Conrad Black: Two neighbours, not so much alike

People raise their fists in Atlanta at an event to mark Juneteenth, which commemorates the end of slavery in Texas, two years after the 1863 Emancipation Proclamation freed slaves elsewhere in the United States. ELIJAH NOUVELAGE/REUTERS

It is no secret to anyone that in the last few weeks, less attractive characteristics of both the United States and Canada have been exhibited, which we already know are neighboring nations and that, likewise, now face somewhat complicated situations. And it is that the racist violence of some misfit US police officers produced a white police murder of an African American in Minneapolis (George Floyd), which upset the United States and shocked the world.

While in Canada, reaction to US events prompted the much smoother but inexpressibly tedious practice of bringing political correctness to a level well below the point of diminishing returns.

Likewise, the United States in its competitiveness, veneration for firearms, and almost unconditional fixation on success has always been an immensely creative and productive country, but often frenetic and violent and rarely serene for long. Now, an idealized self-image is presented, but 50 years have passed since there was severe violence in more than one or two American cities at once.

Situations rooted in a legacy

The ultimate root of the problems that make American society so vulnerable to partial disruption has been stated to be the legacy of slavery. Likewise, it has been indicated that the country will ignore the nonsense about the disbursement of the police, although the reforms of the police techniques have been desperately needed forever and not only in matters related to race, and will finally be achieved. The President has already acted by executive order.

Now, it should be noted that as in most cases, Canada is not as complicated or as challenging as the immense, always slightly revolutionary, formerly slaves and lovers of firearms. However, in these two weeks, we have seen Canada outperform in political correctness. And it is that the former federal opposition leader Stockwell Day said on a CBC news panel two weeks ago that there was no systemic racism in Canada, and he was fired as director of the telecommunications company Telus and as an advisor to the law firm McMillan. Completing the circle in Stalinist terms, he apologized for telling the truth.

Canada will finally overcome its fetishist political correctness, though not as fast as the United States purges its nasty urban guerrillas. Canadians are right to celebrate that this is a gentler country than the United States. However, it could be considered madness to treat as racist the claim that Canada is not a “systematically racist” country.

Source: Conrad Black | National Post