A 22-year-old social justice hardcore activist, called Maisaloon Al-Ashkar (https://checkyourhead.org/people/maisaloon-al-ashkar/) and her peers, calling themselves “No Blackfaces in Vancouver” protested against a theater play in Surrey. The school hosting the production decided to cancel it:
https://bc.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=1819727&jwsource=cl
Funny, how these cultural “terrorists” (killing any form of arts they find offending) did not pick up on a man playing the role of “Im Hussein” or another lady (“Im or Om Hussein” refers to his mom in Arabic). They did not start a whole saga around gender appropriateness.
Maybe they tried? Who knows? Arab-Americans do not seem to see themselves as victims to that degree that Bambi calls “acute victimhood” (she usually uses the term in French, “victimite aiguë”).
Of course, Bambi is saying this and she is 100% against disrespect to any person or any group in our society, from any origins (African, Haitian, Chinese, Arabs, French-Canadians, Anglophones, Iranians, Jews, Muslims, tall folks, short people, and what have you).
In the context of arts, painting one’s skin or wearing a mask or pretending to be a black person or an Arab or whatever else is NOT blackface in the true sense.
This is simply art, even if artists would be satirically imitating someone.
Arts is all about free creativity.
If we do not like this sort of art, we do not have to purchase a ticket. Plus, how about learning to grow a thicker skin for once, whether its colour is yellow, black, or white?
Artists may choose to pretend to be a chair, if they wish, or even an insect (e.g., “Greta’s” new insect, if they like; yes there is a species now called Greta as tribute).
They may imitate a Moose or even God, if they wish.
P.S: This is clearly different from the blackface meant to make fun or humiliate black people (a hate act).
Why are we allowing this form of censorship of arts to take place again and again?
And who gets to decide what is morally acceptable or morally worthy of censorship?
Bambi does not know this theater company (from the States, it seems). She was curious and googled it. She also listened to its artistic director, Mr. Aziz Al-Sharabati. He seems like a reasonable man. He uses art to combat prejudice and racism, it seems. How ironic all this?
What a waste of time, money, and oil (he was on the airplane on his way to Vancouver when the decision of the school came out; https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/surrey-double-trouble-1.5345465).
Because of this illuminated young radical activist and her peers, there has been more pollution in the skies and less art in Vancouver schools.
As for the school that took the decision to cancel the show, it is sad to see no push back to silliness in our society, not even an opportunity to have a clever discussion on where to draw the line between freedom of expression and what may seem to be offensive like this sort of costume.
Talking about costumes, this brings Bambi to Mr. Trudeau. Of course, he is not racist (just hypocritically incompetent, although well-intentioned).
Regardless, Canadian voters seem to have forgotten and forgiven him for his stories of blackface and other costumes abroad. They voted for him, even if this time with a minority government.
We forgave and re-elected him. However, we are/remain too harsh with each other and… with our guests? Our media even called this theater play “racist”.
Is this a form of double-standard (apartheid?) in the accusations of racism?
