Another Stereotype of the Month entry:
Another Stereotype of the Month entry:
Boozhoo,
This article printed in Sarnia, Observer, July 6th 2002, Ontario, Canada.
Lawyer calls George family 'terrorists'
Toronto(CP)-The brother of slain native activist Dudley George walked out of a court room after hearing a government lawyer compare his family to terrorists, according to court records.
The comments came during the wrongful death lawsuit by George's family, which accuses the provincial government of pressuring Ontario provincial police to use "severe action" rather than "patience, negotiation and other non-violent policing techniques.
A court motion filed Wed., by Murray Klippenstein lawyer for the George family, quotes the government's defense lawyer, John Zarudny, as saying in front of Dudley George's brother Sam; "Well governments don't bargain with terrorists and I'm not here to bargain with the plaintiffs today."
According to the documents Sam George replied, "excuse me." Zarudny continued: "I'm just saying, governments don't bargain with terrorists. I'm not here to bargain with the plaintiffs on these matters. I am asking questions."
According to the court papers Sam George said he was deeply offended by the comparison of his family to terrorists during a Jan. 9 hearing in the lawsuit.
Dudley George was shot to death by a provincial police officer on Sept. 6, 1995, when he was part of a group of native protesters occupying Ipperwash Provincial Park.
The protesters said the park was on a sacred burial ground. That claim was later upheld by the federal government.
Rob's comment
That a government lawyer would ever compare a white plaintiff to a terrorist is unlikely. This seems another example of the notion that deep down, Native people are still savage and uncivilized.
For more on stereotyping in the Ipperwash incident, see Media Column: How the Media Silence Native Americans.
Related links
Canada MP compares Native kids to suicide bombers
Terrorism: "good" vs. "evil"
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