“Go back to your country.”

It’s a phrase I know many BIPOC in Canada have heard in some shape or form, further popularized by Trump's use of "shithole countries".

For a POC born in Canada, how does one react to this?

A longish thread, and story 1/14 https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2020/10/02/whats-it-like-to-be-a-person-of-colour-in-alberta-for-some-it-means-facing-overt-racism-cruel-comments-and-violent-confrontations.html

Racism is a thing that’s hard to quantify, and police-reported hate crimes are a poor indicator of any kind of uptick. But many experts have told me the election of Donald Trump was a definite turning point. Racists are more emboldened, online and elsewhere. 2/14

Depending on where you live, overt racism or hate-motivated violence in Canada is generally pretty rare. When it does happen, we see people and policy makers quickly condemn the incident, without acknowledging the forces that are driving it. 3/14

I think most BIPOC accept racism is a part of life and either try to blend in or try their best to ignore it. And then there are people like Kisha Daniels, a born and raised Black Albertan, who after watching a video of George Floyd being killed, decided enough is enough. 4/14

Daniels got involved in anti-racism activism. As a result, she and her family have faced death threats. Daniels was at several anti-racism events held in central Alberta last month that were crashed by far-right hate groups, in some cases violently. 5/14

She’s been frustrated by how police stand by but generally don’t intervene until a fight breaks out, or sometimes not at all. “I’ve read plenty in the media how the RCMP want to work with racialized people … I want them to do their job,” Daniels says. 6/14

The Red Deer RCMP’s detachment commander told me authorities are in a tough spot when policing these groups. “We’re not just going over there and someone starts yelling and we’re going to start bringing out batons,” Supt. Grobmeier said. “People have rights.” 7/14

The far-right hate groups, so-called “patriots”, have seen a surge in online activity and recruiting during the pandemic, says John McCoy, who studies extremism. The pandemic has limited freedoms, more people are at home and unemployed, while racial tensions are flaring up. 8/14

There’s been an interesting convergence of old-school racism and xenophobia fueled by new age tactics and conspiracy theories. “This is all coming together in a context in which information and disinformation is more accessible than ever,” McCoy says. 9/14

I hope this story doesn’t paint Alberta as a racist province. While Calgary and Edmonton are fairly diverse cities, when you get into the country and small towns it can feel awkward and unwelcoming as a person of colour. There are some who are resistant to change. 10/14

I also wanted to explore the subtle, seemingly innocuous microaggressions that can really make a person question their identity. “What’s your religion? Can I call you a shorter version of your name?” And of course – “Yeah but where are you really from?” 11/14

Every POC I know in Alberta can relate to this. Overall, most people are good and just genuinely curious. But there is a small but growing segment, exemplified by these “patriot” groups, whose discomfort does not stem from ignorance, but from genuine, visceral hate. 12/14

These groups are actively recruiting and radicalizing others. They are encouraging violence. Extremism festers when unchecked. It’s up to Canadians to decide what kind of country we want. 13/14

Racism exists in every corner of this globe, but being an anti-racism activist in a place like Alberta can really take a toll on people. I invite you to take a glimpse into what some racialized people in Canada face every day: https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2020/10/02/whats-it-like-to-be-a-person-of-colour-in-alberta-for-some-it-means-facing-overt-racism-cruel-comments-and-violent-confrontations.html12/12 14/14