Independent Study Unit

      Post #1

http://www.cbc.ca/news/aboriginal/racism-against-aboriginal-people-in-health-care-system-pervasive-study-1.2942644

                 I chose this particular website because it discusses and represents the social issue, discrimination (Aboriginal people facing discrimination in terms of health care; it also discusses how they receive second-class care). This relates to my novel because throughout the book discrimination is portrayed to Aboriginal people (white people being in power). The main character, Tony, an aboriginal person, particularly has experience and has been affected by the discrimination that is directed toward him. He also has firsthand knowledge of how Aboriginals are treated when it comes to the health care services. In the novel “The Way It Is,” Tony’s mother had tuberculosis. She was sick for a long time before she went to the doctor. When they went to the doctor it was different. Indian Affairs paid doctors half the going rate. Tony’s mother had to wait for all the white patients to be taken care of. She got half a visit for half a fee. Apparently the hospital - Tranquille didn't accept her. She was then sent off to another hospital in Kamloops - away from home, and later to an Indian Hospital near the coast. Tony’s mother was in the hospital for two years. By the time she as treated, she was too sick and died soon later. According to the Charter of Rights and Freedoms this is a violation of the Equality Rights section 15:  Every individual is equal before and under the law and has the right to equal protection and equal benefit of the law without discrimination and, in particular, without discrimination based on race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, sex, age or mental or physical disability. Till present time, we see that these Aboriginal people are still being discriminated against – according to the online link. Is it really that hard to accept them for who they are? Why can’t the government help them, after all they've done? Is it really society or the government?

          
Post #2

I choose this song “Colors of the Wind,” because it discusses and represents the social issue, discrimination (Aboriginal people facing discrimination in general). This relates to my novel because throughout the book discrimination is portrayed to Aboriginal people (white people being in power). Although this song comes for a Disney movie it sends about powerful messages. This song is about the main character, Pocahontas (a Native) exhortation to John Smith (white man) about the wonders of the earth and nature, including the spirit within all living this. She encourages him not to think of living things as object he can conquer or won, but rather as beings to respect and live with in harmony. Most importantly, she also urges him to accept humans who are different in appearance and culture and to learn from them. This song greatly connects to the novel “The Way It Is,” because the same issue arises. Although the roles are reversed (Tony, an Aboriginal boy and Ellen a white girl), Tony shows and teaches Ellen the way his life is as an Aboriginal (even though Ellen believe that discrimination is wrong). In the novel, the ownership of land is constantly brought up because Ellen’s’ parents own some parts of the Aboriginal reserve. This is unfair because even if Ellen’s parents owe the Aboriginals about two hundred dollars per month – this is not enough. There are so many people living in the reserves and two hundred dollars is not enough to support these people. Aboriginals already have a hard time finding jobs because of who they are. How is two hundred dollars supposed to help them? The song “Colors of the Wind,” greatly reflects the events that are presented in the novel, “The Way It Is.”

Post #3

“Those men could have been killed. Because they were Indians, the bartender wasn’t even concerned.”……“The Indians I learned about in school lived in tepees and wore feather headdresses. They didn’t get beat up outside the beer parlor on Saturday night.”

I choose these quotes because they represent the social issue, discrimination. This relates to my novel “The Way It Is,” because throughout the book discrimination is directed towards the Aboriginal population (white people being in power). These quotes were taken from the novel itself because; it was an excerpt that stood out to me while I was reading. As we can already see, there all parts of the quotes that strongly discriminate against the Aboriginal. The term “Indians” is one of them. When Christopher Columbus came to North America, he thought that these Aboriginal people were Indians. From then on forwards, the name stuck to this population – knowing that they are actually Aboriginal. In the first quote, the fact that these Aboriginals are being beat up, did not even woe the bartender (who happens to be white). Even though these Aboriginals are getting drunk and then getting beat up, does not even seem reasonable because, these Aboriginals are just minding their own business – they were not trying to cause conflict. Moreover, in the second quote, we notice that in schools, students were taught about Aboriginals but, very vaguely, such as their physical appearances. In fact, Aboriginals did play a role in the World War but, was not recognized for it. Just from a few sentences, readers can see that these Aboriginals are being greatly discriminated against.

Post #4

The novel “Black and White,” written by Eric Walters revolves around the social issues, racism, which is also represented in my novel “The Way Is It.” Black and White is about a boy in grade 8 and a girl in grade 7. They are good kids, they have good friends and families, they both play on the school’s basketball team, he likes her and she likes him. But the main concern is that if they were to date it would be a problem. Why you ask? It’s because she’s black and he’s white. This book talks about how these two characters overcome this situation by using their friendship and love as their support. Similarly, in my novel, where the girl(Ellen) is white and the boy(Tony) is aboriginal, they use their friendship and adoration towards each other to help they overcome the discrimination that is directed toward them.

Post #5

I chose this picture because this represents the social issue, discrimination. This picture represent the type of treatment is given to patients depending on their skin color. In this particular picture we see that the white patients is getting questioned and cared, rather than the black people. I’m assuming that they have the same illness, yet they are being treated unfairly. Aren't we all humans? We deserve the equal rights! This is an issue that was presented in my novel "The Way It Is," where the aboriginal population was not getting fair treatment.

Post #6


http://www.caledoninst.org/Publications/PDF/595ENG.pdf

I choose this link because is discusses the opportunities for Aboriginal people. In the reserve education there is not the greatest compared to the other communities. 4 out of 15 Aboriginal complete university. This proves that the Canadian government is not doing much to help the Aboriginal population.