Good or Bad for the Jews

"Good or Bad for the Jews"

Many years ago, and for many years, I would travel to Morocco to visit uncles, cousins, and my paternal grandmother. Some lived in Tangiers;...

Tuesday, November 24, 2015

Thoughts On Cultural Appropriation: Eat Tacos or the Terrorists Win!

Lots of threats out there to our beloved Anglosphere and to the Western Civilization it has so ably represented, advanced, and defended for the past many, many, many years. This humble blog has discussed several of those threats, such as Islam's reinvigorated 1400-year war on the West, and has even dealt with the GREATEST THREAT TO HUMANITY Global Cooling Global Warming Global Climate Change  Global Climate Disruption, in mocking terms, of course, but has failed to appreciate fully the next Greatest Threat, Cultural Appropriation! 

Our Canadian friends have led the way in countering this threat by canceling some imperialistic Yoga classes given, for free, at the University of Ottawa. For you see, my benighted six or seven friends,  
[A}s many as 20 million Americans practice yoga every day. Few worry that their downward dogs or warrior poses disrespect other cultures. 
But yoga comes from India, once a British colony. And now, at one Canadian university, a yoga class designed to include disabled students has been canceled after concerns the practice was taken from a culture that “experienced oppression, cultural genocide and diasporas due to colonialism and western supremacy,” according to the group that once sponsored it. <...>
You just gotta understand that,
“Yoga has been under a lot of controversy lately due to how it is being practiced and what practices from what cultures (which are often sacred spiritual practices) they are being taken from . . . Many of these cultures are cultures that have experienced oppression, cultural genocide and diasporas due to colonialism and western supremacy, and we need to be mindful of this and how we express ourselves and while practicing yoga.”
Being a culturally insensitive sort, I thought maybe the classes had been canceled because the wrong sort of people were walking around in yoga pants. But, no, the reasons are much more serious, and woe to he/she/ze who makes mock of them. The brave student federation at UniOtt took to heart the progressive definition of cultural appropriation,
Taking intellectual property, traditional knowledge, cultural expressions, or artifacts from someone else's culture without permission. This can include unauthorized use of another culture's dance, dress, music, language, folklore, cuisine, traditional medicine, religious symbols, etc. It's most likely to be harmful when the source community is a minority group that has been oppressed or exploited in other ways or when the object of appropriation is particularly sensitive, e.g. sacred objects. 
In the United States, cultural appropriation almost always involves members of the dominant culture (or those who identify with it) “borrowing” from the cultures of minority groups. African Americans, Asian Americans, Native Americans and indigenous peoples generally tend to emerge as the groups targeted for cultural appropriation. Black music and dance, Native American fashions, decorations and cultural symbols and Asian martial arts and dress have all fallen prey to cultural appropriation.
They not only took it to heart but, as fierce Social Justice Warriors, struck a mighty blow by preventing handicapped students who benefited from the free classes from continuing their evil theft of Indian culture. The Indian High Commission in Ottawa had no comment, well, except for their June 21 announcement of International Yoga Day, but I am sure some imperialist forced them to do that . . .

Ah, yes, all this at a time when the State Department issues a WORLDWIDE travel advisory to Americans because of the threat from the JV squad, er, I mean,
Extremists [who] have targeted large sporting events, theatres, open markets, and aviation services. In the past year, there have been multiple attacks in France, Nigeria, Denmark, Turkey, and Mali. ISIL/Da’esh has claimed responsibility for the bombing of a Russian airliner in Egypt.
Yes, my old outfit is issuing a worldwide advisory, just after the President said ISIS was "contained"--I guess he meant to this planet--and never once using the words "Islamist," "Jihadi," much less "Islam" or "Muslim." Just be careful of some vague extremists out there; they might be Mormon missionaries, or truck-driving-Rebel-flag-waving sorts, you just don't know from where that "extremist" threat might come. The State Department, of course, is behind the times and needs to step up its game in confronting the evils of cultural appropriation. No more speaking English at American embassies lest we offend the English people from whom we appropriated that language . . .

"Cultural appropriation" terrorists share some common features with "Global Climate Whatever" terrorists. They ignore the history of mankind. Just as mankind has struggled ceaselessly against the brutalities of Mother Nature--Gaia is a blood thirsty goddess--mankind (oops, can I still use that word?) has advanced by borrowing ideas across cultures, ideas that provide solutions to the common problems faced by people regardless of culture. Who built the very first house? I don't know, but I am grateful to him/her/zat/zim/bim.

Can we assert that cultures influence and get influenced by other cultures? Otherwise, I guess, Africans should not get polio vaccines because those did not originate in their cultures?

This "appropriation" nonsense, of course, is of a piece with just about everything else being done by progressives. The idea is to sow confusion, doubt, self-censorship, and, above all, confusion--did I mention confusion? The poor benighted speaker, writer, thinker is thrown into a tizzy whenever he/she, etc., tries to come up with a thought. The poor unenlightened one must then turn to the progressives for a guide to lay down a path out of the quandary, and avoid giving offense.

