More on Stonechild

Dear Editor:

First: We have a culture of anti-Aboriginalism in Canada.

Second: We, as Canadians, are very skilled when it comes to concealing our true thoughts if there is any chance those thoughts might be politically incorrect or controversial. We are known around the world for our diplomacy.

Third: Most non-Aboriginal Canadians have the arrogant and false notion that they are better than Aboriginal people. They wrongly believe that Aboriginal people have nothing of value unless it was given or taught to them by non-Aboriginal people. They close their minds and choose to remain ignorant about this.

Fourth: Most non-Aboriginal Canadians harbor anti-Aboriginal thoughts and attitudes. We nurture anti-Aboriginal thoughts and attitudes within our cultures. However, we skillfully avoid the ugly "racist" title by being careful not to say, write or do anything that reveals our hidden negative thoughts and attitudes about Aboriginal people.

Fifth: Our racism is expressed in less obvious and subtle ways like indifference, non-involvement, neglect and distancing. We build psychological, social and physical walls between ourselves and Aboriginal people.

Sixth: Many of us take great pains to display ourselves as being involved with Aboriginal people by touting our compliance with affirmative action hiring policies, by displaying selective photos of Aboriginal people in our schools and workplaces, and by treating Aboriginal people as novelties at best.

Seventh: Whenever any non-Aboriginal is publicly identified or even suspected of being anti-Aboriginal, we immediately disassociate ourselves from them. We make scapegoats of them.

I submit that the terrible actions that are now attributed to the Saskatoon policemen in the Stonechild incident and by association with their colleagues in the Saskatoon Police Department, should be attributed to all Saskatoon, Saskatchewan and Canadian residents. Our policemen are members of our communities and their values and attitudes are very strongly influenced by the overall values and attitudes held in our communities.

Finally, I believe that our indifference, non-involvement, neglect and distancing from Aboriginal people has made us all responsible for Neil Stonechild's tragic death, and for the pain and suffering to his family, to the Aboriginal community and to our larger communities. We've hurt ourselves.

-Denis Hall