tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5349947899983990762.post6897856145071459581..comments2024-03-27T10:30:15.253-06:00Comments on Standing Into Danger: The Lansdowne Letters: A Question of IdentityFundy Bluehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02132147630106183853noreply@blogger.comBlogger48125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5349947899983990762.post-17281090406676008582017-10-11T14:12:50.392-06:002017-10-11T14:12:50.392-06:00Hi, dear Baili! You have been in my thoughts a lo...Hi, dear Baili! You have been in my thoughts a lot, even if I haven't been able to visit your blog with all that has been going on in recent days. I also keep thinking of your eldest son, and I hope that he has been settling into university in Germany well. You and your husband must be so proud of him!<br /><br />I loved teaching young kids because they are so honest and say what they think and feel without filters. I could have done many things in my life, but I'm so glad I answered my call to teach.<br /><br />Yes, the word "negro" is now inflammatory. When I write about the past, I want to be authentic in reflecting that past time. So I don't change "Indian" or other words in stories from the past. Then, a polite person said "negro" rather than "colored." There were worse words, of course. There always are. I have often wondered what it would be like to have to keep changing what you refer to yourself as, when every description you choose is quickly used in a derogatory way. <br /><br />I'm white, protestant, Scottish Canadian, but the only thing I've contended with is that Scottish people are considered to be tight or miserly with money. Not a big deal compared with what others have endured. Sometimes my husband asks me if I'm sure I am of Scottish descent since I have no problem spending money. LOL Terry is of Irish descent, and the Irish are associated with drunkenness. I've never seen my husband drunk, maybe feeling good a few times, but not drunk. It just goes to show how wrong it is to use hurtful words. All these words and prejudices have to be learned. I wish we could get beyond these ways of thinking.<br /><br />Sending you love and hugs, my friend!<br /> Fundy Bluehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02132147630106183853noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5349947899983990762.post-36719690743221539462017-10-11T13:37:26.332-06:002017-10-11T13:37:26.332-06:00Thanks, Sage! I've never forgotten the kindne...Thanks, Sage! I've never forgotten the kindness and understanding of the man on the bus. In my flash of memory, I see his big smile and warm eyes. Not everyone has such a positive introduction to people who are different from them. Have a good one, my friend. I'll be playing catch up.Fundy Bluehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02132147630106183853noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5349947899983990762.post-32775045632981176292017-10-11T13:29:47.200-06:002017-10-11T13:29:47.200-06:00That early memory of mine has always cracked me up...That early memory of mine has always cracked me up. Wouldn't it be great if we would all dig deeper than looks? I've found that the more I dig, the more I discover that people around the world are the same. Which we are, of course, since there is no such thing as race biologically. Have a good one, Jay, and thanks for visiting!<br />Fundy Bluehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02132147630106183853noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5349947899983990762.post-8334616129493734902017-10-11T13:18:07.154-06:002017-10-11T13:18:07.154-06:00Thank you, Rain! Thanks for sharing your early ex...Thank you, Rain! Thanks for sharing your early experience. The man in your story was classy like the one in mine. I remember reading accounts of indigenous people in the America thinking the first western Europeans they encountered were ghosts. Fairly often babies of a certain age react with shyness even fear with new people, even in their own families. Fortunately there are many good and compassionate people in this world. My dad was carrying his shoes because he had to canoe to work! I'll be around soon; I'm so behind right now. I hope all is well with you! take care! Fundy Bluehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02132147630106183853noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5349947899983990762.post-57889660909311008592017-10-11T07:57:49.557-06:002017-10-11T07:57:49.557-06:00Oh dear that was painful!