I, for one, intend to have tacos for lunch tomorrow. If I don't, then the Social Justice Terrorists have won.

41 comments:

  1. These young SJW make me wonder if I should laugh or cry. My wife (Taiwan-born and bred) and myself (a native of Nawt Joysey--I guess both of us were born in placed the Dutch claimed in the 17th century) are probably both the biggest cultural appropriators who ever lived. We speak each other's languages and eat each other's foods!

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  2. This really is very sad. Who feels better that free yoga classes for the disabled have been canceled?
    Some very sick people with way too much time on their hands. Unfortunately, they seem to be leading the discussion.
    We, as a society, have been so browbeaten that we can't even shout them down...

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  3. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  4. So, let me get this straight (if I'm allowed to say 'straight' anymore, that implies heteronormativeness or something, right?). Non-Western cultures are awesome and wise, because they're non-Western. But we shouldn't strive to adopt those things they do that are awesome (probably because that would somehow be us showing Unconscious White Privilege, even for the non-White Westerners. Plus, striving implies working, and working is too much of a Western value). Also they should totally get to use whatever we produce that they want... probably for free/we should pay them to do it... but we can't point out anything we produce as a possible alternative (let alone *gasp* superior) method, because that's Imperialism. Can we, perhaps, serve as some kind of cultural swap-meet, where various Non-Western (and thus, naturally, superior) cultures are encouraged to trade amongst each other so long as we are careful to never imply that we ourselves might have something worth sharing?

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  5. North of the border the Univ of Ottawa is commonly known as University of Zero (UofO) The reason is apparent. The chance of receiving any worthwhile instruction is zero.

    BTW it is also a hotbed of islam.

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    Replies
    1. University of zero - nice one!

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    2. And the other university in Ottawa, Carleton, is called "Last Chance U".

      Sigh**

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  6. I'm a white guy from Australia. I've been to many parts of the USA, but I've never been to the Mississippi Delta or the South Side of Chicago, which I'm assured is the baddest part of town. At various periods in my life I couldn't be satisfied, and I've regularly had a worried mind due to evil women but I've never shot a man in Memphis, though there's lots of men elsewhere that I'd like to shoot.

    Be that as it may, the Blues moves me, so I play it on my many guitars in my own way. Cultural appropriation? No..that's BS....I'm just a guy who appreciates the music, and I'll continue to listen to it and play it until they pry my guitar from my cold, dead hands.

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  7. My roots are Acadian (Louisiana) and I get pissed off every time some restaurant throws a bunch of spice on some chicken and labels it Cajun. Never mind that my mom was punished for speaking French in school and government intrusion nearly wiped out a culture while Spanish out of the mouths of illegal immigrants is encouraged in school and accommodations made.

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    Replies
    1. I support your Acadian pissed-offisness!

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    2. Get with the program pal. The "bi-something" isn't French, it's Spanish...
      Racist!

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  8. paul_vincent_zecchinoNovember 25, 2015 at 10:06 AM

    Dip & fellow readers -

    I shall now step forward to confess my shame: I am a cultural appropriator.



    Always loved music, soul, R&B, among others. Taking up piano after several decaes' hiatus.

    Sing? Forget it, couldn't carry a tune in the trunk of a '49 Ford.


    But I can sing soul, in particular Wilson Pickett's "Funky Broadway", "Mustang Sally", and James Brown's "I Got the Feelin' " among others.

    But I am - shall we dare say it? - white, and they are black and I don't believe that I'm supposed to do this even though I sing these songs - blast them out is more like it - when far from home on cruise ships at karaoke events, or locally at a place where few know me and there are no cops around to arrest me for upsetting the livestock and womenfolk.


    That is my crime, singing soul hits of the late 60s, something clearly white people must never do lest charges of cultural appropriation be swiftly filed.



    I confess this to you freely only because we're communicating over a secure circuit. Thank you.


    See you at tonight's cell meeting....


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  9. I'm reading more and more on the internet -- from people that aren't kooks -- that Obama wants to empower ISIS. Any thoughts on this?

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    Replies
    1. http://www.duffelblog.com/2015/06/pentagon-to-supply-isis-directly/

      ***

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    2. Well, he HAS empowered ISIS. Deliberately or stupidly? You be the judge.

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  10. You wanna talk cultural appropriation? How about the State Department sending James Taylor after Charlie Hebdo to sing "You've got a friend"?

    More to the point, how about State issuing work visas to Indian computer geeks so they can displace American computer geeks in Silicon Valley? Not sure who's culture is being appropriated there -- America's for allowing Indian geeks to work in the USA or India for allowing that brain drain.

    Oh heck -- this is all so confusing. Let's shut it all down and go back to wearing skins and living in caves. Oops -- appropriating the culture of brown bears there.

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  11. This, from a University is so sad I just don't have words

    reader 14/28 dip1/Dip2
    woerm/thr

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  12. So. Cultures come with copyright protections. Who knew?

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    Replies
    1. Well, no. You see it all appears to depend upon your skin color and ethnicity;. It's all rather confusing but the deciding factor for the left appears to be race. The left is racist, no doubt. If you see everything through the prism of race, then you are a racist.

