这两天，一句“杀光中国人”的童言引来了轩然大波。有人说，虽然是一句童言，但是孩子受到大人的指使，电视台有台词脚本；也有的说，这其实反映了美国白人的普遍心理，是种族歧视。
这都好理解，毕竟每一个民族都有自己脆弱的小感情，这种感情伤不起。
一个世纪前，白种人主宰着世界，他们用坚船利炮四处掠夺，征服了世界的每一个角落。盎格鲁撒克逊人曾经在他们的土地上能永远看到不落的太阳。
然而近50年来，弱小的民族觉醒了，西方世界也逐渐走向了民主和现代文明，人类在不分种族，不分肤色平等地生活在同一星球的理念之下朝文明迈进。
说老实话，曾经不可一世的“上等人”在心理上是难以一时适应的，眼看着别人要超越自己，哪怕是弱小者稍微占了一点便宜，便会时不时发泄一下他们的不满。
最近，加拿大温哥华岛上的一个小城镇的一家媒体发表了二封读者来信，立刻引发了一场轩然大波，同时遭到当地原住民的强烈抗议。这两封读者来信的主要观点是：印第安民族的落后是历史的原因，是他们自己的责任。过去白人是欺负了他们，但是那也是历史。当年没有什么人权可言，弱肉强食，落后就要挨打。今天历史已近翻过一页，我们不应该再继续纠缠历史老帐，原住民更不应该老是因为曾经受到不公就以此为要挟，享受特殊待遇，使自己比其他国民更“公平”。
平心而论，这个观点没有大错，生活在同一个国家中的国民都要朝前看，大家平等地担负责任，平等地享受权利，一同努力奉献社会。一部分人不应该总是纠缠于历史而将自己的生活依附于另一部分人身上。
但是，由于来信中的部分措辞过于偏激，加上种族（民族）问题在任何社会都是一个敏感话题，这样的观点虽然可以自由表达，但是一个公共媒体公开发表这样的言论就显得不负责任。
民主，的确保护言论自由，但是从来没有绝对的自由。民主的另一个真谛是多数人要尊重少数人的权利，强者要保护弱者的利益。许多言论，能否公开表达并不取决于言论本身的对与错，而要看言论是否伤害了这部分人的利益或情感。
原住民当然愤怒了，他们抗议了，媒体终于道歉了。这是他们的权利。
但是，我不赞成他们动不动就搞大规模的集会游行，动不动就阻断交通静坐示威——这片土地是我们的！？
历史的一页翻过去吧，别把自己弄得像三岁的孩子哭着闹着讨糖吃。成熟起来，站起来和其他民族一样，努力，奋斗，与社会融合起来，去开辟一片真正属于自己的新天地。
回到“杀光中国人”的事件上，首先这个言论错了，电视台公开播放更是错。不管是不是孩子说的，不管其他孩子的反应如何，也不管主持人是否赞同，只要我们想像一下把“中国人”换成“犹太人”，ABC就别想在美国混下去了。
华人有权利愤怒，更有权利抗议。但是，去白宫请愿？大规模示威？杯葛迪斯尼？免了吧， 别把自己弄得和印第安人那样可怜兮兮。咱就是这样逼人家道歉了，人家心里还是不服，不爽的。有这个时间，不如团结起来，向犹太民族学习，等到哪一天中国人不但拥有美国国债，而且把美国的经济命脉和政治命脉都操纵在华裔手里的时候，中国人才真正站起来了。对于一个站起来的人，别人如果不仰视你，至少也应该平视的。
虽然目前华裔还是弱势群体，但是我们内心的情感要首先强大起来，我们的民族不叫印第安！
附：两封读者来信原文：
It was only 12,000 years ago, or less and this should be considered; in all those years the so called First Nations:
. Never "discovered" the wheel
. Never had a written language
. Never discovered astronomy
. Had no science or scientific discoveries
. Had no mathematics
. Made no medical discoveries
. Never had written music
. Only "figured out" a drum and a rattle for musical instruments
. Had no metallurgy
. Had no sails for boats (only had canoes)
. Created virtually no mechanical devices
. Possessed almost nothing that required hard manual labour over a period of time, i.e.: building with or carving out of stone
. Made almost no inventions
. Are just in the last 200 years getting caught-up to most of the rest of the world
. Have a history that is notable only for underachievement Are these people in trouble? Yes.
Do they need help? Yes.
Are they responsible enough to look after themselves and efficiently spend the billions the tax payers give them? Certainly not.
The only way to fix this situation is to bring them into society as equals. They should be getting jobs and paying taxes like the rest of us because in reality, they are no more special than any of the other hundred or more cultures that call Canada home.
Turn off the taps. Do away with this "traditional use" and "cultural" nonsense. Educate their children to become modern citizens.
Instead of finding their identity and source of pride in some folks who occupied the land 15,000 years ago. Let them stand or fall on their own account.
Just like the rest of us have to do.
Don Olsen Nanaimo
***********
I always have difficulty coming to grips with the condemnation of 21st century Canadians by aboriginals for injustice suffered by them in the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries.
To be sure, North American aboriginals were treated terribly by those European nations that were compelled to spread their empires throughout the world and to subjugate any and all indigenous peoples who were perceived a threat to colonialism/imperialism as well as by fledgling Canadian governments, in essence extensions of those nations. North American aboriginals were not the only ones to suffer from the encroachment of foreign powers and the indignity visited upon those poor souls who were unable to withstand the onslaught.
It should be noted, however, that the world was a very different place in those eras. The class system was very much evident and practised throughout the world and tribal systems persisted.
The concept of human rights was virtually unknown; thus, the ruling class considered it their mandate and God-given right to subjugate the perceived lesser mortals who were considered unable to control their own destiny. Treaties were merely empty promises designed to overtly appease the indigenes while covertly exploiting them.
As our country matured and demographics changed through massive immigration and the evolution of our society, however, the playing field began to level.
Unfortunately, the First Nations in Canada have tenaciously clung to their tribal system, refusing to evolve as equal Canadian citizens and perpetuating the perceived notion that they remain under the heel of non-aboriginals.
This notion has been effectively used to develop a strategy for making outrageous demands for land and taxpayer money.
I'm not a great believer in the sins of the father being visited upon the sons. It is my opinion that no individual or groups of individuals should receive special treatment in Canada because of their ethnic, religious or historical backgrounds.
Having said that, I would tenaciously defend the right for those same individuals and groups to honour and display their heritage and to practise their religion, as long as it does not conflict with the democratic laws of our land or impose demands that once again tilt the relatively level playing field.
Bill McRitchie
Nanaimo
