Close Reading

Before I moved to Brampton, I had no idea HOW MANY Indians actually lived here. I'm of south Asian descent but I grew up here as a Canadian. I still keep my culture but I'm Canadian FIRST. It's true too, some of them don't believe in deodorant, holy shit I literally had to tell a guy who sat beside me on the bus that he smelled. I know it was rude but if someone doesn't tell these people, they will think not wearing deodorant is normal. I miss the Canada I grew up in. My friends were mostly white but there was a nice mix of us: white, black, asian so we all got along. Today, everyone is in their own groups, strangers are the enemy, there is so much more segregation than there has ever been. Not long ago at a Tim Hortons I heard an Indian guy who was clearly new to the country telling his friend he didn't have to learn English because everyone in Brampton speaks Punjabi, it was insulting hearing that.....Listen up Indians and any immigrants coming here: BEFORE you come here, learn English, LEARN the customs and learn the CANADIAN WAY. You owe it to Canada, give something back before you start taking.

As someone who is more liberal minded, I don't agree with illegal immigration (I'm also pretty fiscally conservative). I'm open to the idea of healthcare for all, I'm open to legalized pot (even though I hate pot), I don't agree with most wars, and I don't give a rats ass who someone marries or who makes your cake. But all those things are for CITIZENS. That CITIZENS should have. Not someone who comes here just because they think everything is free, don't need to learn English and probably not pay taxes. This is supporting something illegal. I wish democrats could stick up for this country, rather than certain demographics. I believe we would never lose again if they could do that. This is the reason healthcare for all cannot be talked about right now. We have people thinking they can come here and do nothing with how things are now. Imagine if healthcare was free.

I feel bad for his innocent children to have to go through this. You want to live in another country, you need to follow the law like every else. You learn the language, get the same I.D. We all have to have , and be treated the same as if any American were to illegally cross boarders! What we have to go through just to have identification here should be no different for anyone else! You can’t just live off our tax dollars and government ins., food stamps etc.. While we pay for you to live here!! I don’t reap those benefits, yet I’m paying yours!! I can’t feel bad! When I go to a dr. Or dentist and an immigrant or a lazy able bodied parent gets everything done free and I’m struggling to pay with full ins.. I literally walk out so pissed off! These are straight facts!! He had fifteen years to make it right. Instead he took a shot doing it his way to reap the American benefits and the feel bad for me card!If they ever let him come back and he collected any kind of help in those last fifteen years, “if” , he should have to get proper I.D., citizenship, and pay back anything he was given! It’s only fair! He was able to save all that money tax free, hmmm must be nice! I don’t feel bad he had to spend it. That’s real life!I’m tired of watching my citizens no matter race or color, work hard paying taxes and giving their hard earned money away!!If we just let anyone walk right through our boarder than what’s the point of any American needing any I.D.??? Don’t people get why it’s so important to keep track for so many obvious different reasons!! I believe certain citizens with outrageous offenses should be chipped!In every race!I don’t care who the president is any president that doesn’t believe this is the right thing to do sucks! I didn’t vote for a Trump! I think he’s smart and a moron at the same time!

I dont know how black people are not sensing by now that this slavery story is suspect - even in this Canada roundup they have to push the idea that Canada had black slavery - wake up people there is a reason why we are choked with this slavery story from cradle to grave. At this point, i dont believe it - i believe it is rewritten history - i believe its kept in the forefront as a way of instilling oppression in our psyche, to stop us from really understanding that blacks were always in America, in Canada, in the Carribean, were the original rulers of Africa, of Europe, and are the original people right across the globe. Im sick of the bs storytelling.

so I just have one question... Why is it that black people are being followed in department stores? Think really long and really hard about that... Here in America it is because we have a huge problem with the black community feeling entitled and running through stores and just taking what they want ( flash mobs). The reason they are profiled isn't because of their skin color, it's because they are known, as a culture, to be Thieves who have been told they're entitled. that doesn't mean I believe that it's right, I just understand why people are leery of a culture that feels that it's okay for them to steal and take whatever they want. Nor do I believe all people with that skin color are part of that culture.

If you are an immigrant to one country you can't really expect to claim asylum in another country. On top of that...I believe we should have a moratorium on immigration in Canada. let's start looking out for our own...PERIOD> 20,000 send them all back!

just watched the national on the cbc and an muslim guest said that canadians are accepting, tolerant, kind, etc --- I ask why are muslims not? they do not seem to tolerate becoming canadian - accepting our customs and when confronted some of them are really agressive (but that's just my experience) ... and then there's MO, a good friend of mine (his name is mohammed but prefers Mo - he says it causes less problems in these times) why are immigrates against integrating into our customs - it seems to me our customs are pretty good. we don't believe gays should be thrown off buildings - we don't believe someone who steals should have a hand chopped off, we do not believe that an atheist should be decapitated. If you have a choice it seems you should choose to integrate. now you'll say my view is simplistic - but we complicate things too much - progess is mans ability to complicate simplicity (someone smart once said this)

Probably the only thing i liked about harper. \nHe actually protected Canada from the bad type immigrants (there are good too). \nHe made a law making companies hire Canadians FIRST and if they really cant find someone they can hire immigrants. \nHe also lowered the quota of immigrants coming in every year to a reasonable amount that we can actually handle...\n... I am actually not a harper supported believe it or not and voted for Trudeau but tbh Harper does have some things right. Very few things but yea.

Religion like all superstition based beliefs cannot stand the light of day, or that is, any kind of criticism.  However, the Muslim religion believes if someone criticize any part of it they should be killed.  This is a believe system that goes back to the dark ages, and that is where it should have stayed.  If 10 % of Muslims think ISIS is okay, at what point do they start making suicide bombs ?  I am sorry but we in the western world had better come to cripes with their belief system, and be very careful whom we allow into any of the western countries.

