It’s not comedy to make money off a mass murderer

OTTAWA—The Danger Cats is a so-called comedy group whose shows have been cancelled across the country. As media have reported, the group makes fun of the Pickton murders in British Columbia through T-shirt sales. Convicted of murdering six women and accused of killing many more, Robert Pickton committed a slow-rolling tragedy of epic proportions. Many of his victims were Indigenous women. Indigenous women were at higher risk during those times of the 1990s, and continue to be at higher risk. This so-called comedy group from Alberta sells T-shirts with Pickton's smirking face. The show—after getting cancelled in various places across Canada—just performed in Vancouver. Protesters stood outside, including families of women killed by Pickton. It is truly beyond the pale to highlight a murderer when the victims’ families are right there, but the group went ahead anyhow to do their so-called show. The venue has since apologized for hosting what should be viewed as a hate-based event. A quick Google search on the group will find an internet presence. Quite quickly, one will find discussion about the online hate bill which is viciously berated by the Facebook followers of this so-called comedy group. There is boisterous outrage that even comedy might be under threat by some Liberal bill restricting free speech. Free speech over humanity is the theme here. It’s an echo chamber propping up hatred against Indigenous Peoples, although one can be sure this group won’t limit itself to making jokes just about Indigenous Peoples. After about two minutes, this author chose not to delve further into the pages and pages of stuff said by this group, and responses from its followers. After the first racist cartoon against Indigenous Peoples one follower posted, I chose to close the tab. The bill to address online hatred is in debate. One wonders if we’re already behind the proverbial eight-ball if we have to legislate against hate, but here we are. Remember the good old days—the 2010 decade—when vicious hate said out loud was silenced by peers? Wow, those where the days. So much has changed since then. What a surprise to read that it’s all Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s fault! All of it! Oh, to be a god among men, to have so much power! In actuality, it was the shifting economies and jobs, and the rise of white supremacy and small-n nationalism. Then, of course, there's Donald Trump. When a leader crosses a line an inch, the followers cross by a mile. Between Trump and the societal impacts of COVID-19, we have lost so much. We know much more about how COVID affects a patient, but we have yet to determine how it affects a society. Jokes about murderers and the real risks to Indigenous women is not comedy: it’s monetized hate speech on a stage. Jokes about it might actually encourage crime, so we call it hate. This is not about free speech. This is about a sense of responsibility to each other. It’s simply disgusting to make fun of a people, and there’s no ifs or buts about it. This is not about the right to say whatever damn thing comes to mind. It is about reciprocity—to care about others first. Pass the law: we need to do better as a society, and the Online Harms Act will be one piece of the puzzle. It's not the only piece. Education needs to do better so our children graduate with excellent citizenship skills, conflict resolution, and a sense of shared responsibility for each other. Let’s hope we’re not too late. Rose LeMay is Tlingit from the West Coast and the CEO of the Indigenous Reconciliation Group. She writes twice a month about Indigenous inclusion and reconciliation. In Tlingit worldview, the stories are the knowledge system, sometimes told through myth and sometimes contradicting the myths told by others. But always with at least some truth. The Hill Times

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It’s not comedy to make money off a mass murderer

Jokes about murderers and the real risks to Indigenous women is not comedy, it’s monetized hate speech.

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