Tuesday, December 29, 2015

Cultural Appropriation

Here's one way to combat the idea of "cultural appropriation":
Multicultural diversity succeeded in watering down American culture. We have to accept thug music (rap) alongside Beethoven. Now the left is embracing cultural appropriation, a guilt trip laid on gullible white people.

OK, fair is fair. As a white Christian, I won't eat halal. I won't eat Thai. I'll even give up General Tso, which is something I actually do eat.

Now give me back the polio vaccine. It is part of the Judeo-Christian tradition. It was developed by Jews (there are two vaccines).

Also, give back pasteurized milk.

The automobile.

The airplane.

The train.

Electricity, the Internet, skyscrapers, radio, television, and the cellphone -- or any other kind of phone. Transistors, too....
I'm not sure that's the way to go, though, because it validates the very concept of cultural appropriation--among the most racist concepts there is.

Think about it.  Are only certain people, based on how they were raised or where they were born, allowed to wear certain types of clothing?  Are only certain people, based on how they were raised or where they were born, allowed to eat certain types of food?  Are only certain people, based on how they were raised or where they were born, allowed to listen to, or to perform, certain types of music?  Are only certain people, based on how they were raised or where they were born, allowed to wear their hair certain ways?

The answer to all of these questions is--or at least should be, and in an ideal world would be--an emphatic "no!"  But we have people out there arguing each of these even now.  And there are just enough soft-headed lefties, anxious to display their liberal bona fides, who will go along with them since they're part of the tribe.

I'm not saying we should mock people based solely on how they were raised or where they were born, but eating food, wearing clothes or hair styles, and/or listening to music should be open to everyone--and it pains me that such a statement even needs to be said.  I can eat Chinese food if I want to, and I should be able to eat Americanized Chinese food (orange chicken the best!) or Mongolian barbecue without complaints from people claiming that simple act is an affront to them.  You know what's an affront to me?  Your racism and fascism.  Which of us has the better argument?

Is having a "fiesta" themed party truly offensive?  Really?  You can argue it is if you want to, but that answer isn't self-obvious. 

Why should you care if white people want to wear dreadlocks?

There are plenty of other questions I can ask of the "cultural appropriation" crowd, but one wonders if such self-important and hate-filled people can even understand the racism inherent in their beliefs--or if it's the reason for their beliefs.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

My absolute favorite is how upset people get when you try to explain "white" people and cultures aren't all the same. Irish, German, Russian, Italian, Portuguese, British, Welsh, swedish, greek, turkish, Norwegian, icelandic, Hungarian, lithuanian, polish, french, danish, romanian, swiss, austrian... more. We aren't one, big gluttonous culture. We have different languages and tastes and traditions too. But apparently not as different or as good as everyone else's? Can i call cultural appropriation on st. Patrick's day? What about all hallows eve?