Bullying - The Jamie Hubley incident

1 - Should, as Rick Mercer suggests, all well-known homosexuals openly admit to the public that they are gay?

            Not necessarily. If one wishes to keep his private life and hobbies private, there’s no shame in that. The bigger problem is born of discrimination from sexual orientation, or rather, the fear of said judgment: it has been clearly shown that men and women of all ages display discomfort, rudeness or even flat-out (albeit camouflaged) forms of segregation to keep people with a different sexual orientation at bay. Isn’t it somewhat shameful to say that, in this age of so-called technological advancement and progress, humans are unable to relinquish the out-dated taboo of sexual preference? The only reason public figures and celebrities do not always openly reveal their sexuality is due to the fear of being judged, intimidated or stoned solely due to the fact that they are gay…Ridiculous, no? So, I’m sorry to say so Mr. Mercer, but I don’t think you have the right idea: rather, what should be done is abolish this unspoken, global epidemic of crippling homophobia so that children and adults who have aren’t heterosexuals can live their lives unhampered by moronic preconceptions and the blasphemy of imbeciles who consistently spew a noxious slur of anti-gay slurs. Now, I don’t mean suck it up and be a total hard-ass about everything (I mean, even I find some of those “trouser pilot” jokes pretty funny myself), but the least that can be done is to do away with this unjustified, slanderous hate cries. After all, even our old buddy Rick (who, surprisingly, did not mention he was he himself a “trouser pilot” during his speech, an odd fact considering he already openly revealed his homosexuality a few years back to the people of Canada) said that homosexuals don’t need to strut their stuff around town bearing the conventional rainbow-patterned flag, lulling every human being to sleep with their redundant bitching: the only thing that truly needs to be accomplished is an abolition of discrimination and intimidation towards homosexuals. Because, like it or not, what happened to Mr. Hubley will happen again if nothing is done to put a stop to this sickening, inhumane display of cruelty.

2 - Who is responsible for helping bullied students? (Are we all responsible – this is what a journalist claims in response to Rick Mercer’s blog  - read the article I linked  - No, Rick Mercer…)

            -IMPORTANT FOREWORD- I got REALLY pissed writing this: please just dismiss the threats in the post-scriptum as a rueful man’s ramblings…-

Well, while I’m don’t agree one-hundred percent with this short article (excuse me if I sound a little crude here, but judging by the way this man was writing his text, it almost seems like he himself is a homosexual who doesn’t want people to learn about his sexual orientation…I’m just saying), I support his main thesis: EVERYONE (notice the big, underlined, capital letters) needs to stand up and help bullied students, but also bullied coworkers, acquaintances and family. How people can turn a blind eye to another’s abuse by the hands of a fellow man or woman (don’t deny it ladies: you can be unconventionally cruel or hurtful) is almost brain-numbingly deplorable. Abandoning, ignoring or causing the suffering of another person is, in itself, a crime towards humanity. Sugar-coat it all you want, contradict me all you want, but you cannot sway me: bullying is nothing less than a form of torture. Physical, mental and social torture. Look the other way if you want to: all you’ll see is more abuse. What’s that? You won’t stand up or help someone being bullied because you’re scared or intimidated by someone, dismissing it as “none of my business”? If so, I say to you, in all honesty, and from the bottom of my heart, the following words: Fuck you, you pathetic excuse of a living being. This is the absolute lowest form of cowardice that can exist: someone is slowly dying (no, I am not exaggerating – dying is indeed the correct word to employ in this particular situation) before you, and you just blow it off as nothing at all? Please, slit your wrists in repentance immediately…unless you’re all too terrified to do THAT too, and need me to do it for you, you spineless, gutless, soulless, dehumanized pieces of beast dung. However, what downright appals me is the fact that nobody did something to help Jamie Hubley. Really? Nobody noticed? The boy was pushed to suicide thanks to wallops of bludgeonings and insults, and absolutely no one noticed? Bullshit. Nobody gave a damn to help, that’s what happened. Not a classmate, not a teacher, not even one of the bullies (who could have surprised somebody and shown a shred of human decency) did anything. And you know why? Probably because nobody wanted to be associated with the reject, the wimp, or, most likely, the homo. Give me a god damn break. Everyone and anyone MUST (as in you’re obliged to) help people who are being bullied, or more calamities such as the death of Mr. Hubley will begin anew. This isn’t a suggestion. It is an order. Abandoning someone in dire need is a crime, punishable by law. Why a boy ravaged by endless bullying is not considered someone “in dire need of assistance” blows my mind. So be human, and help humanity.

