I'll admit right now that I don't fully understand exactly what's going on here as I know pretty much next to nothing about politics.
But I read this article because it was on my Facebook feed.
The anger I'm feeling right now isn't really about the contents of the article; it's about this comment (and several others like it):
"The NDP are a socialist party that promotes everyone being the same colour, the
same shade of sameness, for the greater good. These "Acadians" need to learn how
to assimilate and stop whining about the past. Time to move on and adopt
Canadian culture." -NDP Bob
Let's ignore the first sentence there because I'm not really sure about it (remember: idiot), my problem is with the rest.
There is so much wrong with that part. So. Much. Wrong.
I do not appreciate having some stranger on the Internet say that my culture isn't real ("Acadians"... IT'S A REAL THING). I appreciate even less that some stranger on the Internet is saying that Acadians, including me and my family, should just get rid of our culture and heritage in favour of one that's more mainstream and well-known (is there even a Canadian culture anyway?).
I am PROUD to be an Acadian. And I realize that writing this post in English instead of French looks weird to that statement, but my culture is more than just my language. I live in an Acadian community and I attended an Acadian school for 13 years.
Being Acadian is a big part of who I am, and it's a big part of a lot of other people in my community, and it's a big part of other Acadians everywhere.
I am proud that I am able to speak two languages (even if it does sometimes get me dirty looks when I do it in public), and I am proud to be able to identify myself as an Acadian. And if I had a flagpole with which to fly my Acadian flag, I would.
I am proud of my culture, and my way of life, and for some stranger online to say that I should assimilate and drop my culture is wrong and I take it as a personal insult.
So, to NDP Bob (and others like him), all I have to say is this:
Fuck you.
