Odious ink

A good job well done is something to be proud of -- and not ridiculed. We stumbled upon this example of unfunny racism published in living memory (1921) by a major Montreal daily newspaper. It pokes fun at a street worker trying to make an honest buck for a hard day's work. We publish this here not to propagate the hateful sentiments, but so that next time someone speaks ill of someone a little bit different, or someone new to these shores, you will do the right thing and tell them to shut their stupid cakehole. (Loose translation below.)

Is he the yellow peril?

A Chinaman who cleans various laundry items is nothing unusual. But a Chinaman who cleans the streets of Concordia (a synonym for Montreal) -- now that's something to behold. Such a species of the yellow race does exist -- anyone could have seen it at work this morning at the intersection of Demontigny and St. Christophe Streets. He is working for the city of Montreal as a day labourer. Dressed in a long frock, with hat pulled down over his eyes and very long hair, this friend of Li Hung Chang shovels enthusiastically. His trespassing into this line of work might make you smile... . Who knows? Could he be tired of doing the dirty laundry of others? This photograph we present to you is authentic. If you look very closely, you can see that this work doesn't look like his cup of tea. He wasn't born to be a road mender -- he still hasn't lost his passion for ironing boards.

From the front page of La Patrie (a large-circulation Montreal French-language daily), 7 March 1921.