The Tragedy of a Hate Crime - "Nippertipping"

I was shocked as I heard of the terrible tragedy that took place not far from our home. Growing up in Southern Saskatchewan was no where near this kind of hatred. Yet having lived for many years and at different times near and among other races – I knew it was possible. I had witnessed it before and cringe when I see or hear it has happened again.

The newest term that had caught my attention is “nippertipping”. Googling the word today gets 974 responses. It has to be new.

“Nippertipping” refers to the attacks on Asian fishermen that fish our lakes and rivers locally – late at night. Apparently it has been going on for many years – and never reported. Local people have reacted with violence against the fishermen and thrown them into the water near where they are standing. Some accounts have related that fishing gear has been stolen and that their vehicles have been vandalized.

As I have read the accounts posted to date I see that the Asian population is beginning to open up to the general public. Further to that, the police have finally begun to react as well and an investigation is being launched – charges have been laid and will be laid as more come forward to tell the story.

The lack of understanding or awareness is likely because the language barrier and also the unwillingness of the Asian community to stir up more trouble.

There had been inferences that the Asian men and women that are fishing – do so without fishing licenses and at times of the year when others are not fishing. That statement alone tried to justify an angry feeling that local people have against this group. Hatred and anger against another race is Racial Hatred.

Coming to the Peterborough area in 1998 I noticed a strange phenomena. A local bridge and causeway had bi-lingual signs posted near the roadway – in English and Vietnamese. It was telling the local people (English) and the Asian people (assumed to be Vietnamese) – not to fish from that area.

In Hastings Ontario it is common to see many Asian fishermen and fisherwomen with their poles extended over the water below the lock bridge. As well there are many other places in our region where I have discovered Asian people fishing.

A while back we were in the Toronto/Agincourt area I noticed posters in a local store’s window. It was advertising fishing tours to the Kawartha area (where we live). I found it interesting that we were now advertised as a tourist area to Asian people.

When I talked with local men in our area and beyond I received some interesting reactions. I would say that the reactions would not be the kindest. The sense was that the Asian guys were coming into the area and fishing the lakes out – because there were so many there. The reality was that we were not used to having so many people different from us – enjoying what we do and have taken for granted to be ours alone.

The reactions border on Racial Tension. It is just that Racial Hatred has not yet happened – by pushing someone you don’t like into the water.

Take a different look…
Let’s turn this around. The next time that you eat Chinese food in a real Chinese restaurant you may run into some one that hates your kind. Let’s say you sit near another family that is Chinese – in fact everyone in the restaurant is Chinese – except you. Suppose that they don’t want you there…? Just after your first course arrives a young Asian man comes to your table and glares at you. He is yelling something in Chinese and then grabs your chair and jerks it from under you throwing you to the floor. Then to make his angry point he grabs the table and throws it over with all the food going everywhere. Then in broken English he yells… “That is Whitemantipping!”

It is a different kind of problem when it happens to you. It is not a ‘news item’ – it is violence that will change your life radically.

How would I know anything of this?

My first encounter was in a small community where we lived in Regina, Saskatchewan. It was a poor area where people without money lived. We didn’t have much money when we moved to Regina. I didn’t know it but we were relatively poor. The people in our community all had accents coming from many different countries – especially Hungary and the Ukraine. The English speaking people called the ‘other people’ – DPs. DP stood for “Displaced Person”. The term DP was always used against a person that you hated or were fighting with. I can think of no greater derogatory term than DP.

Later I learned another term for the French of Canada. At school someone called another person a ‘Frog’. He had an accent as well and someone told me he was from Quebec. So we all added ‘Frog’ to the ‘DP’ arsenal of bad words.

It wasn’t until I arrived in Quebec and began my work in that province – as a non French Speaking (at least poor French speaking) person – did I realize what it was like to be an outsider and different from everyone else.

I was a computer technician and was the only person available to repair the machine that was not working in one store in Shawinigan, Quebec. The man that owned the store spoke very good English with a tiny French accent. He glowered at me when I introduced myself and why I was there to repair his computer. He asked, “Do you speak French?” My reply was, “Not very well…” He then said in a loud voice for all in the store to hear, “Well until you do… don’t come back in here!” My face went red and I retreated from the store – with the machine un-repaired.

The pain that I felt in ‘my Canada’ was real. I had been psychologically assaulted by an ignorant man. This was really a Frog! See if I ever help that idiot again?!

The end of that story was simple. Our French manager was very sharp. He sent me back with a French speaking Moroccan – that spoke 12 languages. His name was Emmanuel. Together we walked into the store again and met the owner. The owner greeted Emmanuel who spoke fluently to him in French. The owner saw me and then invited us to come to where the computer was – to repair it.

Emmanuel stopped me and then asked the owner if he spoke Italian. “Non!” was the reply. He asked again if he spoke, Swahili or German. “Mais non!” was the owner’s reply. Emmanuel asked about three other languages that Emmanuel personally spoke. When the owner was very frustrated and red in the face – Emmanuel stated, “Until you do – we will not repair your machine!” Then he proceeded to explain what he felt about an ignorant store owner that was a strong Quebec Nationalist. We walked away from the place and never went back.

I have seen and felt hatred in lots of places. I don’t want hatred near where I live. Asians are my friends. I have great respect for them – coming to our culture and country and then being willing to actually live next to us – with all our warts and weird things that we do – they are amazing people!

Racial Hatred is not God’s way. The horror is that for many years people thought that God thought it was okay. With that thinking we as a great western society embraced Slavery – and then wrote and sing a song “Amazing Grace” – when we changed our minds about it all.

May I ask you to pray for the people that have been but by this recent Nippertipping? Pray for foolish people to come to a better understanding and justice to be served.

As a pastor I stand today to say this is wrong and we need to do something about it – not in Toronto or Georgina – but where I live.

~ Pastor Murray Lincoln ~

“Hate-crime probe begins” http://www.thestar.com/News/article/261436
“Hate crimes' label sought for assaults” http://www.thestar.com/News/article/261053