Putting an End to Indifference and Racism

Marilyne Alie is a student in the International Baccalaureate Program at Vanier College in Montréal.

We must put an end to indifference and racism, and art can be an excellent way to communicate ideas. Because art is an informal means of communication, we can express our ideas without them being subjected to judgment. Art is a totally free form of expression, the freest that I know of.

As part of my French class called “Cultures francophones,” I had the opportunity to visit your Webzine, Tolerance.ca. I must say I was very impressed. I learned a lot from the Webzine about different cultures and the place they hold in our society—or rather the place we allow them to hold.

I was especially interested in the “On Campus” section. The articles cover situations that are experienced by young people from various cultures right here in Quebec. I came across one called "Muslim Girls Talk About Life on Campus". The article really made me think: the Muslim girls who talk about various incidents linked to their religious practices, specifically wearing the veil, made me realize that most of the time, the judgments we make about the people we spend time with or we go to school with (in my case, at Vanier College) are unfounded.

Muslim girls make choices they are comfortable with

According to this article, Muslim girls make choices that they are comfortable with, and we certainly don’t have the right to criticize those decision. At Vanier College, we are lucky to share the halls with students from many nationalities, with distinct cultures. This can only be positive, as it helps us accept the differences between societies that exist all around the world. Often, we make judgments before we even know the reasons for certain gestures, customs and opinions. The article "Muslim Girls Talk About Life on Campus" is concrete proof that our society is often too critical of other cultures. We must do something about the situation quickly.

Fear of being judged

Not only did I have the chance to read several articles in the “On Campus” section, I also browsed the “Documents” section, which contains many thought-provoking articles. The article entitled "Un poème devenu le symbole du combat contre le nazisme et l'indifférence" caught my attention. It made me realize that many people use art to pass on certain values and opinions. The poem in the article is an illustration of indifference in the face of racism. The author, Martin Niemöller of Germany, shows that too few people speak out about racism and discrimination.

It is true that we don’t want to be identified too closely with a particular group of people, whether a religion or culture, for fear of being judged, as Niemöller says in his work. We must put an end to indifference and racism, and art can be an excellent way to communicate ideas. Because art is an informal means of communication, we can express our ideas without them being subjected to judgment. Art is a totally free form of expression, the freest that I know of.

Tolerance.ca, a webzine to bring attention to cultural diversity

In sum, I feel that your Webzine is an effective way to give people another viewpoint on the cultures that co-exist in our society. This different perspective, which not many people think about, is explained and expressed by people who are facing various difficulties in terms of integration. It is essential that we know about and accept the cultural differences present in the environment in which we live. I strongly support the publication of the Tolerance.ca Webzine, as well as all the efforts made to denounce racism and reduce indifference to cultural diversity.

English translation: Christine York

The “On Campus” series on the diversity of values and religious beliefs in colleges and universities is presented with the financial support of:

Postings are subject to the terms and conditions of Tolerance.ca®.



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