Tell me. If your free. Cant you do what you want.. wear what you want... whos going to stop you? Islam is no more war filled any other religion. All have blood on them. but I also believe every culture has a place in this society. We created it.We created a society that is inclusive and fair and just. Canada is not a christian country... we stole this country from the natives and imposed our own will and religion on them... raped them and beat them until they surrendered... Tell me how christian that is?

As a older Canadian born and bred, but now in Europe because of marriage, I can see things farther toward the wall than most of you perhaps in Brandon, Thunder Bay, Charlottetown, Whitby, Kamloops, Red Deer, etc. This is extremely dangerous. A few muslims are o.k., as they may assimilate to Canadian values of 'PEACE, ORDER, and GOOD GOVERNMENT'. Yet most do not wish to assimilate, only to remain who they are, ungrateful of the bounty Canada offers them, and holding values against those our country has always promulgated. We have separation of church and state in Canada, and fought very hard for it, with a history of bloody wars in Europe to show for it. It is repulsive how we are allowing a bleeding of immigrants into our country who do not believe in our basic creed. This is not racial. This is not hate-based or prejudice. It is simply defending our creed as a country, from wherever you are, and whomever you are. Canada is worth defending. Where are the feminists on this? Why are you not defending Canada is this debate?

As a Muslim living in Canada, I don't see the harm in a woman wanting to cover herself, I wear the head scarf myself, but in my opinions I don't feel the need to cover myself to prove I am more modest or a better Muslim.  I believe everyone has free will and has the right in this Country to dress the way that the law has allowed them to.  No one has the right to tell someone how to dress, not even the Prime Minister himself.  Telling a woman what she can and cannot wear is oppression.  I truly believe that if Muslims want to live in Western civilization, then they should refrain from covering their faces because the face is our identity and People have the right to know who you are and what your face looks like.  You cannot vote with a covered face, you cannot cover your face in a passport photo, you cannot cover your face for your driver's licence etc... I am a Muslim woman and I say this.  It truly is a shame how the media is portraying Islam and the Muslim people as a whole, and it truly is a shame that Canadians have become so ignorant.  I see more ignorance and racism in Canada than I do in America and 9/11 took place in America.  If you want to know about Islam, learn about Islam from a Muslim, a Library, google Islam, or offer to spend a few days with a Muslim family for research to get a better understanding of Islam and Muslims.  As a Muslim myself I can understand the hatred and the ignorance because we act according to how we were taught and raised, and yes we have many extremists claiming to follow the Islamic faith.  These extremists are not only hurting Western civilization, but they are also hurting the peaceful moderate Muslims that value their rights and freedoms as Canadians.  I do not appreciate ISIS hijacking my religion, I do not appreciate Hamas or Hezballah hijacking my Religion because I am a very accepting person and a very open minded Muslim and to be defined by media as a problem or a terrorist is very hurtful and a shame.

I just wonder why? Why Muslims? I mean every religion has the extremists! I know Muslims has the fair share and maybe more! But so what I am scared... Scared to wear a hijab in public because a person in my class. Someone I thought was a friend asked me what religion I was. I answered Muslim. He critiqued me he swore and called me a terrorist. In front of my best friends face. She didn't do anything... People seem to believe what ever is put on the media. Yeah we have terrorists but who doesn't! So what we have our religion you have one too. So what I just wonder. Why dose it have to be Muslims?

My experience in Canada has been largely positive, with only minimal racial difficulties.  As a teenager, I do recall some kids making blatantly racist comments, when I was the only minority in the room; but they were silly girls, popular and full of themselves, and most of the students who heard did not laugh with them. We all knew it was wrong.  Another time I was told, by an agent, that a potential employer claimed she would not hire me because of my race.  I did not hear these words firsthand, though, so it was impossible for me to verify the truth. In the end, I let the matter alone. Other people,  I realize, have endured severe injustices; such have not been my experience, but this does not subtract from their reality.  Indeed, racism does exist, and shall remain as long as there are imbeciles wallowing in the mire of ignorance, people who cling to an absurd sense of superiority for lack of something more meaningful to hold.  As well--and it must be said!--quite likely, we all have, at some point, entertained discriminatory thoughts. 'Tis not a 'black and white' problem but a human one, and we must be mindful of it beginning with ourselves.  Canada, then, with its many inhabitants and complex history, will never be the exception. We can't expect perfection among people, here or anywhere else in the world.  Even so,  I believe there are enough fellow Canadians who strive to treat people as individuals and are happy to make friends across cultures.  My life has been and continues to be a testament to that!  Whatever our troubles, we still retain a proud heritage of diversity and progressive ethnic harmony.  We do try, and for this reason I love my country.  I am deeply patriotic and immensely proud to be part of it!  

Islam has clear rules on how shariah is to be implementated and we must have an islamic state in musim lands. So patrols in non muslim lands is not the way it must be done especially that there is no state to back them up. For drugs and prostitution i believe their are right as any citizen muslim or not should get that dirt off our streets. Shariah law must come to the muslim lands and now is not the time yet for britain. When british people embrace Islam we will discuss it again insha Allah

As for multiculturalism, is a political word and means what ever politicians want it to at the time. I believe in humanity, I grew up in Manchester and lived their until my forties. Now having lived all over the world I can honestly say that all people are pretty much the same. We all want the same things and most people are decent. The racists I have come across are always pretty thick and usually being manipulated by some group leader who just like religious leaders. just want power. .