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    2. I read that third quote where it spoke of taking from a culture without permission. How, exactly, does one get permission from a culture??? Is there some paperwork to submit???

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  13. end yoga? My wife and I attend "yoga for seniors" once a week. She has to sit for part of the class due to poor balance. I guess sitting is ok and not offensive to SJWs. Standing might be offensive as it might seem domineering.

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  14. As a white male of western European descent, I am offended by the widespread cultural appropriation of trousers...

    Jose

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    Replies
    1. ... and the pneumatic tire.

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  15. Mankind? Hmmmmmmm....there's humanity, but that has man in it too. I suppose huwomynity might work, but we would have to reprogram all the spellcheckers in the world to accommodate it.

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  16. Speaking as someone who has spent and sometimes still spends some time in the realm of Far Eastern civilization, I can't help but note that there's a whole section of Taichung, Taiwan with Western-style restaurants and shops patronized by both expats and locals. Shall we throw bricks at the Taiwanese for "cultural appropriation"?

    "Anonymous" Jose--actually a lot of Far Eastern peoples have worn trousers for some time, too. It seems that in ancient times, anyone who either rode horses or wanted to keep out the cold from the understories sooner or later took up trousers.

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    Replies
    1. Then they have the right to be offended too. But I think we agree how absurd the whole idea is.

      Jose

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  17. My favorite bar in Yokosuka was an Irish place called the Morrigans.

    There's a Hooters in Tokyo.

    I ate at a really good Portuguese place in Harare.

    And an Italian place in Johannesburg.

    Bye the bye anyone upset about this cultural appropriation?

    http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/gaza-hitler-2-clothing-store-displays-knife-wielding-palestinian-mannequins-1527422

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  18. Haven't commented here recently but Diplomad Sir you've again provided me a hearty guffaw.

    Etc etc, "contained to this planet" is a hoot. Thank you Sir.

    ______

    Don't think I should stop by without pointing out something you might want to, in the future, avoid as there's Culture Warriors just about everywheres these days.

    Have a care using the word "Confusion" that is FROM the Latin confusionem (a mingling, mixing, blending; disorder) and if one of them there CWs takes it you're using confusion to mean "disorder" ... well, I worry it might 'cause you further problems.

    Best use the English Mental Perplexity - 'cause that way, all them Latin Americans can only resort to is, calling you an Imperialist.

    ***

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  19. There's a Hooters in Beijing, too.

    http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g294212-d2258708-r143160929-Hooters_Beijing-Beijing.html

    Apparently but not much of a Hooters, sometimes you just got to love the one you're with.

    Also, War on Women!

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  20. Put simply:
    1) If another culture adopts aspects of Western Civilization, it's Cultural Imperialism, and it's your fault for allowing it to happen.
    2) If you adopt any practice or thought of another culture, it's Cultural Misappropriation and it's your fault for stealing the birthright of another culture.
    3) Since all cultures are of equal worth (Multiculturalism), and since most Western countries are nations of immigrants, immigrant cultures have a purity that Western countries don't have and thus must have their their culture and practices preserved. If you think immigrant cultures should assimilate instead of self-segregate then you are a Cultural Imperialist and again are at fault.
    4) If you think that there are problem with other cultures, then you are a racist and it's your fault.
    4) If you can’t see any problems with other cultures, it is due to your your white privilege (if you’re white), or false consciousness (if you’re not white). Again, it’s your fault.

    If you are at fault, reparations must be made and punishments must be handed out.

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  21. I'll bet Salk was an American of Jewish descent - and Ashkenazi at that. So no polio vaccines for the Middle East or those 50-sumpn Islamic states.

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  22. Good ol' wiki (sometimes good)-

    Jonas Salk was born in New York City on October 28, 1914. His parents, Daniel and Dora (née Press) Salk, were Ashkenazi Jewish immigrants from Poland who had not received extensive formal education...

    PoorPalis™ and other like-minded peace lovers should boycott polio vaccines and other evil Jewish conspiracies...

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  23. The war on "Cultural Appropriation" is just battle space preparation for the coming backlash against multiculturalism.

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  24. I'm surprised no one mentioned the cultural misappropriation of all things Yiddish, e.g. Bagels, knishes, chutzpah, I could go on.

    Then again in today's (mis)culture, perhaps the Jews are not considered a minority. They sure as heck are considered privileged by certain sections of society despite the growing levels of antisemitism.

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    Replies
    1. My shikse mother loved bagels a lot more than my Jewish father!

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  25. Dip,
    Fortunately here in Austin when you order a taco you receive a bio of Cesar Chavez and a lecture on the UFW's struggle, but if you are a true purist you can eat where the corn tortillas are made from shade grown and harvested corn and you get tips on growing a mustache ala Emeliano Zapata.

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    Replies
    1. What's not to like about "shade grown" corn???
      Racist!

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    2. What's not to like about "shade grown" corn???
      Racist!

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  26. Dymphna, you've knowcked my socks off! Good one!

    Dultural appropriator Kepha

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