Online 'shaming' sparks memories of Colten Boushie case racism
Facebook posts show reconciliation is still long way off, says professor
A series of Facebook posts this week by Battlefords-area residents has generated comparisons to the racist vitriol which followed the death of Colten Boushie.
Two of those whose Facebook posts caused the furor are now apologizing.
"Like if I could go back and take it out, of course I would. But there's nothing you can do about it now. I'll just have to deal with the fallout," Travis Kotylak said.
"I do regret saying it all. I was so mad," Hannah Turcotte said.
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Kotylak and Turcotte said they were enraged after a man was beaten and stabbed multiple times in North Battleford,Sask., last week.
RCMP said the victim's stolen truck was recovered at the Red Pheasant First Nation, and three males have been charged.
They took to Facebook.
Kotylak wrote, "They should all be hung." Turcotte agreed, posting that it would be a good method of crime prevention.
Another person posted that First Nations people always use the history of stolen land as an excuse. Turcotte agreed by posting, "Every. F--king. Time."
North Battleford lawyer Eleanore Sunchild, a vocal advocate for reconciliation in the Battlefords, obtained screenshots of the comments and posted them publicly on her Facebook page.
Almost immediately, dozens of people blasted Kotylak, Turcotte and others on Sunchild's and other Facebook pages.
Some generalized about non-First Nations people and threatened violence.
Sunchild has since taken down the comments.
"Awareness was achieved, however some of the comments crossed the line of civility. Name calling doesn't solve racism. It creates more division," she posted Monday evening.
She said that's one downside of publicly "shaming" people online, but the benefits outweigh the risks.
Sunchild was pleased to hear Kotylak and Turcotte have apologized. She hopes others will think twice before making such comments.
Sparks memories of Boushie case
University of Saskatchewan sociology professor Julie Kaye says this is "just an ongoing reflection of what we saw after the Boushie case."
"I think that really did bring it to the fore in Saskatchewan. So I see this as a continuation of what we saw after, not sort of a new incident," said Kaye.
Like Kaye, Sunchild said the comments bring back memories of the hatred following Boushie's death last summer.
If we're not able to find respectful and good ways to deal with this as a public in Saskatchewan, I think we'll continue to see this type of (online) violence flaring in multiple forums.- Julie Kaye, U of S sociology professor
The Red Pheasant man was killed on a local farm. The farmer has been charged with murder.
Hundreds of racist and violent messages were posted online at the time, prompting Premier Brad Wall, the National Farmers Union and others to call for calm.
Sunchild and Kaye said this week's online comments show there's still a lot of work to do.
The fallout didn't stop with angry responses.
Kotylak said he was wrong, but his post referred only to the alleged perpetrators. He said he wasn't talking about all First Nations people.
He said he's received multiple death threats.
Turcotte said she's received multiple messages from people saying they're going to kill or rape her.
She and her boyfriend's workplaces have been posted with phone contact information. The businesses have received multiple calls demanding they be fired. The boyfriend did not participate in the posts.
Kaye said it's vital everyone respectfully discuss issues such as crime, race and history.
"If we're not able to find respectful and good ways to deal with this as a public in Saskatchewan, I think we'll continue to see this type of (online) violence flaring in multiple forums," Kaye said.
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