though it was not his mi...Oh dear that was painful!<br />though it was not his mistake still he managed to reply politely and affectionately!<br /><br />Children are free from any border or barrier who can stop them to THINK or ASK questions.<br />you were intelligent Louise and man was wise .<br /><br />In movies many times i saw that out of racial arguments people kill each other for just one single word that teases their inevitable habit to react for word "Negro "<br /><br />My sister who lived in usa for six years told that this word is banned now as it hurts the feeling of particular group .<br /><br />I appreciate the positive effort your father put for uplifting the life of his students, it is rare now bailihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06498012175058870980noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5349947899983990762.post-40667118709593907172017-10-10T19:38:40.863-06:002017-10-10T19:38:40.863-06:00Wonderful story and it is nice that the man was so...Wonderful story and it is nice that the man was so kind and understanding.sagehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17499891950639742366noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5349947899983990762.post-37410382934723082102017-10-10T15:29:50.740-06:002017-10-10T15:29:50.740-06:00Buns in the oven. That's where we come from! I...Buns in the oven. That's where we come from! I always wondered.<br /><br />The language of identity is so complex, but we're such simple creatures, we constantly judge each other by our "looks." We're so much deeper than that, but we have to want to scratch away below the surface.Jay Noelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04757777693161610861noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5349947899983990762.post-23688416469695796872017-10-10T12:21:44.074-06:002017-10-10T12:21:44.074-06:00I think you are doing WONDERFULLY with your choice...I think you are doing WONDERFULLY with your choice of words! You tell a wonderful story, even when it's hard to tell. I do love that photo of your dad holding his shoe! I think that kids in general aren't supposed to have "tact". When I was a kid, my aunt came over with her son. We were all going somewhere...too old to remember lol...but we had to take the bus. So we all got on the bus, and my aunt had my cousin in her arms. She sat next to a black man (African American now)...and my cousin pointed and burst into tears. He'd never seen any other colour but white on a person. My aunt was mortified, but the man was gracious. That's class. :)Rain https://www.blogger.com/profile/14377719049819222133noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5349947899983990762.post-10392179375350608192017-10-09T23:59:23.342-06:002017-10-09T23:59:23.342-06:00I love your brother's answer, Sue! What a cre...I love your brother's answer, Sue! What a credit to him and his wife for adopting seven children. Some people make such a big deal over "blood." I think it's love that truly makes a family. <br /><br />Some of the culture of the First Nations in Canada has been lost, but many people are working to pass on what has survived. I just got back from Victoria, British Columbia, two nights ago. It is Canada's most British city, but underneath it all is evidence of the Lekwammen people who once lived where the city now stands. I've had fun hunting down those traces. British Columbia is a linguistic hot spot, and the First Nations people are working hard to save their native languages. From Alaska to Hawaii and all across Canada, Indigenous people are sharing their concepts about the environment and peoples' place in it. There is a lot to learn from them. Have a good one! I'm so behind in blogging, but I'm back at catching up ~ again. Have a good one! Fundy Bluehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02132147630106183853noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5349947899983990762.post-39020859375056608902017-10-09T23:44:51.053-06:002017-10-09T23:44:51.053-06:00Thanks, Martha! I always smile when I think of th...Thanks, Martha! I always smile when I think of that story. What an unusual explanation! LOL It must have been quite a cultural shock for your parents to arrive in Canada and a city like Montreal. With the internet these days, we have a world of images at our fingertips. Have a great week, my friend!Fundy Bluehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02132147630106183853noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5349947899983990762.post-30194083379682770942017-10-09T23:38:02.689-06:002017-10-09T23:38:02.689-06:00It was quite an explanation, Stacy! But how are y...It was quite an explanation, Stacy! But how are you going to explain race to a little kid on a bus? I may only have a flash of memory of that kind and understanding man, but it is definitely a warm memory. I'm glad that you enjoy my stories! Big hugs and love back at you! Fundy Bluehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02132147630106183853noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5349947899983990762.post-56972296499087689622017-10-09T23:31:26.923-06:002017-10-09T23:31:26.923-06:00I hear you, Al! I won't even tell you the awf...I hear you, Al! I won't even tell you the awful rhyme we kids used to say to chose someone to be "It" for a game. My only defense is that we really didn't understand what we were saying. At the time it was just a rhyme. I wish I could take that memory back! Have a good one! Fundy Bluehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02132147630106183853noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5349947899983990762.post-22397973600728776342017-10-09T23:28:16.723-06:002017-10-09T23:28:16.723-06:00Hi, Theresa! I'll bet it was fun to grow up i...Hi, Theresa! I'll bet it was fun to grow up in a diverse neighborhood. Diverse for me as a young kid was going to school with some French Canadians in first grade. As an elementary teacher I met just about every kind of family you could imagine over the years. It's a very different world now, for sure. At least the horrible stigma of having a child "out of