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127 CHAPTER 5 INTERPERSONAL RACISMS Introduction nterpersonal racism entails a pattern of dislike that occurs at the level of individuals and relationships (Fleras, 2012). This bias is directed at the “other” because of who he is or what she stands for. On one side are overt racisms, both direct and open; on the other side are more covert expressions that hide behind politeness, political correctness, racially coded subtext , and claims of racial blindness (Coates, 2008). No less covert are those situations where individuals are unaware of their subconsciously hidden bias and hatred. Three expressions of interpersonal racism can be discerned: hate, polite, and subliminal. Hate reflects a direct and intense dislike of others ; polite racism is more discreet and indirect as might be expected in a multicultural society where racism is socially taboo; and subliminal racism flourishes at a subconscious level, although expressed by denial, excuses, or rationalizations. Hate Racism Hate racism is the kind of racism that most commonly comes to people’s minds (Fleras, 2012). It refers to the old-fashioned hatred of the racialized “other” that once prevailed in the past and persists to the present among a handful of the reactionary, undereducated, or defiant. Intrinsic to hate racism is its explicit and highly personalized character. For example, the Anti Defamation League (2012) defines racism as the hatred toward others in the belief they are less than human because their skin colour reveals the true nature of that person. This hate racism is expressed through sharply personal attacks on those perceived as culturally or biologically inferior. Expressions range from the use of derogatory slurs and patterns of avoidance to physical assaults and destruction of property through vandalism. I 128 Chapter 5 Even a cursory glance over Canada’s historical past exposes a robust legacy of hate racism (Hier & Bolaria, 2007; Cassin et al., 2007). Such a claim may come as a revelation to some readers while others concede how the invention of Canada as multicultural is legitimized on concealing its past. Certain myths are deeply entrenched in our collective memories, especially those that extol Canada’s progressive status, the absence of American-style race riots and prolonged slavery, and the entrenchment of multicultural and human rights principles. Close scrutiny suggests otherwise. As a country that proudly and defiantly defined itself as a white man’s country, Canada has little to boast of in its treatment of racial, Aboriginal, and ethnic minorities since Confederation (Backhouse, 1999). Chinese, Japanese, Indo-Pakistanis, First Nations, Jews, and blacks have been and continue to be objects of dislike or aversion. Foreigners were routinely imported as a source of cheap menial labour, either to assist in the process of society-building (for example, Chinese for the construction of the railway) or to provide manual skills in labour-starved industries such as the garment trade or resource extraction (Bolaria & Li, 1988). Once in Canada, many became convenient targets for abuse or exploitation . New Canadians could be fired with impunity, especially during periods of economic stagnation or labour unrest. Then and now, racialized minorities and immigrant Canadians were shunted into marginal employment ghettos with few possibilities for escape or advancement. Nor did anyone take newcomers seriously in making a positive contribution to Canadian society; as a result, their political and civil rights were routinely trampled on without much remorse or redress. Labourers from the Caribbean were shipped to Canada on a temporary basis for seasonal employment, primarily in agricultural fields, to do those precarious (dirty, dull, and dangerous) jobs that Canadians reject at existing wages and work conditions (Hennebry, 2010, 2012). Working conditions proved to be among the worst of any occupation, with many denied fundamental workers’ rights because of language barriers , lack of familiarity with the law, and unscrupulous operators. Domestic workers (live-in caregivers) from the Philippines continue to be exploited by some middle-class families who should know better. Finally, Muslim Canadians and those of Middle Eastern origin remain targets of widespread racial profiling in the lingering aftermath of 9/11, which pits the West’s so-called secular superiority against the fanaticism of Islamist extremists (Hennebry & Momani, 2013). Canada and the United States shared much in common because of racism and racial discrimination. Laws and practices were invoked that segregated people of colour, especially blacks, from full and equal participation in Canadian society until the 1950s and 1960s (Walker, 1998). Racist groups such as the Ku Klux Klan also relied on naked violence to cultivate an...

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