The Narrative Dictates The Perception

...and eventually the politics.

Here in Quebec, we use terms I hate to label people. Those being "Anglophones" to identify the English community, "Francophone" for the French speaking community and finally "Allophones" those "non-otherwise specified" (NOS) folks. Meaning, those that fall neither into the English or French category but other nationalities and who speak English. All I'm missing is a tattoo imprinted by the government.

At least we should have the decency to keep up with technology and change the labels. I'm thinking "Francocellphone" or "AngloiPod."

Another term I find repulsive is "visible minority." According to a report published, I can't remember who it was, Canada's visible minority population will hit 30% in 20 years - mostly by South East Asians and Muslim Arabs. Poor tasting politically incorrect joke coming cover your eyes and ears: At least we'll be good in math.

Digressions, digressions.

I'm an English-speaking Canadian living in Quebec of Italian heritage who speaks three languages. But I'm not considered a "visible" minority, even though I am technically speaking in the minority category. Alas, I'm "white" now. We've come a long way from being "undesirable brown-skinned Southern Europeans," huh? Even though technically speaking, according to hard core geography, Italy is also an Alpine state. It was as much influenced by Germanic (including the Austrian-Hungarian empire) history as it was Etruscan, Roman, Greek, Samnites Norman, Celtic (French), Spanish and Arab among others. How's that for a mixed salad of arugala, romaine and spinach?

Incidentally, I have to say, Wiki has a pretty decent entry breaking down Italian cuisine. Not an easy task. Italian food runs deep. Despite all that, it still doesn't cover it all. When I visited the SIAL food conference in Paris in 2004, all of Europe was there to sell its products. The Italian section dwarfed all others including France. The espresso makers alone may have been in the high 20s, I can't remember. One maker was the exclusive supplier to the Vatican. It was a very good coffee. Another guy made espresso strictly out of barley. My personal favorite was a company from Verona called Pellini. 'Til this day I still consider it the best espresso I've ever tasted.

What was interesting in my house was how my mother managed to introduce us to most of what was on that list. Looking back, I was pretty lucky because very few people I knew were aware of half the stuff my mother cooked. It wasn't just the truffles, polenta, risotto and other "Alt'Italia" dishes to go along with the North Americanized Southern dishes (I'm Calabrian and Campobassano in Molise). She made mean Spanish omelettes too. She could probably out cook the French at their own game. 

More digressions.

Where was I? Yeah. What does a guy have to do to be visible around here? Wear a conehead?

If we're to ever achieve a truly integrated society how about we scrap these lame labels? All this does is keep alive an antiquated narrative built on pride and prejudice.

Let it go.