wedlock" has lessoned. I rarely hear "illegitimate" and "bastard" anymore ~ Thank goodness! Well, except for "Game of Thrones." Now that I'm home, I'm going to try out some of your recipes! Take care!Fundy Bluehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02132147630106183853noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5349947899983990762.post-48279938289757814642017-10-09T23:16:06.327-06:002017-10-09T23:16:06.327-06:00Hi, Donna! Everyone has such a unique story! Tha...Hi, Donna! Everyone has such a unique story! Thanks for sharing your experiences traveling through the South to Florida. Even today, I am shocked when I see documentary film from the days of segregation and the fight for civil rights. We had plenty of problems with discrimination against black people in Canada too. It just wasn't so blatant and inscribed in law. Have a good one! Fundy Bluehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02132147630106183853noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5349947899983990762.post-57990562854070355582017-10-09T23:09:34.103-06:002017-10-09T23:09:34.103-06:00Hi, Joylene! Like you, I am frequently looking up...Hi, Joylene! Like you, I am frequently looking up what is the correct term to refer to a whole range of people and things. Politically correct is a field of land mines. I wish Canada and the USA were beyond prejudice. I think that Canada is coming to grips with its past better than America is. Sometimes it is discouraging to think how far we have to go. Be glad that the world thinks Canada is beyond prejudice! It's not much fun being an American right now! <br /><br />When I was a kid I thought the Metis were the offspring of French and Indian parents, especially in the prairie provinces, and that they had rebelled with Louis Riel. What a lot I had and have to learn! I never grew up with questions about my ethnic identity, since I'm mostly Scottish on both sides. The big division in my family, and it was bitter at times, was religious: Protestant vs Roman Catholic, and then even further Baptist vs Presbyterian. Some interesting history there on both sides! <br /><br />Take care, my friend!<br /> Fundy Bluehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02132147630106183853noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5349947899983990762.post-40417356801648978912017-10-09T22:37:50.688-06:002017-10-09T22:37:50.688-06:00Thanks, Truedessa! I'll be by to catch up on ...Thanks, Truedessa! I'll be by to catch up on your posts shortly ~ I love your beautiful and mystical poetry.!Fundy Bluehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02132147630106183853noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5349947899983990762.post-64475426051715261382017-10-09T22:36:50.508-06:002017-10-09T22:36:50.508-06:00Hi, Susan! I always love the stories you share fr...Hi, Susan! I always love the stories you share from your childhood. You had a lot of unusual experiences too. <br /><br />I never understood segregation as a girl either, because it didn't make sense to me and it seemed wrong. Black people were certainly subjected to bad and unequal treatment in Canada, although it wasn't as vicious as in the US. You are right that our countries are works in progress. We have a long way to go in both countries, but at least we are trying to get rid of inequalities. Although right now I am very discouraged by events (Charlottesville and the like) that are happening in the US. I hope all is well with you. Sending you big hugs! Fundy Bluehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02132147630106183853noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5349947899983990762.post-47189614618875649072017-10-09T22:24:51.545-06:002017-10-09T22:24:51.545-06:00Hi, Kay! I'm back in Aurora from Victoria now...Hi, Kay! I'm back in Aurora from Victoria now, and I wasn't able to stay on top of my blog in the past few busy days. Yes, Dad really did try to respond to his students and their families wherever he taught. <br /><br />I often think about those days when there were segregation rules when I ride on a bus or train. Kudos to you for doing the right thing. I'll give my spot to anyone who looks like he or she needs a seat. Period! I'm sure you do too. Have a great week, my friend. I'll be round asap!Fundy Bluehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02132147630106183853noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5349947899983990762.post-56771413733105327462017-10-09T22:19:20.759-06:002017-10-09T22:19:20.759-06:00My brother and his wife, unable to conceive, adopt...My brother and his wife, unable to conceive, adopted seven kids. Some of them were black (still are, actually). Years ago, on a visit to our area, my brother and some of my nieces and nephews were coming out of a store when a person walked up to him and said "Why are your kids black?"<br />My brother never missed a beat. "They were born that way," he replied.<br />:D<br />What a fascinating account of the naming habits of other cultures. There are some large Amish communities near where I live, and I've seen many instances among them of children with identical first and last names - often in families that live next door to each other. When I worked at the drugstore it could be quite confusing as many of them were our patients.