            -P.S. – Sure it sounds kind of laughable to hear me say this stuff, but I know the people who will be reading this. That said, if I ever catch any of you brutalizing somebody, physically or verbally, or ignoring someone’s suffering, allow me to promise you that I will personally shove an icepick through your lower jaw…And believe me, it isn’t that hard to do – bones and flesh in that area are particularly easy to pierce. (And to all of you who have gall to resort to cyber bullying (AKA: hiding like a timid little bitch in your bunker, to craven to even insult someone directly), I will not hesitate to stomp your skull till nothing but a filthy, gore-ridden mass of crushed bone, flesh, blood and splattered brain matter remains…And hey, maybe I’ll give you a little taste of your won medicine and post a picture of your eviscerated cranium on Facebook or something…)

3 - Should kids just be tougher and accept bullying or should the bullies be punished (in other words are kids just being kids and will the bullies eventually grow up and regret their actions)

            Bullies are to be punished. By torture. Why? As I said earlier, bullying is nothing less than torture (it may be, perhaps, something more though), and, while I’m not that much of a believer when it comes to the traditional “an eye for an eye” philosophy, I do believe this is the only appropriate course of action to take: kids that bully other kids ruin lives. The only proper way to repay the suffering they cause is to have them become aware of the endless blights they spread, through pain. I’m hardly exaggerating: Hubley had batteries shoved down his throat, was endlessly harassed, and eventually killed himself in desperation (as in a complete loss of hope). The bullies who did this to him (and, actually all bullies) should have their stomachs torn open whilst they still live so that they bathe in their own filth, the skin of their faces and their eyelids torn off, and their genitals lacerated till they become nothing more than ground meat…Then, they should be asked to apologize, and beg to be released. And, for the final touch, they should be expelled from their school, and possibly, exiled from the province, state, country, and/or continent. Please notice that I am dead serious. Bullies should be tortured. Sounds fair, doesn’t it? Of course it does.

Lack of volunteering (It didn't appear when I first posted it, so here it is again...)

-Why is there a lack of participation?: Most likely, it is due to a lack of time and/or interest. There aren’t that many people who have enough free time to dedicate a couple hours a week to volunteer work or assistance to community services, let alone students, who usually have their hands full with classes and homework. In addition, schedule discrepancies between those of students and those of benevolent organizations can render otherwise willing volunteers incapable of lending a helping hand to their society. Unfortunately, even if service learning programs can be helpful and educational (not to mention extremely useful to have on your resume), students are either unexcited at the prospect, or simply have too many other duties and hobbies they need to keep track of. The second element is probably more significant and, unfortunately, universal: people just don’t feel like helping. If you have only two hours of time off from work and responsibilities (chores, children, cooking, cleaning and such) a day, something tells me you wouldn’t spend them all volunteering at your local community center, but rather do something for yourself, like exercise or watch television…Everyone wants “me” time, and everyone wants to make time for it. Volunteer work, one way or another, is impressively time-consuming, and some people don’t have very much time to consume. Also, many students need to support themselves, if only partially: why in the world would they go and do unpaid labour while they could be working and making money to support themselves and their basic needs? After all, it is good to volunteer and help your fellow man or whatnot, but I think many students desire a roof above their heads first and foremost.

-Which is better, volunteering or service learning?: In my opinion, neither one outweighs the other, though I do believe Service learning is better for students, since it can offer somewhat real-world experiences to students. After all, if you were studying to be a teacher, wouldn’t it be practical to get a little hands-on practice? And doesn’t the same go for pilots, blacksmiths, policemen or doctors? Experience is useful, and service learning (in most cases) can result in a big payoff when it comes down to it. Although, service learning is sometimes more difficult to find, and does not always appeal to students who desire experience in one specific domain (I for example, would like to be a professional writer, but I doubt I’d get much experience watching somebody slave away at their keyboard for hours on end).

-What is the best way to encourage people to get involved?: Honestly, I don’t exactly know how to answer that question…Sure you can go around preaching that community service looks good on a resume or that it is morally just to help people in need, but there will always be those that want to help others at all costs and those who just don’t give a damn, as well as the majority, which fall in between these two poles. Of course, offering a monetary recompense in exchange of services would attract the greedier or needier folks, but if that were the case, it wouldn’t be called volunteer work anymore, now would it? Also, many people (students especially) are convinced that somebody else will take care of it, or that it doesn’t concern them either (and in some cases, it doesn’t). In my opinion, the best way to get people involved is to give people what they want: more flexible hours, money, fame, and help in return…That’s all I can think of. Humans are greedy, egocentric animals, even if they are socially advanced: nobody does anything without a reason. Students simply have things more important to them than assuring immigrants receive proper support or that the homeless are served soup. It’s sad and crass really, but it’s the truth.

