Trudeau's Perilous Permission for Racism

I will attempt to begin with a reasonable and logical path, hopefully one we may all agree with. 

1. To be against racism is to be synonymous with being FOR equality.
2. To believe in equality - by its very definition - means being against inequality. (This sounds redundant, but needs to be stated to reveal the flaw in a particular position's logic. What would the opposing position be? Anti-racist but pro-inequality?)
3. To believe in equality means the equality of all people.... 
4. Read it again: all people. 
5. One more time: ALL people.

It is not a subversive or subservient agenda focused on some misplaced sense of justice, retribution or vengeance. To use the analogy of a totem pole, it should not be about turning the totem pole upside down, but laying it on its side (to stay with the idiom, there ceases to be a "high man on the totem pole," not a reversal of that "high man.")

Let us be clear here: If one group's agenda truly is "to turn the totem pole upside down", this is a position of Anti-racism/Pro-inequality, an  untenable position.

Its opposite (and only truly tenable position) - Anti-racist/Pro-equality - does not allow any sense of justified-discrimination. It does not embrace a zero-sum equation belief; that one's loss means another's gain, as a necessity.

This is not to say an individual should not be accountable and responsible for their actions or crimes. It is to say an individual cannot be responsible or accountable for their ancestors actions or crimes. To believe the latter is in itself a form of racism.

There is a dangerous, passive political momentum right now that not only allows, but encourages this perilous position and those subterfuge individuals that engage, promote and manipulate through it.

As defined by Wikipedia:

"Racism is the belief* in the superiority of one race over another. It may also mean prejudice**, discrimination**, or antagonism** directed against other people because they are of a different race or ethnicity."

* Belief. This is an intentional act and position, not an accidental one. Ergo, you cannot be an accidental racist. Racism is a deliberate act or position. It may be based upon erroneous not inaccurate information, but nevertheless is a conscious decision.

** Prejudice, discrimination, and antagonism are all beliefs manifesting in action. 

Racism necessitates two things: Intent and malicious action. Contrary to Justin Trudeau's definition, one cannot be an accidental racist. Intent DOES matter. (And this is not to say unintentional actions cannot harm).

(For further and better understanding of one's intent, see TedTalks withSally Kohn's Emotional Correctness: https://youtu.be/NCJTV5KaJJc

Actions and words may be inappropriate, rude, insensitive, belligerent, unlawful and hurtful without being racist. To believe otherwise is to group Nazis, KKK, those guilty of genocide and White Supremists into the exact same category as one who spouts off an inappropriate comment. (These are not excusable, but neither are they the same things.) This position is actually lessening the perpetrators of these horrific crimes and/or worldview. Watering them down, if you will.

If we embrace and if we allow Trudeau's re-definition of Racism; if we allow this lack of distinction, we are ultimately allowing Trudeau's Perilous Permission for Racism. We are allowing malicious groups with a hidden agenda power. We are feeding a new breed of racists.

I am an advocate for semantics. Once we can successfully label something, we can identify it, better explore it, and ultimately, understand it, or, as the case might be, bring it into the bright light of day. It currently finds its existence in the security of shadows.

These two forms of "Racism" need to be properly named and identified. For one is a wolf in sheep's clothing, and incredibly dangerous to our true growth of multiculturalism and equality.

Entering Tao; Taoist Meditations

Here are some typical Taoist meditations that you should do outdoors. I hesitate to call them meditations; maybe a contemplation or reflection. A better term would be "quiet watching". The method is the traditional outdoor meditation of quietly watching an object. A reconnection to nature is the cure. If you feel rushed and hasty - or are a rushed and hasty person - do this meditation.

Watch the Sky

Lie down in an open meadow on a fine day and look up at the sky. (Yes, you'll need to stop whatever you're doing and carve out a block of time. Yes, you do have the time). A few floating white clouds pass across the deep blue.

The deep blue indicates the depth of the sky. What you can reach is only the blue colour, not the depth of inexhaustible space. 

As you quietly watch, do not be disturbed by any passing object, especially clouds. 

This will guide you to reach the depth of your own mind and spirit. 

Use it to reach your depth.