<br />Hundreds of First Nations - what a richness of cultural heritage! I hope some of it was allowed to survive.Mrs. Micawberhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08680436275934263596noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5349947899983990762.post-25226464013334686532017-10-09T22:18:38.425-06:002017-10-09T22:18:38.425-06:00Hi, Janie! The story about your mother-in-law is ...Hi, Janie! The story about your mother-in-law is so sad, but typical of that time. We still have a long way to go. <br /><br />When I mentioned Indigenous identity, I didn't get into the more confusing aspects of it, which I'm still working on understanding fully myself. Most of the Indigenous people in Canada lived in small bands or groups, and these groups were signatories to treaties in many parts of Canada well over a century ago. <br /><br />The band numbers date back to the Indian Act and who is a Status-Indian and who is a Non-Status Indian. Status-Indians are in the Indian Register and have important legal rights that come with their status and they receive federal funds when they live on a reserve. Over the decades there were all kinds of ways that Indigenous people could be stripped of their Indian-Status, the goal being to decrease the number of legal "Indians" until there were no "Indians." A band number was an important piece of identification, still is. <br /><br />It's a mess in Canada right now, especially after a Supreme Court ruling in 2016 that I don't even begin to understand. I have a lot to learn and understand, so I won't say anything more about it right now.<br /><br />Have a great week, my friend!Fundy Bluehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02132147630106183853noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5349947899983990762.post-48058875426074212972017-10-09T21:47:15.833-06:002017-10-09T21:47:15.833-06:00Hi, Debra! You don't forget a striking experi...Hi, Debra! You don't forget a striking experience like that! I taught in a diverse school with kiddos from around the world who came in all sorts of wonderful colors: skin, hair, eyes. It never ceased to amaze me. I remember when I first found a box of people colors crayons at a teaching supply store. I was so excited and bought it immediately for my students. Twenty-four gorgeous shades. I bought boxes of them every year afterward. Every kid wanted to find his or her shade! Have a great week, my friend!Fundy Bluehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02132147630106183853noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5349947899983990762.post-84358316901206109292017-10-09T21:30:28.461-06:002017-10-09T21:30:28.461-06:00Hi, Jean! I hope that your family photograph sess...Hi, Jean! I hope that your family photograph session went well! I also hope that both you and Hugh continue to improve. I'll be around catching up in the next couple of days. We had snow today, raw wet weather and sullen skies, after a glorious warm day yesterday. I managed to get out into the park along Piney Creek yesterday, crazy busy or not. There were clouds of beautiful American Painted Lady butterflies feeding in the yellow rabbit brushes in parts of the park. They're migrating south right now, so I'm going to have to go on line and find out what happens if they get caught in snow. The Denver metro area is very diverse, so I am used to seeing people from all over the world. I like being surrounded by people from everywhere. It exposes me to new ways of thinking. Have a lovely week my friend! Fundy Bluehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02132147630106183853noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5349947899983990762.post-55528199050496554902017-10-09T21:13:22.944-06:002017-10-09T21:13:22.944-06:00Hi, Linda! Sorry that I'm just responding now...Hi, Linda! Sorry that I'm just responding now. I had a fabulous week, and thank you for wishing it so. With two posts (northern and IWSG) to write, IWSG Day, packing, traveling, and making the most of my last days in Victoria, plus flying home and unpacking ~ Well, it was a busy and happy week! You are always supportive, and I appreciate it more than I can say! I hope that your week is great. I'll be catching up over the next few days! Hugs to you! Fundy Bluehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02132147630106183853noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5349947899983990762.post-79852822576422299412017-10-09T21:08:01.202-06:002017-10-09T21:08:01.202-06:00No doubt about it, Adam. You aren't startled ...No doubt about it, Adam. You aren't startled by what is normal or usual around you. I hope that you and Daisy have a great week together!Fundy Bluehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02132147630106183853noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5349947899983990762.post-85729915391328557512017-10-09T21:01:02.033-06:002017-10-09T21:01:02.033-06:00Loved the story you shared, Peggy! Children have ...Loved the story you shared, Peggy! Children have to be taught prejudices. I taught at a very diverse elementary school, and although there were sometimes racial tensions between some kids, most of the kids acted like the boy in your class. I hope that you and Don had a great weekend. Fundy Bluehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02132147630106183853noreply@blogger.com