This is not OK.

How can it be that in 2017 a group of racist bigots are splashed on every TV screen, Facebook page and newspaper? How can these people still exist?

Itsa国际传媒檚 because we allow it. The president of the United States allows it, even encouraged it throughout his campaign.

We cansa国际传媒檛 be complacent.

Every time we laugh off an older family membersa国际传媒檚 racist comments as, sa国际传媒渙h, theysa国际传媒檙e old, they donsa国际传媒檛 know better;sa国际传媒� every time we scoff, but donsa国际传媒檛 call out someonesa国际传媒檚 evil and hateful tirade online; every time we think sa国际传媒渢hat doesnsa国际传媒檛 happen heresa国际传媒� we are complicit.

While Canadians like to pretend we are so much better than our counterparts south of the border, our history and current problems prove we are not.

Hate and bigotry exists here, too.

News organizations across the country, including many in the Okanagan, were forced to shut-off online commentary for stories involving First Nation residents, rainbow crosswalks and Syrian refugees.

Why, you ask? Because the comments were horrific.

Canadians sat down and wrote violent and hate-filled words, cloaked in the anonymity of the Internet.

They may not be going to the same pathetic lengths that Americans who lit tiki torches and marched through the streets of Charlottesville did. They may not be driving their cars into crowds and murdering innocent people, but the language and messaging is along the same lines.

Worse yet, there are those among us who would go that far.

VICE News did several interviews from the Charlottesville riot and one of their first interviewees was a Canadian who drove across the border to join the march.

sa国际传媒淯nite the Rightsa国际传媒� white nationalist Christopher Cantwell welcomed the man as someone from sa国际传媒淐anadakhstan,sa国际传媒� noting he would be arrested for organizing the racist rally north of the border.

sa国际传媒淚n Canada, hurting peoplesa国际传媒檚 feelings is basically illegal,sa国际传媒� said the unidentified Canadian in response.

I suppose one could say it is good Canadian racists feel they cannot openly preach their hate here, but what are they doing?

Racism and bigotry exists in Canada and we need to admit it is still a major problem. Inequality and mistreatment based on skin colour, religion, gender, sexual orientation and identity still exists in Canada.

The whole notion of racism is futile really. We are the human race, the pigment of our skin doesnsa国际传媒檛 change that in any way, itsa国际传媒檚 just used to create division and fuel hate.

It is not OK.