The new prison initiative (Pardon me if I stray off subject once in a while - I was particularly furious when I wrote this)

Well, I’m amazed at myself for saying this, but I’ve got to admit that after reading all these articles, I’m presented with solid proof about a surprising fact I previously believed only existed in make-believe land just a few hours ago: it seems that the “glorious” land infested by cowboy-wannabes, gun-worshippers, and moronic families (which are so unfathomably inbred that their genealogical trees most likely look like clustered tumbleweeds) that is Texas is not the brain-dead, thick-skulled, “act-before-you-think” redneck congregation I thought it was (feel free to add your own myriad of kind-hearted comments to this accurate list as you please. You don’t have to force yourself though – I doubt any of you are particularly proud to even be referred to as the same species as Mr. Bush and his numerous followers). In fact, their careful studies and proven results pertaining on the rehabilitation of more troubled offenders, such as drug addicts or people possessing some sort of psychological deficiency, consist in a big leap in the right direction. Seeking more cost-effective and more efficient long-term solutions to society’s troubles is a much appreciated change to the traditional “if it ain’t white and/or wealthy and/or bitching about them there terrorizers, it oughta be in a prison cell because I say so” initiative the state was so proud of enforcing. Not only is it a cheaper process to seek treatment for these individuals (who apparently consist of about 80% of the state’s criminal offenders), but helping these people to regain control of their lives can actually create a positive boom within the economy and life in general, considering that those who do clean up their act are capable of finding good work, and are often motivated to assist in social assistance programs such as these, so that they may help others whom have suffered in a way similar to the way they have. Seriously, I may look down on Texans (albeit with good reasons), but this is actually an inspiring action they have taken part in: instead of plainly convicting criminals and tossing them all into the same bunch, they approach a difficult situation in a very humane manner, seeking to offer some of these men and women a passage back into a comfortable, safe existence within their society.

And then there’s Canada. Wow. Pathetic with a capital “P”. These are the kinds of situations that make me ashamed to be a proud believer of inter-provincial Canadian integrity. While I have always been convinced that our Prime minister – who somehow managed to attain a majority government; an astonishing and honestly troubling, feat considering his previous record of unprecedented political screw-ups and faux-pas – is not the brightest bulb on the tree (in fact, I would not be shocked to learn that the man’s IQ is inferior to that of a peacock’s), never would I have thought he would have the gall – or perhaps, on the other hand, the staggeringly dim ignorance – to commit such travesty (thus downgrading the portly robo-politician’s intelligence to a level equal to that of clump of hog “leavings”). Building more prisons across the country, without even considering the hypothesis of increasing funds or financially supporting criminal rehabilitation centers (which could offer more job opportunities for needy Canadians, which would in turn help the economy get rolling again…You know…Like he was supposed to do in the first place) is an action plan his party should not have even considered envisioning. I mean honestly, how many billion dollars did you say this was going to cost us already? Are you suffering from some sort of concussion-born dementia Stephen? Why don’t you ask one our numerous doctors to take a look at you and – Whoops. My bad. Well, technically it is your bad, but let’s not get into that right now, hmm? This makes a man wonder: is our so-called leader – the man who is tasked with assuring the stability and growth of our fair nation – actually thinking about the safety and economy of all Canadians, or is he simply trying to make the duller-minded folks in the country feel at ease (then again, he himself is, as I said earlier, a bit of diamond in the rough without the diamond, which could perhaps explain his uneducated stance on the matter)?

