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[vas_a_morir]

I think in this case it does kinda concern them, in regards to cultural appropriation. However, the response given to the girl was completely off the mark.

I'd argue that this girl having this hairstyle does not affect their lives in any substantial way. Therefore, it does not concern them. I won't say you aren't entitled to criticize or harass anybody you want to. I'm saying that if you want to be a happy person, you should have some self-esteem and go on with your life.

 

[ISOM]

The braids looked good, that's about as much as I'm going to say since she looks like she's 13.

 

[DuffDry]

I take issue with the notion that subcultures take place in a vacuum with absolutely no influence from others. This makes it difficult for one subculture to emphatically place ownership over.. well, anything.

Twitter just seems like a cesspit. I realize I'm missing out by not participating in such a huge part of our culture, but I neither understand it nor appreciate what can come out of it. People take complicated issues to a forum that only permits brevity. It's a recipe for disaster.

 

[coleco]

I just disagree with the idea of black or white things. Even more so when others are forbidden from liking those things. IDK

Because the idea is completely absurd and just an excuse to lash out against others.

 

[FDC1]

So what would you have black people do? Seriously.

As it pertains to hair, our women do conform. They perm their hair, which is toxic. They flat iron it, they hot comb it. They do a ton of destructive sh** to their hair, just to not be further discriminated against. Just to land a job. Just to not be looked down at.

Sorry, I don't have the perfect answer to solve racism and segregation problems around the world. But I'm fairly confident "ghettoizing" its own culture by refuting to others the right to become soaked with it is not part the solution. But I'm probably too naive.

 

[akira28]

The braids looked good, that's about as much as I'm going to say since she looks like she's 13.

you have already said too much...

 

[Izuna]

TL;DR - No one is talking about the little girl at this point, divorce yourself from her.

Okay I get what you are saying, but you can see why calling things cultural appropriation like in this instance is at least racist itself and its only result will be that racism will not go away.

It is their feelings that are wrong. I also disagree that these outrages are based on the fact that they are oppressed. The oppression caused them to be racist, which causes them to be outraged.

It's basically the same as a white couple seeing two blacks in a Michelin star restaurant "speaking white" and, I dunno, enjoying their classical music and saying that what they are doing is offensive.

Everyone will jump up and say the whites are racist for sure. History or not, that act itself is racist and there is no such thing as justified racism.

 

[SonnyBoy]

What I'm asking is if you are surround by black culture what is your culture? Just discussing and pointing stuff out to those reading. Food for thought is all.

As a black man, I'd say that I'm not entirely sure what "black culture" is. I'd say that after having an entire group of people stripped of their identities, treated as property and then injected back into society with no culture of their own... Personally, I don't know how to answer your question. And I think it's something that I'd rather not get into on here.

 

[SillyEskimo]

No one oppresses better than the oppressed.

 

[Anton Sugar]

Part of this fluid transition will be 12 year old white girls taking from black culture.

That might be a PART of it, but only if the treatment of blacks (and other minority cultures, for that matter) improves in tandem. If people take from black culture without giving anything back or giving appropriate credit or supporting that culture, it's not so much of a fluid transition as it is "hey, thanks for that thing I took!"

 

[SonnyBoy]

Sorry, I don't have the perfect answer to solve racism and segregation problems around the world. But I'm fairly confident "ghettoizing" its own culture by refuting to others the right to become soaked with it is not part the solution. But I'm probably too naive.

You are correct in that you're coming off as naive, as I'm not looking for, nor do I need you to "solve racism".

 

[Ingueferroque]

Appropriating a culture? Mayo? What

 

[collige]

It's a little both. The inspirations for those hairstyles didn't come out of thin air and those people aren't 12 year old. It would be interesting for Cara to come out with braids and say they were inspired by black women.

Sure, but there's no reason to think that she would deny the black peoples' influence if asked. The article has no quotes from her. If she did start denying the black influence in her hairstyle I would have a problem since in 2015 it would be wildly implausible that she's imitating some other white cornrows (unless she's a huge Riff Raff fangirl I guess).

 

[EASTC0AST_GH05T]

No one oppresses better than the oppressed.

says the ancestor of the ultimate opressor himself.

 

[ISOM]

No one oppresses better than the oppressed.

Read that out loud. It sounds ridiculous to even say.

 

[Anton Sugar]

No one oppresses better than the oppressed.

What the fuck?

 

[Jigolo]

Why are people in this country so sensitive

 

[Bold One]

As a black man, I'd say that I'm not entirely sure what "black culture" is. I'd say that after having an entire group of people stripped of their identities, treated as property and then injected back into society with no culture of their own... Personally, I don't know how to answer your question. And I think it's something that I'd rather not get into on here.

Black culture is a nebulous term as it has changed over decades as it was always being appropriated, the black man is the most imitated man in the world.

