babble is rabble.ca's discussion board but it's much more than that: it's an online community for folks who just won't shut up. It's a place to tell each other — and the world — what's up with our work and campaigns.
Asian Canadian Labour Alliance turns 10!
June 3, 2010 - 10:09am
Quote:
Spotlight on Resistance
The Asian Canadian Labour Alliance (ACLA) is celebrating our 10 year anniversary
Come celebrate with us on Wed. June 9 6 pm to 8 pm Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE)
252 Bloor Street West Peace Lounge 7th floorToronto
The event will feature music, film screenings, music and speakers as we
commemorate the work of Asian labour activists fighting for racial and
economic justice.
Given the sudden popularity of strike action in China, and its results - sudden wage increases of 20, 50, and even 70 per cent (in the factory where 10 people have committed suicide in the last few months) - I'll bet that meeting at OISE had much to talk about last night!
George, we might have to talk about the difference between "Asian" and "Asian Canadian".
And also the difference between "Asia" and "China".
Ah, so.
Penny for your thoughts.
"Asian" is an adjective that describes, in this case, someone born in Asia.
"Asian Canadian" is also an adjective that describes someone born in, or raised in, Canada of Asian heritage. It can also describe someone who was born in Asia, came to Canada as an adult and was not raised in Canada. And a whole bunch of other combinations.
Asia is a continent. China is a country.
The Asian Canadian Labour Alliance is a group of Asian Canadians, who, as a result of experiencing racism and racist exclusion within their unions, formed ACLA 10 years ago.
P.S. "Ah, so"? Don't go there, George. If you meant to be clever by using an old racist phrase, you failed.
P.P.S. Ack! I just searched their archives and there is a baaaaaad photo of me in there. Damn.
Maysie, you are very free with your accusations of racism this morning. Thought we were trying to overcome that tired mantra, hereabouts. My major interest in things Asian is finding out where they might be headed. Didn't know this group suffered from racism within their workplaces.
But I'm still hoping to understand your answer to my first question...which could have explained to this hick, out beyond the borders of the Big Smoke, the reason for the existence of this organization. You ceertainly set one up for your backhanded charge of racism.
I will remember not to even try jocularity with you another time...certainly nothing as offensive as asking "penny for your thoughts."
And I'll certainly never offer up reading for the Book Lounge that I know will be metaphorically burnt before even a page is turned.
Reading George first post it appears he did not realize that Asian Canadian was being used as a compund noun. Given the title of the group one could read it as being an alliance between Asian and Canadian labour groups.
And by golly, the idea was born in Peterborough.
I grew up in Peterborough, and in high school, fished and hunted with a fellow draughting student, Kwong, in grades 11 and 12. I was an usher at his wedding to Fanny. He later retired from draughting in the CGE plant in Peterborough, and now owns a couple of apartment buildings. My partner and I celebrated a wedding anniversary at Fanny's restaurant, back in the 80s.
But I can see why the Asian-Canadian community of Peterborough, probably built around Trent U., came early to a defensive posture. In some areas, I'm reminded of Joe Bageant's experience in the hills of Virginia.
But then, perhaps I'll stop here and prepare for another lecture. I'm sure that in the last couple of hundred words I've managed to leave myself open for a charge of something or other...and yes, right now I'm just goddam sorry that I've had to go into a background explanation of why I am not just another white, male, working class racist. Didn't even have to reform in my old age. Grew up really, really disliking racists. ( And I'm an enemy of the middle class :) )
p.s. Heck, Kwong even taught me how to swear in the language of his father, who came from Canton to operate his restaurant in Lakefield. I'll spare you that response to your presumptuousness.
Hi George. Wow, you are very sensitive aren't you?
Nowhere did I call you racist. Read my posts again. I called the phrase you used racist. If you don't know the difference, I probably can't change your mind. I'm still not calling you racist, even now.
...........
Recap: GV "some words"
Maysie "Those words are racist"
Versus
GV "Some words"
Maysie (did not say this) "GV you are racist for using those words"
.......
My response in post #2 was a bit silly, and clear about being silly, and also informative.
