March held to discourage racism

There was a successful attempt to steer clear of the debate over exactly who’s to be blamed in the Israel versus Palestine battle in the Middle East as several hundred took to the streets to protest racism.

Organized by the Canadians Against Anti-Semitism, the mandate of the march and rally, held on the warmest day of the year on June 23, was held to protest anti-Semitism, as well, call for an end to the violence in the Middle East.

“It doesn’t matter what your religion is. It matters whether you are able to look past what a person believes and look at the person as a person,” said Shawna Stern, 22, draped in a Canadian flag and wearing a straw hat with an Israeli flag logo on the front.

“Racism doesn’t belong here in Canada and it doesn’t belong in Israel — I don’t want to talk about who is to blame for this bomb and that bomb. I just want it all to stop.”

For Shaid Bupaul, wearing a T-shirt that included the words “Arabs want peace,” said the world should look to Canada where he said its citizens live in peace.
“If the whole world could just stop for a moment and think that the people they are trying to kill are people just like them,” he said, “they would see the same thing that the people in Canada see — people are people. My neighbour is a fine man and I don’t even know what he believes. That is why Canada is great.”

On the stage where a number of speakers and performers took turns at the podium, the sweaty crowd was told that violence will end when racism does.

“Canada is a multicultural, cultural nation based upon a foundation of democracy, tolerance and human rights,” said Sandra Stern, chair of the event.

“With a tradition of peacekeeping, we are in a unique position to act as a light unto nations, a model for others to follow,” she added.

“The march gives Canadians a public opportunity to express their awareness that democracy is threatened when its citizens are singled out because of faith, race or culture. A threat to one is a threat to all.”