Help on history homework PLEASE!?

Colonizers have always turned to racism to rationalize oppression. Racism is prejudice or discrimination based on the belief that one or one's group is innately or genetically superior to another. Racists believe that “race” determines qualities such as intelligence, innovation, creativity and even morality. Colonization has been maintained through racial stereotypes, among other means.

Racism may be expressed individually or structurally. It may be expressed person to person, for example, by name calling, by refusal of service in any public place, or even by personal attacks. Aboriginal peoples continue to encounter such forms of personal discrimination or other indignities every day of their lives. Such racism is intolerable but racial prejudice by proverbial “rednecks” is not the only sort of racism that exists in our country. It is especially important to understand that racism against Aboriginal peoples is embedded and entrenched in Canadian institutions. Examples are the British North America Act, the courts, the police, churches, banks, employers, social services, the medical system and education. Racism in the school system can be traced back to the Euro-Canadian (or Western) interpretation of history, a biased interpretation which has been transmitted through the uncritical use of archival and historical records and textbooks. As an inherent part of the colonial project, Europeans categorized themselves as the “civilized” and Indigenous peoples as the “savages,” the underlying assumption being that as savages, “Indians” were at the bottom of human development. From this institutionalized bias a complex set of images, terminology, policies and legislation has set Aboriginal peoples apart, both geographically (on reserves and residential schools), and as inferior peoples. In the larger society such assumptions are perpetuated through the media and the marketplace, through Hollywood, comics, ads and tourist sites. Such racism is deeply institutionalized to the point that it is the norm in White North American society.

It is in this sense that racism is not necessarily personal, conscious or intentional, but for these very reasons institutionalized racism is extremely powerful and should be deeply disturbing to Canadians. Society is conditioning non-Aboriginal peoples, particularly youth, to acquire racist views towards Aboriginal histories, cultures and persons. Consequently, non-Aboriginal children may develop fear, disrespect and even racial hatred toward First Nation or Métis peoples. The effect on Aboriginal peoples is equally distressing as racism can lead to racial shame and self-rejection. The net effect is the stereotyping, mistrust and mistreatment of Aboriginal peoples and the resulting strain and conflict.