I don’t want to quote myself, but last December 5I wrote in my column that the best way to gain respect from others was to respect yourself.
“The more a people behaves like a carpet,” I wrote, paraphrasing Pierre Falardeau, “the more we want to wipe our feet on it.”
Could it be that this basic psychological principle explains why so many young people from cultural minorities denigrate Quebec culture and identity?
Who wants to associate with losers?
To people who don’t defend their language?
To individuals who give English names to their businesses to appear cooler and “make it abroad”?
To a people who always bow down and apologize for existing?
- Listen to the Martineau – Dutrizac meeting between Benoît Dutrizac and Richard Martineau via QUB :
STAND
Left-wing activists think that it is by spending our time self-flagellation, atoning for our sins and bending over backwards to “accommodate” everyone and their sister that we gain respect.
No.
It’s by standing up and stopping taking others for small, fragile things…
“Look, here, this is how it happens. It does not please you? We’re not holding you back. We have highways that cross the country and an airport that serves capitals around the world. Go your own way and good luck.”
That’s how you get respect.
By respecting yourself.
You enter a business and they refuse to speak to you in French, which is the only official language of the province?
You leave. Period.
If you bend your knees and switch to English, then don’t complain that people look down on you, you only deserve that, because you look down on yourself.
I can no longer count the number of times immigrants have told me that they love Quebec, but that they find us too soft.
This happens to me regularly.
“Are you Mr. Martineau who is on LCN? Oh me, I love your frankness, you say what you think while not caring about others…”
This is what I hear the most from immigrants who recognize me.
“You are too accommodating, in Quebec, you are naive, you bow to groups who have made a mess of my country!”
It’s Moroccans who tell me that. Tunisians. Algerians. Lebanese. Iranians.
They howl with laughter when they hear critics of Islamism being called Islamophobes by people who have never set foot in a country where bearded men impose their dogma.
And they shake their heads in annoyance when they see these critics apologizing…
A SIRUPOUS “KINDNESS”
Many immigrants come from countries where authority is respected.
Parental authority, state authority.
When they arrive here, they find us sluggish. Gnangnan.
No wonder their teenage children who are in the process of building their identity do not identify with Quebecers!
The opposite would be surprising!
“We will be kind to you…”
But they don’t give a damn about our condescending and cloying “kindness”!
They want to be respected by a self-respecting people.