Writer Calls Michaлlle Jean a "Negro Queen"
Tue, 2008-06-03 08:32
#1
Makwa
Writer Calls Michaлlle Jean a "Negro Queen"
Tue, 2008-06-03 08:32
#2
Makwa
[url=http://www.womanist-musings.com/2008/05/queen-negro.html]Womanist Musings[/url] comments on an editorial whereby a prominant author calls the GG a "Negro Queen."
quote:
"Victor-Lйvy Beaulieu, who has penned some 70 works of fiction, non-fiction, drama and poetry, referred to Ms. Jean as "La Reine-Nиgre" -- or negro queen -- in an editorial he wrote for an independent newspaper." Unrepentant, he refused to acknowledge the racism in his statement. "It has nothing to do with racism," he told The Canadian Press in an interview from Trois-Pistoles, Que.It's not the colour of her skin that I'm attacking, it's her role and the way she assumes it. It's the role of a reine-nиgre." ... "At a certain point you have to call a cat a cat," he said. "We showered them (roi-nиgres) with gifts, jewels, clothes, cheap junk ... and they said exactly what the colonizers wanted them to say."
Womanist nails it when she comments:
quote:
Despite all of her accomplishments Michaлlle Jean is nothing other than a "negro queen". This is also a specific assault on her gender. Historically a black woman who has confidence, is accomplished, and has self respect have been characterized in a similar vein. Assertiveness, aggression, and achievement are deemed to be the preserve of men, specifically white men. How dare Michaлlle have her own political agenda. How dare she assert the authority that comes with her position. No matter how hard WOC struggle to elevate themselves in this world, someone is always ready to remind us that we have over stepped our bounds. Though her appointment is a symbol of progress in Canada vis a vis race and gender, it is clear that we have not evolved as far as we need to, if comments like this can be publicly said. White men will not willing give up their historical unearned privilege. It is up to us as POC to demand the respect that we deserve. Black Canadians have more than paid our dues, and it is time that we have our seat at the table of plenty. Victor-Lйvy Beaulieu may attempt to deny the racist, and sexist under tones of what he said, but those of us that must negotiate racism, and sexism everyday fully recognize his undeclared meaning. His language was assaultative, and to refuse to apologize further confirms his intent.
Tue, 2008-06-03 09:16
#3
VLB (as he is called here) undoubtedly went way beyond the line. As Womanist points out, he would never have called a White Male Governor-General a "roi nиgre". He singled her out for this title because of her race. I'll bet he would have called a Black G-G "roi nиgre", but we can't know that for sure.
Fortunately, there is a broad consensus in Quйbec that comments like this are intolerable.
I do, however, think that Womanist is a bit off the mark with this comment:
quote:
How dare Michaлlle have her own political agenda. How dare she assert the authority that comes with her position.
The G-G's "political agenda" is that of the government of the day. While once or twice in history a G-G has been called upon to make a decision (such as which party to ask to form the government in a deadlock), surely Mme Jean has never had to do so.
I do hope she was acting on Harper's orders - and not on her own "agenda" - when the following happened (from Makwa's link):
quote:
In her capacity as acting Commander-in-Chief, on March 8, 2007, Jean made her first visit to Canadian troops taking part in the offensive in Afghanistan. Prior to this, the Governor General had stated her desire to visit the troops, but the Prime Minister, Stephen Harper, advised her not to go, citing security concerns over the Vice-regal being in the turbulent area; this was despite the fact that a number of Canadian politicians had already visited the region. Jean landed on the same day two attacks against Canadian soldiers took place. Jean had the arrival timed specifically for International Women's Day, stating: "the women of Afghanistan may face the most unbearable conditions, but they never stop fighting for survival. Of course, we, the rest of the women around the world, took too long to hear the cries of our Afghan sisters, but I am here to tell them that they are no longer alone. And neither are the people of Afghanistan." Part of the Governor General's duties included a meeting with Afghan women, as well as Canadian soldiers, RCMP teams, humanitarian workers and diplomats.
By the way, here's a letter I sent to her last year on March 13, 2007:
quote:
Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaлlle Jean, C.C., C.M.M., C.O.M., C.D.
Governor General of CanadaExcellency:
I was disappointed to read of the views you expressed in praise of the Canadian soldiers and their "mission" in Afghanistan.
I hope you will read this statement by RAWA on the occasion of International Women's Day and let me know what you think of it:
[url=http://www.rawa.org/events/march8-07_e.htm]http://www.rawa.org/events/ma...
Unfortunately, I never received a response.
[ 03 June 2008: Message edited by: unionist ]
Tue, 2008-06-03 09:24
#4
quote:
Black Canadians have more than paid our dues, and it is time that we have our seat at the table of plenty. Victor-Lйvy Beaulieu may attempt to deny the racist, and sexist under tones of what he said, but those of us that must negotiate racism, and sexism everyday fully recognize his undeclared meaning. His language was assaultative, and to refuse to apologize further confirms his intent.- Womanist, in the article
While condemning the racist and sexist language of Victor-Lйvy Beaulieu, I also recognize the undeclared meaninng of Womanist's "negotiation" of sexism and racism and her yearning for a "seat at the table of plenty".
