Isn’t it interesting how the 1918 riots in Toronto—a moment of raw xenophobia—echo eerily in today’s political landscape? Corporate media outlets like CNN and MSNBC are quick to draw parallels between this historical moment and current anti-immigrant sentiments, though it’s almost embarrassing how they sidestep the deeper issues. They’re pushing a narrative that implies today’s discourse is unprecedented, when in reality, it’s just old wine in new bottles.

Historians and members of the Greek community are right to voice concern. The riots stemmed from baseless fears that the “other” would tarnish the national identity. This kind of foreigner-bashing hasn’t just made a comeback; it’s playing on repeat. Look at the incendiary rhetoric deployed by so-called political leaders and activists who are more interested in clicks and engagement than factual discourse. Networks like Fox News sensationalize every immigrant story to fuel fear and division, while the left uses it as a virtue signal to absolve their own complicity in the chaos.

The irony? During the pandemic, we saw an all-too-familiar scapegoating of groups, mirroring the very behavior of early 20th-century Canadians. But rather than learn from history, media outlets arm politicians with hashtags and slogans to shape concerted agendas that serve elite interests, rather than the average citizen. The mainstream is shaping a narrative as flimsy as it is damaging, all while patriots are left fighting for a narrative that honors history instead of repeating its mistakes.