From mouths of babes, bigotry

I am an Inuk who has experienced different “southern” cultures. Part of this experience has been prejudice and racism directed against me, as a minority.

I accepted this as ignorance and fear on the part of the racist person.

My 10-year-old just had two friends visiting, who suggested a name for a new pet. One casually said “Nigger. I had a pet named that before.” Shocked, I tried to explain how horrible a word that is, but these kids seemed de-sensitized to its meaning.

Inuit have become so prejudiced, that they don’t even realize the gravity of their words.

Too often, I hear derisive comments or nervous laughter directed at the Qallunaak, Portigee, Uivik or Sineesee.

While Inuit may have been made to feel inferior by colonialism and other cultures in the past, there is no excuse for their current mindset.

The words coming from the mouths of our babes are shameful. It is time for Inuit to quit the racist attitudes and deal with their prejudices head on.

Name withheld by request
Iqaluit