Is racism on the rise in Mission/Abbotsford?

Is racism on the rise in our community?

With all the recent events that have happened – with the KKK flyer distribution and the shocking racial altercation video from a parking incident in Abbotsford – people are talking on social media and around town. So I asked the question to my Facebook friends: Do you feel racism is on the rise in our communities or are these just isolated incidents?

Well, the vast majority of respondents felt these are isolated incidents and these kinds of behaviours are not welcomed. Yes, respondents were extremely disturbed and had lots to say – and so they should. 

These kinds of actions are not warranted in our communities and when we take a closer look around we’ll find diversity is what makes our community unique. It is  proven time and time again and we are better because of it.

My family, unfortunately, received a KKK flyer on our driveway a few short weeks ago. We are a pioneer South Asian family from Mission and are very proud of our hometown. This form of recruitment by this group is not what we need to further our discussion on diversity for future generations.  

Many have commented that the KKK flyer was unorganized, being tossed in the middle of the night at people’s driveways or possibly by teens. I say think again. 

Watching a few YouTube videos, it’s an old Klan tradition to throw flyers out at night at people’s driveways for recruitment purposes, calling it a “Night Ride.” I was correct when I first saw the flyer initially looking like some kind of recruitment drive.  The Klan has had activity in the past in Mission and this action should not be taken lightly. Whether they exist or not, we just don’t know for sure, but the divisive message can have long-term effects with people who may be vulnerable and who may gain an interest in other white supremacy groups that are active in the Lower Mainland.

In regards to the racial video that surfaced from Abbotsford, which went viral, it is something as a collective community that we are not proud of. Abbotsford/Mission being one of the most diverse regions in the country is something we can truly brag about. Diversity is a fragile concept and things can change quickly. Remaining calm and not encouraging further violence is essential in this matter. 

Good for the person doing the videoing to have the higher ground in this horrifying ordeal. I just can’t imagine what he went through and no one deserves this kind of treatment. Gugan Kaur Sidhu from the Fraser Valley Human Dignity Coalition said: “I want to emphasize the importance of reporting these incidences to the police and or the FV Human Dignity Coalition. Having a record of the discriminatory incidences taking place in the Fraser Valley helps secure funding for anti-oppression work and advocate appropriately.”  The Coalition encourages those that were negatively affected by this incident or any other discriminatory incident to contact the Fraser Valley Human Dignity Coalition. 604.859.7681 ext. 270 diversityeducation@abbotsfordcommunityservices.com

Ku KLux Klan (KKK) strikes Mission residents with flyer

By Kevin Mills,

Mission City Record

Residents of Cherry Avenue woke up Monday morning to find a small package on their front lawns – from the Ku Klux Klan.

The package came in the form of a clear plastic bag containing a one page flyer and a small amount of rice.

The flyer indicates it is from the “Loyal White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan” and that “Yes! White Lives Do Matter.”

It contains more statements and includes a website and a “Klan Hotline” phone number.

Mission RCMP received many complaints regarding the hate literature and several files were opened.

One of the residents who received the flyer was Ken Herar, founder of the Cycling4Diversity campaign.

Herar said he was at work when he heard about the incident, but his 83-year-old dad, Tok, was at home and found the flyer. Tok immediately took the literature to the RCMP.

“As a person who has lived her for six decades, I think it was very disturbing for him,” said Herar about his father. “I could see his reaction and I could see his pain and his frustration that we are still battling this.”

He said his dad is proud of the community and feels it is a community built on diversity.

The KKK flyers were also dropped off at some homes in Abbotsford and, earlier this year, in Chilliwack. While it is unknown if this is a local group distributing the literature, Herar said this is not the first incident to occur in Mission.

‘The Ku Klux Klan has existed in Mission for a long time. We’ve had cross burning in Mission back in the ’70s,” said Herar. “Now it hasn’t happened in quite a number of decades.”

Herar said whoever it was they are making a statement and seeking attention.

“They want to create fear and dismantle our diversity.”

Herar is planing on organizing a ride in Mission an Abbotsford in the next few weeks to talk to students about the KKK incident.

“We want to counter-act this. This is not our community. This does not represent us.”

Mission Mayor Randy Hawes agrees that this is not a representation of Mission and said he is unaware of any organized Ku Klux Klan.

“The people of Mission can be assured that they are not going to see a horde of hooded people walking down the street lighting crosses on fire,” said Hawes, adding that the police are already looking for the people spreading this hate information around.

“I’m sure the individuals who did this are in hiding. They are that kind of people. The literature should be scrapped  and thrown away.”

Diversity: Gentle, Equal and Balances

On the Spot by Ken Herar
I was recently told by someone after a brief discussion that I am an East Indian sympathizer in reference to my columns.
I don’t mind criticism as long as it’s accurate. The only thing that is correct about this statement is, yes, I am East Indian – actually South Asian is the proper term to use.
For me being a South Asian sympathizer is the furthest from the truth.
Over the past two decades, I worked tirelessly with many community members to create dialogue and find ways where we can encourage diverse activities and relationships.
It’s not about favouring one cultural group over another, but rather looking at our community as one diverse city.
Readers might sometimes automatically assume that when they see my South Asian face on this page that I am voicing something on East Indian topics or criticizing the mainstream community on racism issues. Get your facts correct on what is actually being discussed and the foundation that is being created.
In order for us to move forward, I discovered a formula that has assisted me on how we can be more interconnected. It is called: (GEB) Gentle, Equal and Balances. By being Gentle, we actually get to listen and respect each other. When it comes to the diversity family, everyone is Equal despite our obvious differences. In order to discover diversity we need to have Balances in terms of our friendships and activities.
Diversity can be a difficult term for some to understand, yet they claim to practice it. Then there are those who think it is just a word and never publicly admit they don’t believe in it. Whatever side of the fence you’re on, these three terms will provide an important self-guide, and it’s more than just about differences. Actually, we have more in common than you may believe.
My mother Kuldip shared a story with me that captures these three terms all in one package. When my mom came to Canada in the mid 1960s, her English was limited and it was the kind people of Mission and members from the Mission Rotary Club who stepped up and took her out to get groceries and assisted her with daily activities.
Mom always says: “I will never forget those people who welcomed me with open arms.”