My response in post #4 was meant to inform, and given the slight anger that the phrase "ah so" evoked in me, I needed to name THE PHRASE for what it is.
I'm not a member of ACLA, even though I know many people involved with the organization. They only have a blog, that I linked to, no website, which tells me they have few resources. Otherwise, google always works.
And George, I will call racist and other language when I see it, wherever I go. Not sure who told you "we" were "trying to overcome" (whatever that means) the "tired mantra" of naming oppression, but that's not happening.
And Caissa, I take your point, but my understanding is that if this was a cross-national alliance, it would be something like Asian/Canadian Labour Alliance. Which still doesn't make sense because of the continent/country thing.
But, that said, I apologize for my flippant tone in post #2.
George, as you can see I'm still here and still engaging with you in good faith.
I agree, Maysie; I was thinking hyphen. I was just trying to shed some light on a communication I thought was essentially a misunderstanding between two Babblers.
Thanks Maysie. Probably something I ate before going to bed last night.
Hmmm.
I made a fair gesture of peace towards you, George by acknowledging an error, and also drawing where my boundaries are re. what I said. And you have either made some edits, or I just didn't see the deliberate poke at me in post #5 regarding my closing another thread, in which you did not participate, that was about a book that is not progressive in any manner and has no place on babble, like any other right-wing screed.
Making a gesture of peace is best responded to in kind, George. It's just a nice thing to do, given our rocky history. Something you ate last night made you use the phrase "ah so" a classic racist phrase attributed to Asian folks in the 1940s and 1950s? I didn't see you even acknowledge, sincerely, that you were off by using it. I'm truly sorry about that George. It's in our mistakes that we have the possibility of the best learnings.
"Ach, so," is the classic blue-eyed, monocle-sporting, gestapo agent's remark of understanding. Dropped the "c".
Maysie, I understand your position, but you really have to cut some slack for this old slouch. I was looking forward to your enlightening me and then I'm given the REAL reason for the
in your missive. Gets all too niggling and positively oppressive, waiting for the hammer to fall. Do you know, I once came across a book in "rare books" at the U of T with the word "niggardly" in the text underlined in ink, and a marginal , handwritten note about racist literature?
I've read some of your summary statement/decisions that are models of precision and fairness. You speak from experience, with authority, and that makes you a perfect fit for the mod role.
But none of us are perfect in our understanding of all those personalities, histories and eccentricities out there, eh? And as for books... they are to be read and then reviewed/trashed/proscribed. :) Ali is really speaking out of one helluva life experience, eh? Heck, I held my breath and briefly reviewed Greg Mortenson ...knowing that he is also on the interdicted list. Glad I found some compensating thoughts in his work. Felt relief, a lifting of guilt. Orwell had to really, really dislike the Spanish experience.
George, what you typed was a very old anti-Asian slur. Just acknowledge it and move on. Enough with these explanations. And you are cut slack but don't seem prepared to return the favour.
eta: and "oppressive"???
eta: Corrected my wording indicated by Maysie.
Thanks Rev Please, but I think you mean "anti-Asian" slur. But I know what you mean and appreciate your words.
And George it was a wink, not a smile. My cute post is now a "missive". Sigh. And if I cut you more slack there would be dangling participles all over.
If you didn't know that the contentious phrase was racist, all you need to do is say so. This is the problem all of us have with oppressive language, and I always include myself in that "us". We don't know. It's perfectly fine to not know. Because we mess up, we learn, and we then know, until the next clueless moment.
Nalo Hopkinson's brilliant piece on noticing race, and making mistakes. I love her.
As for the drift, for decades there have been Muslim feminists who write about their concerns about Islam. They don't get reviewed by the Globe and Mail.
I would start with Women and Gender in Islam by Leila Ahmed, publication date 1992, Yale University Press. You can borrow my copy if you like.
Thanks for the link, Maysie. That answered my question about the organization. And yep, some people are real bastards, eh?
And mucka hi to you, RP. Where in hell did you come from anyway. My thoughts okay with you now, inspector?
Pardon my intervention George.