Black women were twerking a decade (if not more) before Miley Cyrius decided to do it.

as much as I understand the frustration, attacking 13 year olds on twitter is not a good look and is not the asnwer

 

[Coconut]

No one oppresses better than the oppressed.

Did you read that on a bumper sticker next to a Nobama sticker?

 

[collige]

No one oppresses better than the oppressed.

Is this a Jaden Smith tweet?

 

[Izuna]

says the ancestor of the ultimate opressor himself.

HOLY shit.

I thought GAF was better than this.

Edit: I was going to say wrong quote but it still works.

 

[SonnyBoy]

as much as I understand the frustration, attacking 13 year olds on twitter is not a good look and is not the asnwer

Check my post history in this thread. I never said that it was and said that it was reprehensible.

 

[EASTC0AST_GH05T]

HOLY shit.

I thought GAF was better than this.

truth is did you read what eskimo typed? as if he just ignored history. I can't even retype what he said as its so wrong.

 

[Rembrandt]

Sure, but there's no reason to think that she would deny the black peoples' influence if asked. The article has no quotes from her. If she did start denying the black influence in her hairstyle I would have a problem since in 2015 it would be wildly implausible that she's imitating some other white cornrows (unless she's a huge Riff Raff fangirl I guess).

The problem is that they won't ask because like you said, they don't acknowledge the black innovators. If the people profiting commented it on the there might be more incentive to write about them.

No one oppresses better than the oppressed.

First somebody compares us to nazis, now this? And people call reddit a cesspool.

 

[Fudgepuppy]

There are things inherent to institutionalized racism.

This isn't one of them.

My sister rocked corn-rows a while back, looked awesome.

I find it slightly sad and depressing that these people consider their only cultural heritage to be their hair.

 

[DragonSworne]

The girl comes off as incredible clueless in the apology letter. I wonder where and how she was raised.

 

[Anton Sugar]

I find it slightly sad and depressing that these people consider their only cultural heritage to be their hair.

Why on Earth would you think that hair is the only cultural heritage that "these people" consider as their own?

 

[Danchi]

Lmao mayo..

Its only racist when it's black.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CmzT4OV-w0#t=112

Louis CK on being white. Thirty second clip.

It would be like this:

You are a super cool guy. You do a lot of super cool things, and invent new cool things without even thinking about it. You are proud of the cool things you come up with. They define who you are.

But a lot of people you know take those cool things you do, and they get recognized for it, over and over again. Those cool things become super popular. But not you.

Meanwhile, all the people that like that cool thing don't like you.

Good post.

 

[ISOM]

There are things inherent to institutionalized racism.

This isn't one of them.

My sister rocked corn-rows a while back, looked awesome.

I find it slightly sad and depressing that these people consider their only cultural heritage to be their hair.

I think you are assuming too much to think they only consider their hair to be their cultural heritage. I remember native americans creating a big issue when a white person decided to wear their headdress on a magazine cover. I'm sure you wouldn't say that native americans only consider headdresses to be their cultural heritage would you?

 

[Bold One]

Check my post history in this thread. I never said that it was and said that it was reprehensible.

Sorry if my post came out that way, I wasn't attacking you, I was agreeing with you.

 

[Dice]

I don't get the reaction, or what a proper position is supposed to be for a person who cannot control the social narrative of their entire culture. I mean, the frustration seems to be something like "Don't you dare value that which comes from us without valuing us" but I somehow doubt that if the girl said "This hairstyle always looked so beautiful on black women I wanted to try it because I admire them" that she would get a better response.

 

[Rembrandt]

Why on Earth would you think that hair is the only cultural heritage that "these people" consider as their own?

You beat me to it. GAF is on a fucking roll omg.

I don't get the reaction, or what a proper position is supposed to be for a person who cannot control the social narrative of their entire culture. I mean, the frustration seems to be something like "Don't you dare value that which comes from us without valuing us" but I somehow doubt that if the girl said "This hairstyle always looked so beautiful on black women I wanted to try it because I admire them" that she would get a better response.

I absolutely guarantee she would. What makes you think she wouldn't?

 

[Coconut]

I find it slightly sad and depressing that these people consider their only cultural heritage to be their hair.

Where are you getting that from?

 

[jhmtehgamr20xx]

This is beyond stupid. She's free to do as she likes. I'm pretty sure she didn't intend to offend anyone with wearing braids.

No wonder why our space program sucks; people are still fighting over petty things like this.

 

[Angelus Errare]

No one oppresses better than the oppressed.

Such nonsense. I mean you say a lot of remedial nonsense, but this might be the most idiotic thing I've read from you.

 

[vas_a_morir]

says the ancestor of the ultimate opressor himself.

Ghengis Kahn? Julius Caesar? Emperor Qin? Xerces II? Ramesses II? Edward I? I'm confused. Who is the ultimate oppressor?

