HAMILTON, CANADA, August 3, 2007: (HPI note: following is a guest editorial by Brad Clark in the Stoney Creek News of Ontario, Canada.) In the aftermath of Sept. 11, Hamilton’s Hindu Samaj Temple was torched and burned to the ground by racists. It was also during this time I heard many stories from Muslims, Hindus and Sikhs that they were afraid to walk the streets. Women and children were sworn at and spit on by bigots. It was a horrible stain on our city’s reputation. I can remember attending the fundraiser for the Hindu Samaj Temple at Carmen’s Banquet Centre. My friend, Hon. Sheila Copps and I challenged the audience to help raise the temple from the ashes. I can also remember telling the audience I have problems with the word “tolerant.”
The word, “tolerant,” really means to begrudgingly accept differences. I have always hoped our community could reach beyond being just “tolerant” and become an accepting, caring and inclusive community. Around the same time, Mayor Bob Wade formed Strengthening Hamilton’s Community Initiative. This group held many roundtables to plan to overcome racism wherever it is found. This excellent initiative recently joined with SISO’s Civic and Resource Center Initiative (to form Hamilton’s Centre for Civic Inclusion. HCCI’s mission is “A community-based network, mobilizing all Hamiltonians to create an inclusive city, free of racism and hate.” They also have an excellent vision, “A united community that respects diversity, practices equity and speaks out against discrimination.” Nowhere do you find the word “tolerant.” Finally, we are moving toward the creation of a caring, accepting and inclusive community.