something concrete about changing our ways hence showing genuine remorse, understanding and most of all compassion.  I personally did not do those atrocities, so I can feel I am not guilty, but I am if I keep silent and do nothing to educate my own people.   When my ancestors came they were able to settle here and find a certain FREEDOM thanks to First Nations.   Yet, as Europeans we were part of the King’s possession be it the aristocracy or as serfs in this land, we were still are under the influence of foreigners to this land and foreigner we remained. We as Canadian never became indigenous to this land, no matter how we try to prove it we are still foreigners and will remain so unless we change our ways we will forever remain foreigners and aliens on this continent.  A lesson politicians should learn the land does not belong to them, it belongs to the people all the people so they can live free and in and at peace with themselves and each other.    

As Lee Maracle stated in an interview about Truth and Reconciliation she states that: “all is not well in Canada.”  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-nK7GErXmE   Her statement is based on observation, knowledge of Canadian history and the history of her people, who have suffered at the hands of very evil people who used religions took the name of God in vain to justification horrendous crimes, similar to those committed against Jews in concentration camps, such as medical experiments, starvation, sleep deprivation, rape, murder, et al.  Both regimes are totalitarian in dealing with the “other” Hitler could justify his purge as Jews and Roms people were strangers to Germany, he could claim purity of race out of fear of mixing the pure blood of Aryans with the blood of half-humans.  This same blood libel exists in Canada and has been used over and over again, be it with First Nation or at the time of slavery.   Mixed blood First Nation are name Metis, mixed blood Africans are referred to as Mulato (means Mule) which is derogatory and prejudicial.   In the case of First Nation there is an even greater restriction a woman who marries a non-native loses her rights. 


The news tells us that there is discontent and some politicians in Quebec want to separate from Canada, claiming it is “Their Land.”   False, the land does not belong to them even if they have a paper trail to justify the owning of the land that started with planting a flag and claiming it in the name of a foreign King it does not make it theirs. First Nation wisdom tells me why? If a politician or any “Quebecois” or “Canadian” or First Nation dies they do not bring the land with them, however their bodies are buried in the grounds in a cemetery.  The land remains so do the animals and his/her progeny, hence it is not theirs, and the land belongs to the earth and is there to be shared for Jews, Christians or Muslims the earth belongs to God the Creator who created us out of earth.   What belong to those who want to separate is the buildings and the roads and asphalt but then it was taken from the earth.  What is theirs is their warmongering ways, the 500 year war between England and France a foreign war that ended, when France lost the war to England and had to repay the damages with land that did not belong to them.   The aristocracy fled the serfs remained with their mentality of colonialism and their war like attitude that was passed down generation to generation through the educational system and the Church, because the duty of education was given to nuns and brothers of the Catholic Church however it was a political moved which was sanctioned by the politicians of the day.     Creating a false sense of belonging and elitist mentality that still prevails today, in both Canada and Quebec.   History is our mode of transmission it is a written tradition that speaks of an epic story of valiant and heroic needs, such as the epic story of Dollard des Ormeaux who died defending his land actually he was trying to invade the territory of others.   French legend tells us that the Iroquois did not invade or reclaim Ville Marie, because they lost too many warriors.  Another interpretation could be that they respected the treaty agreement made between France and their people.  Women had the last word in the Iroquois Nation, they were the ones who declared war.  France declared war on Mohawk or Kanien'kehá:ka (people of the flint) did not throw the Black beads of war, they stopped an invasion defended themselves just like Amanishakheto in Nubia (today Sudan)  when she pushed back the army of Caesar Augustus and then throwing down his bust that had been given as a peace treaty. Sadly most of us do not know her and her legacy we are only told of Cleopatra and how she lost the war.   How can we Canadians talk about TRUTH and RECONCILIATION when we do not talk truth and the people of this land, the First Nations or indigenous people?   A native friend of mine once told me I know you but you do not know me, I have to agree with him as he not only knows me but also my past and about my ancestors and I know him on the surface but do not know his past or his ancestors.   

Let the ancestors speak, this is part of a book I am researching and writing about the unknown and unrecorded history of Canada.