Cultural Appropriation Rue from The Hunger Games Speaks Up

http://www.clutchmagonline.com/2015...d-black-people-as-much-we-love-black-culture/

 

I seen this earlier...makes you think

Can't say she's wrong tho........how many things were popular with blacks but shunned/assaulted by the mainstream, only to become new/hip/accepted when whites done it

Gets old real fast

 

A friend of my dad's used to say, "if black people are doing it today, white people will be doing it tomorrow." Ain't nothin' changed.

This girl's got a good brain in her head. I like it.

 

I'm deeply impressed with this young woman; she's clearly intelligent, articulate, and with perspective and insight light years ahead of her peers across all races.
If you were asked to boil her message down to one sentence, what would it be?
In the end she asks "What would it be if black people were as loved as black culture" which I suppose suggests that white people adopting black culture is diametrically opposed to white people loving black people.
Her expressed issue with white stars adopting "blackness" is that "the appropriator does not appreciate the deep cultural significance of the styles ... Corn rolls are not just stylistic, they are necessary in order to keep black hair neat."
I don't think that anyone argues with that. Hollywood ignorance does not discriminate. She is correct that white stars adopt black styles to appear “edgy.”
I was taught that imitation was the best form of flattery.
What is the take-away lesson from this talented young woman? That it would help if white stars did not adopt/mimic black styles/culture? Keep white-dominated pop culture purely blonde and strictly white? Encourage Beyonce to continue to straighten her hair and Nicki Minaj to remain blonde?
All of my black girlfriends go to great lengths to make their hair straight silky smooth long and light. No one blinks an eye.
I think the real question I want to ask is why default to the negative? Why is her message not “Hooray! Black styles are finally celebrated across mainstream media! Nickie Manaj is blonde, Madona has corn rolls and Miley Cyris twirks!” All cultural generalizations are .. if not blurred ... celebrated?
Obviously I’m not as smart as Stenberg. But I'm encouraged, she's beautiful and I have complete confidence in the next generation; we’re in good hands.

 

First off you are incredibly intelligent. I love that you have the ability to inquire about things you aren't aware of so respectfully.
I think the overall message she is trying to convey is that so many cultures "borrow" so much from "black culture" yet hate the people who create it or at the very least dismiss them with careless disregard. It's hard to not be annoyed when people like Iggy Azaela, Miley Cyrus, Justin Beiber, and host of other white artist pick and choose what elements of black culture to borrow without acknowledging anything about the people who create it and what they go through. But to be fair when I was thinking about this article Asians came into mind. We borrow a lot from their culture in terms of martial arts (it's made action what it is today) and a lot of their food (sushi addict) but we think very little about them as people. We still see them as "foreigners". Same can be said about Hispanics too, so we go back to whiteness being the dominant overall default culture while taking what it wants from everywhere else. I know that most people don't do this with any malicious intent and are truly looking at this just as something to be entertained by. The major issue I have is that even with all that's adopted for some reason so many don't see actual people, they can listen to a Snoop Dog song, wear fitted Yankee caps, use hip hop vernacular in their speech yet not give two shits about what happens to black people in this country. Shit some even go as far as to pacify and rationalize misdeeds done to black people, it can be frustrating.

 

I think she makes an excellent point that if you're going to love black culture (wear corn rolls), don't hate black people (shoot them in the back).

But cops aren't wearing grills

 

But their kids might, their friends and family might be watching Oprah religiously. Unfortunately too often they don't see people.

 

It's so frustrating not being able to rep you

 

Who you telling lol

You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to Satchmo again

 

Samuel Johnson made what I feel is the most important point concerning flattery: that honor may be gained without the toil of merit.

In my view, culture isn't yours to keep. It could never be appreciated or mimicked were this the case.

Her point is solid, to be sure, but this boils down to civics. It's difficult to raise questions of civics in a cultural context. That's where you venture into politics.

Like me, I like reading folk tales from different cultures around the world. This may give me insight about the customs and beliefs of different people. I've even committed a few to memory. But I have only a superficial knowledge of these cultures from a legal and political standpoint.

 

So elaborate for us in more lay terms. Is her frustration that she's blurring cultural with political? When she calls out Miley Cyrus for twerking without the corresponding political correctness/appreciation? Could this be a gifted but young mistake?

Who are you Quinn? Your smarts/perspective ... oh there goes the flattery again .. but seriously ...

 

u guys raised a good point....its funny how people scream u are taking out style but they are taking their style too....blonde gair and what not ...asian food and ect...

 

The difference is when we adopt these things like blonde hair light eyed contacts and other foods we don't admonish and look down on the very people we borrow from. That's where the dig comes in fam.

 

i know.

thats the obvious.
we are talking society as a whole....asian, mexican ect....also the cultures who adopting hating the people they adopt from. u think all blacks live asians cause they eat chinese food

 

I was also talking about society as whole. Blacks adopt things like Asian martial arts and have a deep respect for those people, eat Italian food and love mob movies, blacks even buy clothing where the designers prefer us not wear them ie Timberland and Tommy Hilfiger and still hold absolutely no ill will.

 

in other words...when i was agreeing with u...u wanted to argue that.....smh

 

Relax I wasn't arguing just adding to the point. So sensitive lol

 

lol...wasnt...just pointing it out.

it goes with the women ,azalea banks and other chicks, going at iggy about not being hip hop but got str8 hair and blond wigs.


that beats all.

people just cant enjoy each other

 

people just look for arguments and reason to hate.
theres a dispute over breakfast in schools now.

why? its over breakfast in the classroom or the lunchroom.

im like seriously...u fighting over that.

 

I remember that shit

I stopped wearing him but I still help support those sweatshops that manufacturer my other clothing