And if you are expecting me to be the Brown Girl Canadian who gives him a pass, you’re going to be sad to find out that is not the case. He fucked up, he admitted he fucked up and while normally Political apologies piss me off, this one….hits home a little differently.
I legit cried when I first heard about it, because I voted for this man, I expected him to be a lot of things, a liar of course because it’s basically in the job description, but maybe when it comes to race I had higher hopes for him.
I saw this man with my own eyes embrace Jagmeet Singh at Pride, and that was such a moment that I wish I’d gotten a photo of it.
The smiles these two men had brought tears to me on that day too, largely and more importantly because I really like Jagmeet. I’ve met him twice now, I’ve witnessed him talk, I’ve heard the passion he has in his voice for a better country, for us. I’ve hugged him and smiled with him, and took a photo with him and my mom.
When I saw these two men hug, it was a powerful moment of “wow….that’s the leader of my country…hugging a man of color.” Not an image I see very often, not just hugging, but embracing.
As the official Loud Mouth Brown Girl for Surrey BC, and well quite frankly Canada, I can honestly tell you that there are a lot of moments I have spent thirty-six years of my life to see, and that was one so important to me I didn’t even know I needed it.
Until tonight.
When not one but two separate photos of the Leader of My Country, Our Country, wearing Black and Brown face, and although he admitted to it, it makes me question Pride 2019 with such vigor that yes, it brought tears to my eyes, heart and soul.
For all those of you who think it’s no big deal, it is a huge deal. This man was chosen to represent the voices of an entire country, and now I am going to internally question everything he says and does, whether I mean to or not, because having seen him embrace the Brown guy whose in charge of the NDP (which is kind of a big deal in case you didn’t know), it now seems disingenuous and that is a terrible feeling.
Around the world people are learning that Justin Trudeau is human, and that he made a massively human mistake that hundreds of thousands of celebrity people have made long before him, and even more future celebrities who are making it as I write this.
He isn’t the first, he won’t be the last, but shouldn’t he be? At what point do we realize the power that comes with our vote? At what point do we realize just how much power we are handing off to these talking heads who are supposed to be giving us a better life instead are making it worse with each generation?
As children we are all idealists, convinced we could change the world if only given the chance, and with that vote we are given that chance and at every single turn we continue to elect these people that start out with such promise and yet fail us with out even really trying.
At what point is enough enough?
This isn’t just about Black or Brown face, it’s about children dying at the borders, separated from their parents, locked in cages, starving to death while we forgive our racist Politician’s because racism isn’t that big a deal.
When exactly, will racism start being a big deal?
How many more Sandy Hook like shootings is it going to take? How many more thousands of children need to be separated, lost, stolen, beaten, raped, tortured and murdered because of the color of their skin is it going to take before it’s a big fucking deal?
Yeah sure it’s Canada, it’s not likely that’s going to happen here, but then again that’s what they said when Trump said he was running for office and did exactly what he promised to do.
Sure, he emptied the swamp, and then he filled it with alligators and crocodiles, gave them the keys to the kingdom and has still yet to answer for hundreds of missing children, but of course this isn’t America.
This is Canada, and it’s only Black or Brown Face.
This time.
I know who I will be voting for, I know where I will be putting my power but my honest question is do you? Do you know why you are voting for specific people? Do you know that Jagmeet Singh was a child whose family dealt with addiction and poverty? Do you know he understands what you’re going through because he’s been there?
Do you care? Or are you going to continue to vote for the white privileged guy who doesn’t have a clue what it’s like to go without a meal or a bed of your own? The choice is yours, but I know where I’ll be putting my vote. Not just because Justin pissed me off, but because I know who deserves my vote. I know where it will be best taken care of and valued. I know where the color of MY skin, actually matters.
Maybe I’m crazy, but I don’t think I’m speaking out of hand here. I’ve lived in this country for thirty-six years and I’ve seen racism go from bad to worse…am I out of line? What do you think? let me know in the comments below.
Sending all my love,
Devon J Hall
Loud Mouth Brown Girl 