Racism and sexism are not negotiable attitudes/actions. POC and Women are not best served by some of their token "representatives" occupying seats at tables, but by equality, period.
I have seen too many POC occupying seats at tables and mostly helping themselves rather than the cause of racism or sexism. Decades after and the racism situation is going backward rather than improving.
I guess it boils down to giving Womanist an appointment of some kind, like her idol Michaelle Jean, and everything is dandy on the racism front.
People with integrity and caring would reject being tokens.
How many union activists would accept to be co-opted by employers? Why should POC accept to be co-opted?
[ 03 June 2008: Message edited by: mahmud ]
Tue, 2008-06-03 10:00
#5
A laurel for you unionist, for pointing out the other side of the coin while condemning the racism and sexism in VLB's narrative.
Tue, 2008-06-03 17:40
#6
I agree, in great sadness. She was a friend - we studied together. She was not only very bright and very beautiful, but very radical. The thought of her sucking up to the RACIST, IMPERIALIST military adventure in Afghanistan appalls me.
One must even defend filth like Condi Rice against the N word or the C word, because such language is used to dehumanise Black people or women. But she is a mortal enemy, as much as the white boys are.
Tue, 2008-06-03 18:28
#7
The holder of the office of the Governor General is the Commander-in-Chief of the Canadian Military and also the Colonel of three of the Regiments in the Army. Visiting the forces is part of the responsibilities of the job.
It's apparently an open question as to whether she could overrule the government on a military matter. The only way I could see that happening would be if the government of the day attempted to violate an explicit ruling of the International Court of Justice.
Tue, 2008-06-03 18:42
#8
That is true. But the deeper question is that this extremely intelligent - and once deeply forthright - person knowingly accepted to play such a role.
She should come in for scathing criticism - for being a turncoat and a sop to imperialist power, not for being female or Black.
Tue, 2008-06-03 18:44
#9
There's two possibilities, jrootham.
She's doing this stuff because she wants to.
Or she's doing this stuff because it's her job.
Either way, it's despicable. She is allowed to quit, you know.
Tue, 2008-06-03 19:40
#10
Why do folks prefer to take people to task rather than the institutions they embody? Also, it seems to me that it is more often women and racialized people that bear the brunt of this personalizing politic. As if they had to meet a more stringent standard. Isn't that sexist and racist too, esp. when it comes from white males?
Unionist, not to quibble - I do think that VLB's charge against Jean was a devastating ethical lapse and political catastrophy - but Andrй Laurendeau called Duplessis a "roi-nиgre" in a 1957 editorial.
Tue, 2008-06-03 19:54
#11
quote:
Originally posted by martin dufresne:
[b]Unionist, not to quibble - I do think that VLB's charge against Jean was a devastating ethical lapse and political catastrophy - but Andrй Laurendeau called Duplessis a "roi-nиgre" in a 1957 editorial.[/b]
I agree with you, in the sense that if VLB called (e.g.) Mario Dumont "roi-nиgre", or Maxime Bernier (better example), then he could maybe apply that term elsewhere and be consistent. But picking Jean for his attack was just too creepy.
Tue, 2008-06-03 19:59
#12
Well, it's not as if he had a choice of governors generals to take on in this matter - neither Dumont nor Bernier being enthroned as representatives of the Canadian state. But I agree that, because of Jean's origin, VLB should have refrained from this metaphor, a cheap shot knowing its restigmatizing effect in a racist society and one that destroyed his own argument.
But that's merely one white man's opinion; I think it is for POCs to assess the meanings and issues involved.
[ 03 June 2008: Message edited by: martin dufresne ]
[ 03 June 2008: Message edited by: martin dufresne ]
Tue, 2008-06-03 20:20
#13
quote:
Originally posted by lagatta:
[b]That is true. But the deeper question is that this extremely intelligent - and once deeply forthright - person knowingly accepted to play such a role.She should come in for scathing criticism - for being a turncoat and a sop to imperialist power, not for being female or Black.[/b]
OK, but that criticism should have been leveled the instant she became Governor General. The GG is the absolute centre of the Canadian political established order. That is the job description. She took the job.
Tue, 2008-06-03 20:57
#14
quote:
Why do folks prefer to take people to task rather than the institutions they embody? Also, it seems to me that it is more often women and racialized people that bear the brunt of this personalizing politic. As if they had to meet a more stringent standard. Isn't that sexist and racist too, esp. when it comes from white males? -By Martin Dufresne
I did because POC do not want tokenism, but equality and POC who accept to be instrument of smoke and mirror politics that keep an inegalitarian status quo deserve disdain.
I do not like the institution itself but I would rather see a white man occupying the position. At least the reality is being reflected, things are as they appear.
Wed, 2008-06-04 17:47
#15
As I told womanist:
quote:
I agree with most of what you [posted in this regard], but I would disavow the use of the word "aggression".From Wikipedia:
"In psychology and other social and behavioral sciences, aggression refers to behavior that is intended to cause harm or pain. Aggression can be either physical or verbal. Behavior that accidentally causes harm or pain is not aggression. Property damage and other destructive behavior may also fall under the definition of aggression. Aggression is not the same thing as assertiveness."
We need more assertiveness in this society, not more aggression.
[ 04 June 2008: Message edited by: toddsschneider ]