In my previously published blog post titled "Where Are You Really From?", I talk about a middle-aged man who interrogated me during my lunch because he just had to know the birth country of the visible minority.
For the most part, I received incredibly positive feedback for the blog post. Still, as expected, there were some unhappy readers, fortunately, those readers shared their opinions with me. In this blog post, I wanted to take this opportunity to break down their messages, how I would respond, and how we can be better.
1)
This gentleman’s comment points out that rural Quebec and Newfoundland are both composed of a population that is primarily Caucasian, from my knowledge this statement is true. He continues to state he is a “white guy from Manitoba” and he would not “fit in” either. In the specific context of microaggressions against visible minorities, I would disagree with his statement and say he would “fit in”, and he and I do not have the same experiences.
He then suggests that I move to a major city, and I am assuming he says this because larger centres generally have a more diverse population. As I am appreciative of the reader for thinking of solutions to my traumatic experience, I would like to point out that microaggressions happen everywhere, therefore, moving locations will not solve the problem.
Thank you again to the reader for reading my blog post, providing me with feedback, and provoking reflection and discussion!
2)
Continuing to the next gentlemen’s comments. It is evident that my blog post was very upsetting to him. He accuses me of white shaming, lying, and racism, all of which are false and baseless. I can understand that as a white person you might feel targeted at times while reading my posts. It is important to remember that the purpose of my writing is not to shame, but to collectively learn and be better from my experiences.
There is a lot I could say in response to this man’s terrible words, but I wanted leave to his comments as opportunity for my readers to engage and leave their opinions.
I want to make it abundantly clear I do not condone this man’s racist, hateful, and shameful words in anyway.
Thank you again to this man’s engagement, and I look forward to hearing the opinions of my readers on the matter.
Takeaway message: I want to emphasize that my blog is a safe place to provide all types of feedback, regardless of if it is positive of negative. Feedback provides us with opportunities for discussion, learning, and for growth as people.
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Your Friend,
Miguel
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