I
I've been told ....
"That I don't understand/know what it's like to experience this or that!"
The implication being, it's not who you are or it's not what you've personally experienced.
How could you know?
And therefore, why should you be allowed to express an opinion or comment, and why should anyone listen to what you have to say!
I disagree ...
The assumption being that people know all they need to know about me, or that they have sufficient facts to make a conclusive statement about who they think I am or am not.
Case in point ...
Recently someone said in response to an action of mine that I shouldn't do or say this/that because it's not politically correct:
The comment made was ...
"You're not Indigenous?"
"Your actions are racist."
I asked "how do you know I'm not Indigenous?"
Is it because of my hair colour (red), skin colour (white), freckles and eyes ( that's a tricky one ... brown).
Is that why you think I'm not Indigenous?
Their response:
"You're not Indigenous?"
How do you know, I replied.
"My son is indigenous, and possesses associative inherent rights!"
Does it not seem therefore, rational, that I, his father, can say, ...
"I'm indigenous!"
Does not the inclusion of the one, by virtue of its inclusion, promote the other?
Or is it only a one way street?
My son bears my surname, is wholly a part of our family, along with a brother and sister with whom he shares associative inherit rights.
If that is true, is it not equally true that I have a right to be included in his family?
My son is Metis, and until relatively recent years, was rejected by both caucasian and indigenous people as belonging to neither society. With the inclusion of his place in one group (indigenous), does it not seem right we should be including him in the other, of which he is a part? Likewise, should we not equally be investing time and energy building bridges, rather than erecting walls amongst ourselves. How can things get better if all we are doing is replace one form of exclusion for another?
I agree that I'm not Indigenous, but I also believe I have a position at the table, just as my son equally has a right.