Cycling4Diversity collides with the Good Year Blimp

Muhammad Ali was more than a boxer

COLUMN: Muhammad Ali was more than a boxer

• posted Jul 4, 2016 at 3:00 PM

On the Spot by Ken Herar
It’s with great sadness that we learned last month about Muhammad Ali passing, one of the best boxers of all time. I recall listening to the radio on many occasions to legendary radio broadcaster Howard Cosell announcing the blow by blow actions.
Ali, who only lost 5 times in his career, was a controversial figure in and outside the boxing ring and never short of words. At the tender age of 12, Ali discovered his talent for boxing through a police officer after his bike was stolen. Ali told the police officer, that he wanted to beat up the thief. “Well, you better learn how to fight before you start challenging people”, said the officer.
Ali famous saying was, “Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee” and he did just that and had tough words on diversity and social integration, which could be considered as racist to some. Aligning himself with the Nation of Islam and its leader Elijah Muhammad, he had tough words about the white folks.
Going through many YouTube videos and seeing his interviews during the civil rights movement in the 1960’s, Ali took a tough stance on how a black person should live their life and reject outside influences. Ali said, “We who follow the teachings of Elijah Muhammad, don’t want to be forced to integrate. Integration is wrong. We don’t want to live with the white man; that’s all.”
And in relation to inter-racial marriage: “No intelligent black man or black woman in his or her right black mind wants white boys and white girls coming to their homes to marry their black sons and daughters.”
But, let’s not lose perspective of the era that Ali was speaking. Many blacks were treated as “second class” citizens throughout the United States and the hard stance was sometimes needed to capture the attention. In 1960, he was turned away from a “whites-only” restaurant and in 1967 Ali refused induction into the US Armed Forces due to his religious beliefs and as a result, he was arrested and fined. Just recently, his hometown paper apologized 50 years later for continuing to refer to Ali in the press as Cassius Clay and not by his Muslim name.
He always wanted to more than a boxer and he proved to be more than just that. He devoted his time to helping charities, Special Olympics and creating world peace when he flew to Lebanon to secure the release of four hostages. He also made goodwill missions to Afghanistan and North Korea and delivered medical aid to Cuba and secured the release of 15 US hostages during the first Gulf War. In 1981, he helped save a man from jumping out of a ninth-floor building in Los Angeles. In 1985, he and his wife Lonnie opened the Muhammad Ali Center in their hometown of Louisville, Kentucky, which inspires with an educational and museum experience.
He leaves us with some special words, “Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth.”

Cycling4Diversity team profiled in the Agassiz-Harrison Observer

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Raising awareness one peddle at a time

Members of the Cycling4diversity group visited two schools in Agassiz and one in Harrison Hot Springs Wednesday, May 25.

— Image Credit: Anne-Marie Sjoden/Special To The Observer

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• by  Ashley Wadhwani - Agassiz Observer
• posted Jun 3, 2016 at 12:00 PM

To mark a week of promoting diversity, not-for-profit group Cycling4Diversity visited three schools in the Agassiz and Harrison Hot Springs area Wednesday, May 25.

The C4D team spent the morning traveling between Kent Elementary and Agassiz Secondary school and later cycled to Harrison Hot Springs and spoke at Harrison Elementary, where they received a wonderful response.

The cycling group's founder Ken Herar said students were very excited to hear the group speak on  diversity..

“We are extremely honoured to have received the support from the community and the schools we visited on the first leg of our three-day journey.”

The founder said when he asked if racism exists in the area, “many of the students expressed concerns much work remains.”

For the groups’s executive director Anne-Marie Sjoden, this was her third ride, although first in Agassiz and Harrison.

“It always brings joy to me, when I hear the stories on how we have been making a difference in the peoples life’s that we have touched.  And how amazing friendships have formed all because of asking the kids to do one simple task, introducing themselves to some they had not been friends with before today,” she said.

For more information about the group, visit cycling4diversity.ca.

Surrey Now: Encouraging South Asians to step outside their culture

Cycling4Diversity urges Surrey Khalsa students to make friends with kids from other cultures

By BEAU SIMPSON
June 2, 2016 · 8:28 AM

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Cycling4Diversity founder Ken Herar talks to Khalsa school students in Surrey on May 26. / SUBMITTED

NEWTON — Students at two Khalsa schools in Surrey were asked to do one simple task on May 26 – make friends with someone outside their own culture.

It’s a simple, yet powerful request the Cycling4Diversity team has been making in schools throughout B.C. for the past six years, thanks to founder Ken Herar.

“Our team has always felt welcomed at the Khalsa schools in Surrey and students were really excited to have a conversation on diversity related topics,” he said.

Herar founded the group  in 2010 after he found out he was not welcome at a certain Christmas party because he was South Asian.

He said despite the community support and the incredible response from the schools he visits, much work remains to be done.

“When the question was asked if racism still exists in the area, many of the students expressed concerns,” he said.

Anne-Marie Sjoden is Cycling4Diversity executive director. This was her third ride.

“It always brings joy to me, when I hear the stories on how we have been making a difference in the peoples lives that we have touched,” she said. “And how amazing friendships have formed all because of asking the kids to do one simple task, introducing themselves to some they had not been friends with before today.”

beau.simpson@thenownewspaper.com