1925 KKK gathering of a thousand in London, Ontario, with a hundred recruits
Did anyone else see the article in the Toronto Star yesterday about documents discovered in a home near Port Perry Ontario which describe the activity of the Ku Klux Klan in the area. It turns out that this racist organization which Canadians usually associate with the American South, was alive and well in this province 90 years ago, and Oshawa had a flourishing chapter. http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2014/01/07/the_kkk_in_ontario_found_documents_tell_of_klan_activity_90_years_ago.html
Actually, after a group of Bridge St. UC folk discussed the film The Butler one of the participants told me that when she had cleared up some family papers she discovered a reference in her late grandmother's diary to her husband heading out to a Klan meeting in a matter-of-fact way. This was in Southwestern Ontario, hardly what we might imagine as a KKK hotbed.
Racism is the gift that keeps on giving, sadly often associated with religion. We wish we could take back our attitudes toward Jews or First Nations peoples, or other people of colour. I have mentioned before that the late Rev. Dr. Wilbur Howard, a former moderator of the United Church, could not find a congregation to call him after his ordination in 1941. It was because he was black, and while he served the UCC in various capacities his first congregational call came in 1965, nearly a quarter century after ordination, and as the third minister in a large church.
We do need the jolts from time to time, to remind us of the systemic racism of our culture and the pervasive attitudes which shaped and still shape society, including the church. If we have any doubt, look at the responses to media articles about First Nations issues or immigrants. And while I am committed to equality I am not beyond subtle racist thoughts which I might never express.
Did you know about the history of the KKK in Ontario? Does it surprise you? Are you aware of racism in your workplace or hear it expressed amongst friends? Do you have your own inner chatter about issues of race?
4 comments:
That is surprising to hear regarding Port Perry/Oshawa. Racism certainly exists everywhere, so I guess I shouldn't be too surprised.
Living in northern Saskatchewan on a reserve, I even witnessed overt racism among members of the same Band!
I don't think anyone can state that they don't have any negative thoughts about race, but for it to be so extreme as to include membership in the kkk or to be hostile to people simply because of their race, is very discouraging and disturbing.
Working mostly with kids, in a fairly homogenious region, and community, racism is rarely brought up when we discuss concerns of their world and when historical happenings such as the resedential school atrocities are discussed, their jaws literally drop in disbelief as they grasp that this happened in their lifetime, in Canada.
I think this is hopeful,but realize that until their young lives actually closely intersect with significant numbers of folks of different backgrounds, to their own, anti-racism is an ideal....hopefully a strong ideal though that informs their minds, their voices and their actions.
I was watching a dvd recently where a young autistic girl decalred that she loved animals because you can't teach them to hate. Her wisdom reminded me of Nelson Mandela's poignant words 'No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate...."
Let us hope we are "learning' our kids about love rather than hate.
Thanks for both comments and the perspectives they provide. Your experience, Roger, was as a white person inserted into another cultural setting. Yours Laura, is in a community which has yet to become multi-cultural or multi-racial. I agree that we can hope and pray that our children and youth will have the groundwork of Christian love which allows them to be open.
Late to the party - I was googling around to find the news story on this. I lived in Port Perry as a young'n in the 1980s. I find no surprise in the suggestion that the KKK was a thing in the area.
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