In fact, that’s what’s the most disappointing about all this: people are actually supporting this half-baked (half-baked is a figure of speech of course: uncooked is more pertinent to the situation) idea? This is absolutely despairing to see. Really? We’re actually in favour of something that even Texas, stupidity capital of the world, has judged to be a bad idea? Is this what we want? Staggering, international debt, inconceivable consequences that will be born from this new law bill (which, if I may state my opinion, is little more than a lazy “strengthening” of existing laws that will make unproven suspects even more likely to be falsely imprisoned) and treatable citizens imprisoned for life, turning them into hard core, possibly incurable addicts and offenders? Color me with the hue of vomit and bloody bile, for my disgust cannot be properly expressed without the creation of a few impolite neologisms and long-forgotten curses. For the love of…I can’t even get my thoughts straight here. Forget it. As far as I’m concerned, go grab a shotgun and pump your brain full of pellet until you can’t even twitch anymore, because if Mr. Harper’s motions continue to pass in this way, this will probably be the more comfortable alternative. I know I will! Better that than totally lose it and get incarcerated and executed for disturbing the peace by roaring the F-word with all my might at our lord and saviour, the Prime minister, right? Right. Do I always answer my own questions? Why yes, thank you for asking. Can our little old Stevie admit when he better admit he’s wrong? I’d say no, but I’ve been wrong before. Then again, apparently, he’s never been wrong. So, if you’ll excuse me, I’m about to go bang my head against a concrete wall for the next twenty-five minutes out of patriotic shame and humiliation, as well as uncontrollable despair, born from impending human stupidity. (PS – I will concede one thing: making policies stricter on youths proved guilty of crimes such as murder, rape or attempted manslaughter is an excellent idea: murder is a serious and irremediable crime, no matter who commits it. So how about we start off with little things like this before trying to start a riot, Stephen old pal? For example, how about laying off the Twinkies once in a while? You’d look like a little less of an ass to rest of the world like that. And in your place, I’d take every chance I’d get to even appear like I know what I’m doing.)

TUITION HIKES - Who the hell is actually supporting this crap?

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE PROPOSED TUITION HIKES? – Honestly, I find these sudden hikes in tuition fees somewhat appalling, not to mention that I believe this to be nothing more than a ridiculously half-baked and greed-ridden plot weaved from the rather worrisome webs of our own government. I may be pushing this a little bit much, but I can’t be the only one offended at such a proposal: I’m not particularly found of charging people some thousand dollars more when we live in a country where supposedly all have access to a “free education”…There are already hundreds of would-be students that are incapable of affording a decent post-secondary education, and a fair percentage of these college and/or university-level students have impressive student debts from loans and other forms of financial support. Not only that, but there are many who also take part-time jobs to pay for their tuition, some even needing to cut classes so that they can work enough hours to pay all the necessary expenses. And people are considering an increase in tuition fees considering this? Quebec’s statistics considering successful graduates and high school students advancing to cegep or university are already disappointing. Making school even more costly won’t exactly give students stuck in difficult economic or social situations a head start, hmm? Not only that, but this will mean parents will have harder times supporting their children, specialized programs may see less and less applicants, and student bodies could drop significantly, reducing government funding noticeably. In other words, this might not mean the end of Canada, but it would be a step in the wrong direction if you ask me. I can only see one benefit from this otherwise moronic plan: teachers could finally notice a long-awaited increase in their salary…But if even this cannot be done, then I have nothing more to say to the people who are siding with this motion. I strongly suggest however, that they should spend their time doing something useful. Digging a deep trench for example. Why? That way, they could wait and see if hell freezes over! (Pardon my outburst, but I abhor this proposition for tuition hikes.)

WILL IT HAVE A SERIOUS IMPACT ON YOUR EDUCATION? – What do you think? A thousand dollars or so of additional fees a year and I might not be able to even consider moving on to my next session, let alone university. And this could be the case for heaps of other students. Not to mention that some parents might refuse or be unable to pay for such fees, considering the expenses. Of course, some could look for a part-time job, but there isn’t that much for younger students who require substantial revenue and considering how tough things can be economically lately, this may be difficult for most to achieve. Oh, I’ve got an idea! Why doesn’t the government do something to help its citizens in need by making things more affordable instead of more expensive?! No? Oh. Never mind then.

WHAT TYPE OF EFFECT WILL TUITION HIKES HAVE ON SOCIETY IN GENERAL? – Less students graduating from college or university, less students applying to college or university, less students studying full-time, fewer students studying in specialized courses or classes, more students studying abroad (this may vary), less students participating in community organizations or volunteering (locally or internationally), less students studying in arts (which means an important decline in cultural wealth), more and more students working part-time jobs (which means less opportunities for people in the need of a full-time job), fewer doctors, fewer nurses, fewer psychologists, fewer teachers, fewer scientists, greater student debts, more drop-outs…Need I continue?