Watching the Mountain

Sit quietly some distance away so that you can have the whole mountain within your view. By observing it, you can learn its independence and grandness (or smallness if need be).
It does not yield. It stand there, decade after decade.

Watching the Waterfall

When you need to cleanse away your worries, the toxicity and contamination of the world around you, or your disappointed thoughts about some failure or something lost that cannot come back, use the waterfall.

Sometimes emotions can be destructive.
Go to a place with a large waterfall and sit near the bottom, but not so close as to get wet.
By looking at the waterfall coming down from the sky, you will be washed and cleansed by it. Your emotions and experiences will all be washed away.
The water comes from the highest of the mountains, it rushed down to hit pond and stones beneath it, pounding through the obstacles in your life.

Through perseverance a stone gives way to the water.
You can learn this perseverance.
Reflect upon this quiet watching.

Watching the Tide

Sit at a safe place by the side of the ocean or harbour. When the big tide comes rushing in to attack the stones at the shore, sit quietly and watch. No matter how strong the tide is, remain in quietude. On the one hand, you are the tide rushing to the shore, but on the other hand, you are the shore where the rushing water stops. From the two forces, movement and stillness, you will attain the unity that exists above the conflict.

Watching the Bonfire

In expreriencing the ruelty of the world, you have been disappointed and frustrated. You have been pushed into a cold corner, and your heart has become iced over. You do not find any hope in your world. You do not find any good friend in your world. You do not find any good support in your world. So sit at a right distance to watch a fire in a fireplace or bonfire. Let the fire burn away all your troubled thoughts. Let it burn off all the cruel experiences. Warm your cold heart. Let your heart return to warmth. Although people in the world may treat you badly, imagine that they treat you as though you were the one being sacrified in life to the unseen deities. Let your feelings be burned as the sacrifice in the fire. Let it cleanse you. The warmth will reward you, revitalize your heart, renew your interest in life, and reactivate your courage to confront any difficulty in life. It will enhance your bravery to move into your bright future.

Watching the White Clouds
In a late spring, summer or autumn afternoon, you will see the billowing white clouds in the sky transforming into cities, mountainsm, villages, or animals. Some clouds bring very pleasant scenes or figures, but some do not. All the things you see have no connection to you, just quietly sitting there. They are so remote from you. Allow everything to transform in front of you without attempting to manage them or to keep them the same. Similarly, objectively watch yo life, all expereinces, and all evetns. Let them pass by. Let your spirit attain clamness and quietude. You become achieved by training it to watch the tranformation of beautfy or ugliness, of different colours and shapes of clouds, without building attachment to them. Clouds can also carry you far, far away, but do not allow yourself to be carried away; always find yourself unmoved.

Then in your life, when you have thoughts or troubles, bad or good expereiences, let them be the clouds, because you have already formed and trained yourself by watching the clouds in the sky. Let the clouds carry themselves away but your spirit be independent. Also, when you have problems in your life, go into your garden. raise your head, and look at the clouds and sky above. you. Your training will return to you in a few moments, and you will find calmness and dettachment from you troubles.

Watching the Still Pond
The water in the pond is so crystal=clear, you can even see fish swimming in it. Sit near it quietly, letting your mind be the water. All the fish enjoy the freedom of sweimming in the pond; they are not bothered by wind, because they are in the water of life, not the ater of death. Why allow your mind to be so crowded with negative thoughts? Learned from the example oft he pond so that no thought or emtional experience bothers you. By watching the pond, you attain calmness. There is no source of disterbance in your sight.

Watching the Evergreen Trees
In wintertime, the proud and undefeated spirit of these trees does not yeild to the pressure of the cold or snow. Quietly standing year after year without winking or frowning, all the needles or leaves stretch and grow as they should, undisturbed. The straight, sturdy trunk is the root of your life. Observe it to help you regain your strength of life in adverse conditions or in the cold world.

Watching the Blossoming Flower
In spring, summer, autumn, and even winter, flowers are blooming. They take their support from the weather, continuing to bloom dispite inclement weather. No human individual need be withered by the negative curcumstances in life. Let your life blossom like those flowers, in the sense of the fullness of your spirit and fullness of your life strength.



Hua-Ching Ni, "Entering the Tao", pg.135-138