 

[Fenderputty]

That might be a PART of it, but only if the treatment of blacks (and other minority cultures, for that matter) improves in tandem. If people take from black culture without giving anything back or giving appropriate credit or supporting that culture, it's not so much of a fluid transition as it is "hey, thanks for that thing I took!"

You don't think race relations have improved since 1950? What do you want from this girl in return for wearing this haircut? Like I said, I see this girl as a symptom that race relations are improving in the country.

Should we take the time to highlight areas we need to improve upon still? Sure. I think the conversation in this thread is a positive thing.

 

[-COOLIO-]

What idiotic tweets. It's a shame the girl apologized but twitter hate is a powerful force. Essspecially against the young mind.

 

[EASTC0AST_GH05T]

Ghengis Kahn? Julius Caesar? Emperor Qin? Xerces II? Ramesses II? Edward I? I'm confused.

TWM

 

[Guevara]

I think people should take a long, hard look at their culture and determine if it's doing them any good.

If your culture demands you spit hate, maybe it's not working out.

 

[Indrid Cold1]

Racist scum bags on twitter.

"Cultural appropriation" is a load of rubbish. And since when was a hairdo part of any culture anyway

 

[collige]

The problem is that they won't ask because like you said, they don't acknowledge the black innovators. If the people profiting commented it on the there might be more incentive to write about them.

I agree. My main point is just that the anger and resentment directed towards white people participating in minorities cultures is misplaced when it should be directed towards the power structures that benefit white people in imbalanced ways.

 

[Infinite]

Racist scum bags on twitter.

"Cultural appropriation" is a load of rubbish. And since when was a hairdo part of any culture anyway

Since forever.

 

[Rembrandt]

I think people should take a long, hard look at their culture and determine if it's doing them any good.

If your culture demands you spit hate, maybe it's not working out.

Racist scum bags on twitter.

"Cultural appropriation" is a load of rubbish. And since when was a hairdo part of any culture anyway

Man, what the fuck. Do you people even understand a little bit why these people are upset? Do you care to know why?

I agree. My main point is just that the anger and resentment directed towards white people participating in minorities cultures is misplaced when it should be directed towards the power structures that benefit white people in imbalanced ways.

Without a doubt. That would definitely be more beneficial.

 

[Angelus Errare]

You don't think race relations have improved since 1950? What do you want from this girl in return for wearing this haircut? Like I said, I see this girl as a symptom that race relations are improving in the country.

Should we take the time to highlight areas we need to improve upon still? Sure. I think the conversation in this thread is a positive thing.

It has but not nearly as much as many people want to believe, definitely not nearly enough to be "post racial" as a unbelievably large swath of America tends to believe (or worse, that whites are now the oppressed).

I agree. My main point is just that the anger and resentment directed towards white people participating in minorities cultures is misplaced when it should be directed towards the power structures that benefit white people in imbalanced ways.

Agreed. Which is why this thread has moved on from the little girl herself which was inevitable if you want to discuss cultural appropriation.

 

[Coconut]

Racist scum bags on twitter.

"Cultural appropriation" is a load of rubbish. And since when was a hairdo part of any culture anyway

Well it's called an Afro for a reason.

 

[Amir0x]

First somebody compares us to nazis, now this? And people call reddit a cesspool.

Mods here are better. Alert them if you think it's a problem (it is, gross comments ITT) and they'll fix it.

 

[Fenderputty]

I absolutely guarantee she would. What makes you think she wouldn't?

Isn't it obvious she thinks that anyway? She's a 12 year old white girl. You think she looked at other older white women and thought, "gees that looks good on her." She sure is hell isn't seeing this on other white people in the media.

It has but not nearly as much as many people want to believe, definitely not nearly enough to be "post racial" as a unbelievably large swath of America tends to believe (or worse, that whites are now the oppressed).

True. It's not close. But it is slow and fluid and improving. I think it will improve with each generation. I know grew up hearing we're all equal a lot more than my parents did and my kids will probably here even more of it.

Honestly I don't think any black people in this thread disagree with me. It seems like everyone in here has said that the twitter comments were ridiculous. So it seems like most people saw those pictures for what they were. A form of imitative flattery.

Like I said I think the conversation in general is a positive one to be had so I'm kinda just flushing out ideas. I definitely agree there's gotta be a lot of frustration on the part of black women (and men for that matter) who are forced socially into whiter cuts.

 

[Lakershead22]

There's nothing wrong with liking a hairstyle and wanting it. Hairstyles do not belong to anyone.

 

[gutter_trash]

The girl comes off as incredible clueless in the apology letter. I wonder where and how she was raised.

she is 13,

when I was 13, we kids made friends with everybody at school regardless

it's adults who spew the hate and you notice it when adults talk about different cultures and race relations. Hate hate hate.

We when were kids, we just wanted to be friends lol