Last night I attended the annual general meeting of the BC civil liberties association (BCCLA) where a panel discussion took place about the issue of racial profiling by police who regularly do street checks or carding of minorities in a disproportionate degree.
Studies have shown that minorities in Canada especially blacks and natives have a very high incident of police harassment for no probable cause. Panel members, a black man and native woman, both social activists, reported numerous incidents where they had been stopped on the street and questioned by police for no reason. The black man said he had been stopped while driving his car for the crime of “driving while black.”
As a white male I have never been harassed by police so it comes as a bit of a shock to hear this happening in Canada with our rosy image of racial equality promoted by the government and media.
The other issue that was hotly discussed was increasing border harassment by US customs officers especially examining people’s cell phones for no probable cause. Border guards and police officers have been given extended authority and powers with peoples rights over the last couple decades.
Surveillance of all digital communications is occurring without oversight by Canadian CSIS and American intelligence agencies. The continued over-policing and under-protecting of the general public and racial profiling of minorities is a disturbing sign of the growing totalitarianism in our societies.
The reality is we have to fight for these freedoms and rights. The wealthy and powerful elites have no need of democracy - they have all the freedom that wealth gives. The truth is that the government and police exist to protect those with property - the poor and homeless and marginalized are not given the same protections.
We are taught values of equality and liberty yet in reality these values are being trashed by our government and police on a regular basis. Joshua ben Joseph taught that we are all equal before our creator, that all men and women no matter what their race or gender or religion are equal and valuable.
It’s the unconscious and unacknowledged teachings of the carpenter from Nazareth that run like an underground river through our culture quenching the thirst of those seeking a better world of equality and justice for all. 🌎✌️
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