General Urban Cambridge Updates and Rumours

[ac3r]

the idea that descendants of Europeans have some sort of inherited guilt is ridiculous, and more importantly, unhelpful.

I think it's important you (and all else) do feel something. It isn't ridiculous nor unhelpful as you claim it is.

It doesn't need to be guilt, but to us people of colour, we don't always want to just pretend everything is okay, that we all live here together now, that we're all some homogenized mass where there is no X Y Z. We are here and need representation - and need it always, not just on some National Aboriginal Day or something. I think white people in particular need to feel something - and if that means guilt, okay - but I would prefer a gnawing thing in your mind that reminds you of why you get to live a luxurious life here on this particular place on earth. Just remember what you built this country on. Genocide, slavery, cultural assassination, eugenics, rape. Keep in mind that currently you're living on land that isn't yours - it's part of the Haldimand Proclamation Tract. We're building all of this on land that belongs to a group of Indigenous people that have no power to stop it, even though they own this.

When white (and all other people) can acknowledge this and try their damn hardest to be able to reconcile with us, the better. Let's build more affordable housing high in the sky (and nice condos for those who can afford them). NIMBYs can complain and we'll listen to their voices too, but a handful of privilege white boomers and their heritage groups should not hold so much power to change things when we can't even get enough affordable housing built for people of all classes and races.

I think this thread has derailed quite far from its intent, however, so maybe we ought to stop the conversation or move it elsewhere.