Community Questions (Sorry it took so long to get these up, I lost the file)

What is community? : A community is a group of people that have certain things in common, inclusively as well as inclusively. People can be part of the same community if they live in the same town, share the same hobbies, speak the same language, etc…These communities often depend on one another to strive, and often share certain interests. People are usually a part of multiple communities at once. Also, though one can choose to leave a community but cutting all ties with those of the group, some communities cannot be chosen, nor relinquished. (Example: Racial communities, Birthplace communities…) Putting all that aside however, I suppose the primary purpose of a community is for people who share something can help each other for the greater good.

                          

-What does it mean to be part of a community? : To be a part of a community is to cooperate with those that are also a part of the community to achieve a goal, to help one another mutually, or to simply support each other mutually. Although, I’d have to say it would be necessary for people to feel truly accepted by the community to be able to do all this of their own free will.

-What is citizenship? : Citizenship means being a part of a town, a province, a country, or even a continent. In a way, it is comparable to being a part of a community, but when a citizen, one is bound by laws and rights rather than by the morals and virtues of a community. And while citizenship tends to objectify men and women alike (at least, in my opinion), a community views all those who are linked together as legitimate human beings.

-What are the rights, obligations, and responsibilities of citizenship? : Citizenship allows (or rather should allow) all men and women to be treated equally, regardless of race or status, under the banner of law, human rights and – more importantly – that of human decency. However, a citizen is obliged to respect these same rules, or be punished by them. Not only that, but a citizen is responsible for supporting himself and, if possible, his or her country as well. In other words, someone who possesses citizenship must work for the stability of one’s patria and for oneself.

Mini Essay Trial (Career choice info)

According to a research conducted by Wikipedia, an internationally acclaimed online encyclopaedia, there are over a million published writers across the globe, only 15% of them can earn a decent living, and, amazingly, less than a thousand of them – dead or alive – are bestselling authors which means, total book sales exceed one hundred million copies (for example: William Shakespeare, J.K. Rowling, Leo Tolstoy...). Regardless, I’m going to try my luck at the writing game, attempt to become a published author, and – hey, might as well aim as high as possible while I’m at it, right? – become the planet’s most read writer of all time. However, until that day comes, I’d believe it would be interesting to share with you some obscure, yet enthralling facts from the world of words...(Please pardon me if that came off as pompous or cheesy)

            First and foremost, an unusual piece of information that some people tend to completely ignore, is that there are no educational prerequisites to become a published author. In fact, the world’s youngest author published is Jason Gaes, an eight year-old boy who wrote a 200-page novel called My Book For Kids With Cansur [sic]. This said, in addition to the lack of age prerequisites, there are no education level restrictions either. For example, J.K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter series, was a high school dropout living a bit of a difficult life, surviving on low-income welfare checks…However, this is before she began writing and publishing her impressively popular novels, aimed at a rather youthful teenage audience. Although, even after shedding light on such rare situations, education and experience within the domain of literature and writing in general can do nothing but good when it comes to creating a book.

Not only that, but, although there are countless published authors across the globe today (be it from free press publishing or paid editing and publishing done by a specialized company), about 65% of these writers have not published more than one book: be it a play, a novel, a short story collection or a play; most of them abandon after their shot at success has been flung off the intended mark. This can also mean that one can publish over three-hundred novels in a single lifespan, yet still earn little to virtually no readers, even after death. On the other hand, an author with less than a dozen books published can still earn international recognition in a very little time span, from sheer sales, as well as critical praise. A good example would be Tolkien, creator of the Lord of the Rings trilogy: many only know him for his grand fantasy epic of The Fellowship of the Ring, The two Towers and The Return of the King, as well as the prelude to these adventures, The Hobbit.  However, he has actually published over twenty volumes of fiction based in middle-earth (the world in which Lord of the Rings takes place), prior and future to the trilogy’s publishing, including the Silmarillion, The Adventures of Tom Bombadil and The Children of Hùrin. All things considered, success in the literary field can be attributed to luck, as well as skill and effort.

In addition, there exist authors who are considered downright revolutionary when it comes to their creative genius and enthralling imagination, yet only possess local acclaim for their work. For example, Gaston Miron is perhaps one of the most important poets in the province of Quebec’s history, earning the title of one of Quebec’s most important and crucial political supporters through his poetry alone, earning such a glorious title thanks to a single publication, a collection of poetry entitled L’homme Rapaillé (roughly translates to The reassembled man). However, his publications have only been partly translated into other languages, and sales or recognition from other countries has been minimal, even absent, with the sole possible exception of France. Another example, and possibly the best one to illustrate my point, is that of Mao Zhedong’s (The dictator of China) Little Red Book. It’s the number one best-seller in China…But it is solely sold in china, written in an older style of Mandarin. This of course can be seen as a sign that, no matter how good you are, sometimes, your name won’t fly as graciously when far from home.

