Date: Thu, 20 Jul 2000 14:24:35 -0400
Subject: Re: White mens problems 


Terry, 
I'm a U.S. citizen working in Canada, and I have found myself in sticky
situations often enough because many Canadians often assume that I fit the
stereotype of the "ugly American" once they learn that I am from the States.
Although I realize that there are all kinds of reasons for Canadian dislike
of U.S. hegemony and U.S. citizens' ignorance of Canadian history and life,
these occasions are often hurtful to me on a personal level. I find that it
is always a form of reductionism when we view other human beings SOLELY as
representatives of a group to which they belong, most often by accident of
birth (yes, I was born in the U.S., but that doesn't mean I represent the
States). I agree with you that we cannot represent just ourselves
(individualities are social constructs, yes), yet I believe we have some
freedom to choose. Moreover, I believe that the fight against racism,
sexism, etc. is all about giving people more freedom to choose their
identities. Recognizing the importance of the collective identity does not
do away with the individual identities that we create, sometimes against the
grain of the collective identity. For instance, I assume that you do not
identify with the Canadian identity that Stockwell Day and other Canadian
Alliance people would like to build, given the comments you have made in
other postings! Lisa

----------
>From: terry goldie <tgoldie-AT-yorku.ca>
>To: postcolonial-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu
>Subject: Re: White mens problems 
>Date: Thu, Jul 20, 2000, 11:28 AM
>

>Since I don't believe anyone is only "representative of herself," no.
>terry
>
>Terry Goldie
>English Department
>York University
>North York, Ontario
>Canada
>M3J 1P3
>voice: 416-604-3670
>fax: 416-736-5412
>email: tgoldie-AT-yorku.ca
>
>On Thu, 20 Jul 2000, Florence Libert wrote:
>
>> > I suppose that when one group (Canadians) tends not to like another group
>> > (Americans) then a third group (eg. Europeans) usually says, "So what's
>> > the point?"
>> > terry
>> 
>> Terry,
>> 
>> Could you translate for me, not any group?
>> 
>> Florence representative of herself
>> 
>> >>> I hope all the Americans on the list realize I write as a Canadian.
>> >>> terry 
>> >> 
>> >> What should the non-Americans on the list think/realize? :)
>> >> Just wondering, Terry! :)
>> >> Florence
>> >> 
>> >>> I honestly think it is rather silly to make any big claims for race as
>> >>> inherent, more profound, biologically valid, or any other such. The
>> >>> only reason it is one of the most prominent, if not the most prominent,
>> >>> means of discrimination is because it is the most obvious marker of group
>> >>> difference. And perhaps there IS something inherent in groups not liking
>> >>> other groups.
>> >>> I hope all the Americans on the list realize I write as a Canadian.
>> >>> terry 
>> >>> 
>> >>> Terry Goldie
>> >>> English Department
>> >>> York University
>> >>> North York, Ontario
>> >>> Canada
>> >>> M3J 1P3
>> >>> voice: 416-604-3670
>> >>> fax: 416-736-5412
>> >>> email: tgoldie-AT-yorku.ca
>> 
>> 
>> 
>>      --- from list postcolonial-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu ---
>> 
>
>
>
>     --- from list postcolonial-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu ---
>


     --- from list postcolonial-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu ---