Canada

Remember folks, it's always ok to punch a nazi in the face

I'm Indigenous and I have two relatives who joined the Canadian armed forces and I know a few other Indigenous people who joined over the years. My two relatives left after a year or two of being accepted and most of the other Indigenous people have also left. All of them complained about just rampant racism or at the very least just subtle racism everywhere with lower levels up to the officers and leaders.

Personally, I grew up in the 80s and 90s as a kid and I often though of going to the military but my parents and grandparents alwyas discouraged us. They had the memory of watching their parents and grandparents join the first and second world wars, either have their family killed, wounded or nearly killed but at the very least forcibly or coerced into going, promised money and help after, and given nothing when they returned. Our elders always said that if any war ever starts again, they'll ask us to fight it, die for it but either give us nothing for it or very little for any sacrifice we make for them.

Most middle aged Native people like me feel the same. We remember how racist the Canadian military was in the past ... we know how racist the Canadian military is currently now ... why would we want to join this terrible organization that degrades us, yet asks us to sacrifice ourselves to it?

Too fucking late, it already has that problem. The question is how do we root it out?