Bissoondaths Attitudes on Multiculturalism Free Essay Example, 1000 words

Rather than understanding terms such as ‘banana’ become a negative racial slur as it is defined today, Choy saw this identification in the tradition of his own culture: â€Å"the term actually follows the old Chinese tendency to assign endearing nicknames to replace formal names, semicomic names to keep one humble† (Choy: 78). In other words, the term was not a racist slur but a badge of identification with others of similar mixed heritage. Examining the lives of mixed marriage couples in Toronto, Andrew Cohen cites Yann Martel’s description of Canada as ‘the greatest hotel on earth’. â€Å"A perceptive and apt description, it imagines a Canada in which every one is a visitor, occupying a room, a floor, or even a wing, depending on his means. No one stays for very long be ­cause no one wants to make an extended commitment† (Cohen: para. 7). This ‘just visiting’ mentality encourages individuals to associate only with those they already know or are forced to come into frequent contact with through school, work or religious affiliation. The concept of media exploitation is perhaps the weakest of Bissoondath’s arguments in terms of supporting evidence. We will write a custom essay sample on Bissoondaths Attitudes on Multiculturalism or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/pageorder now Having briefly introduced the subject, he briefly warns â€Å"We must be skeptical about those who depend on conflict for their sense of self, the non-whites who need to feel themselves victims of racism, the whites who need to feel themselves purveyors of it† (Bissoondath: 76). Bissoondath’s argument is supported by the way in which Choy illustrates how the whites felt themselves purveyors of racism. Through the prime-time television programs he watched, the white culture was emphasized while the Chinese culture was presented as being somehow less than or less advanced, encouraging the Chinese Canadian youth to â€Å"cooperate with English-language magazines that showed us how to act and what to buy† (Choy: 79). It wasn’t until his 40s or 50s that he discovered that he began searching for his Chinese roots and discovered that â€Å"these ‘between world’ struggles are universal† (Choy: 79). The concept isn’t as clearly stated in the Cohen article, but the idea is conveyed in his discussion of the effects of alienation occurring in the cities despite, or perhaps because of, multiculturalism. â€Å"If Canadians don’t redouble their efforts to integrate and promote a secular society, ‘we risk creating a fragmented nation, divided into 21st century religious and racial tribes, suspicious of each other and longing for the home we left behind† (Cohen, citing broadcaster Tarek Fatah: para.