This morning in my Pharyngula read, I stumbled across this item relating to this unfortunate article from the Winnipeg Free Press. Now, I’m all for the idea that we should be building facilities to help the people who live in difficult neighborhoods, but I have a massive problem when Youth For Christ are building a recruitment camp with public funds.
Winnipeg MP Vic Toews is quoted in the article as saying, “It appears to me Pat Martin doesn’t have a problem with allowing gangs to recruit in his riding, but when it comes to Youth For Christ offering programs, he suddenly has a problem with it.” That’s a hell of a leap, sir, and it makes you sound like the klansman from O Brother Where Art Thou. I’m adequately certain that Pat Martin does not actively fund gang recruitment drives, nor does he buy them property for the purposes of recruitment. And that’s where my problem with this lies.
So what do I do? Well, I emailed my Member of Parliament. I don’t have any say (or interest) in how the Winnipeg municipal government handle their affairs, but the idea that public funds at the federal level are being used to pay for this does not sit well for me, and I expressed to him my concern about that fact.
The other part of the argument is that this looks to some very suspiciously like a new version of the Residential Schools program. I can’t say that I agree with that, as the Residential Schools program (which was terrible) removed children from their homes and forced them to act and think like white folk. At least that’s how I’ve had it explained to me, and if I am missing the point, then please feel free to correct me. This program is an indoctrination center, but it’s not going to be removing children from their parents or forcing them through violence and rape to behave in a certain way (well, hopefully not anyway), it’s about nagging at them about Jesus while they shoot hoops.
But I can also understand why Canadian natives are touchy on the subject of Christians offering programs to indoctrinate their young. The Residential Schools program was hideously ugly in how it impacted the lives of so many for the worse, all the while trying ignorantly to make lives better. Arrogance is a bitch, for sure.
Please, if the idea of public funds coming to build a Christian outreach center doesn’t sit well, email your MP (or any MP if you’re not from here) and raise the issue.
Jim
Jim, I’m with you. This is horrendous on so many levels, especially with thousands still suffering from the atrocities committed in residential schools, by pedophilia priests, and the third world conditions of reservations. I am too angry to add anymore right now, other than to ask is there any way to stop this thing from happening?
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The best way I can think of is to contact your MP and let them know how totally unacceptable this is. Boy Infidel and I both emailed our MP about this. The reality is that the only way to make headway in any of these things is to shout them from the rooftops. Spread the word, and get the people in your life to join in with sending their complaints.
Owl700: Any time i find myself asking “What can I do to help?” I pull up the “What Do I Do Next” document. This document was compiled and made public by the great folks at Skeptic Magazine and spearheaded by Daniel Loxton last year. It’s a fantastic resource for what we can do to promote skepticism and science.
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