In conclusion, though the world of writing and publishing is much less glamorous (and sometimes even a bit fickle) compared to one’s common expectations, and clearly indicate that, while important, sometimes talent just won’t cut it…Pft. Like I’m going to let that stop me. Keep an eye out for my name on a shelf if any of you ever go to a bookstore, you got that? I need a lot of fans!

Questions about immigrant communities

Are there lessons we can learn from Sophia (the speaker’s) experience?: Absolutely: although her arrival and “integration” into the country of Canada has been easier than that of some, her efforts still prove that immigrants from faraway countries, whom share various cultural and ethnical beliefs, can still live in a different country, and furthermore, be accepted and respected, without going through intolerable hardships. Of course, it isn’t all simple, and there will be difficulties, regardless of one’s first language or experience (these people are entering a brand new CONTINENT sometimes, of course it will hard to get used to at first) but there are undeniable facts that even though people will be restricted by knowledge, language or other “barriers” in some way, they can still manage to survive the passage to another land without having to completely relinquish the memories of their country or family that has been left behind. Also, it proves that, though the government will not always accept diplomas or masteries hailing from other countries, it is still possible for people to obtain scholarships to facilitate their “re-education” process, and that, even though obtaining work can be somewhat of a trial for immigrants, they can still manage to overcome that tiresome hurdle. And while things aren’t perfect in Quebec or Canada when it comes to accommodating immigrant communities, it is still possible for people to cherish a new cultural identity, while maintaining a certain loyalty to their past roots and their homeland’s beliefs.

How can we participate in our community to help immigrants and refugees integrate and help them avoid poverty: Sometimes, there is nothing we can do: people, regardless of what action we take, will remain in denial, or even fixated on preserving their own culture, even if it means living in poverty, or in solitude. However, there are ways everyday people can help: make donations, volunteer, even help people move in or find a home if possible. We can always petition or manifest so that the government takes further action in assisting immigrant communities in their arrival and integration, but knowing our old, portly buddy Harper, that won’t be happening anytime soon. (Yeah, I hate my prime minister. So do you! Don’t deny it. He’s by far not the brightest fellow to sit in the political leader’s chair, nor the kindest. Then again, I’m “a rebellious, greedy, separatist – oh heavens – French Canadian from Quebec…what do I know, right? *wink-wink* I digress…I’m straying off topic here.) Of course, if this were the case, the government would be able to instil specialized language classes for immigrants with no experience in French or English, as well as superior financial support programs for the less fortunate of immigrants. Also, and perhaps the notion of most crucial importance, is that we should be willing to accept diplomas or masteries from abroad: not only would that help with job shortages, but it would encourage people to move to our fair country as well. However, we would need to be assured that, say a doctorate in medicine from Kazakhstan is equivalent to one hailing from Quebec, which would take time to research…but it would still be possible.

Should we participate in helping immigrant communities move in, or leave it up to professionals: Of course, there are some things only professionals will be able to fully take care of, but there are some important things only WE can do (aside volunteering, providing personal assistance when possible, or lending a helping hand to the professionals themselves that is), and it is possibly the most important part to play of all. We need to properly welcome these people, so that they can instantly feel like they belong. Being greeted and welcomed by the government is one thing, but being greeted and welcomed by the nation truly feels like one is at home. Honestly, if we constantly shun people that have different beliefs or cultures than our own, how the hell are we supposed to share the same roof, let alone the same province? No, what we must do is accept the differences in culture that immigrating communities possess, while teaching them to adhere to our own, without being too strict or forceful, while remaining exigent. That is where Quebec will find its greatest strength in accepting newcomers to the land, both economically and culturally. Of course, this can be hard, and people will maybe even protest, but it is necessary for both parties to discard something for this (perhaps naïve and half-baked) ideal can be realized. Canada must discard lingering racism and contempt towards immigrating communities, while striving to protect their own identity. Immigrating communities must discard their beliefs that they will be able to live exactly the same way they did in their home country, while cherishing their newfound culture…this doesn’t mean they have to forget their old religion, lifestyle, etc. altogether! Oh no! They simply need to accept the fact that they are in a new country, and must learn to live with this new country’s culture. Rejecting it is the same as shunning themselves: they need to come to an understanding that some sacrifice will be necessary if they truly want to LIVE here and not just BE here.