Gordon Shumway
Banned
lol..some of the questions folks are asking in here. So stupid..geezuz.
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White girl attacked for getting box braids
- Thread starter Majmun
- Start date
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A lot of people apparently.
Liu Kang Baking A Pie
Member
When I first learn about a thing and how it makes people feel, I don't just say "y'all are being stupid" and leave. I learn about it and why they feel that way. Some of you need to just try. Goddamn.
Shpeshal Nick
aka Collingwood
I'm still here. I still can't see why a black person would be upset with a white person having box braids. Sorry, just don't. If anything it should be seen as flattery. This girl saw a hairstyle she LIKED and wanted to emulate it. That's offensive.......why?
As I said in my post earlier, should I have been offended when I saw an Asian wearing a Greek soccer tracksuit? (hint: I wasn't).
I don't really understand this. The Korean Wave has mostly been about South Korea exporting its culture abroad. This is approved by their government (from the wikipedia article I linked):
Their government is fully in support it. And anyway I don't understand why there is a problem with people borrowing and using Korean words. I'd imagine anyone from a country that speaks another language would be happy that people take an interest in their language. It's like a French person saying "Oh they think they're all cute by using French words"
How does it affect Korea? South Korea is a country of 51 million people and is the 13th richest by GDP and it's not like people are being disparaging towards the country. It really sounds they'd be offended by a foreigner speaking better Korean than them.
I'm not American though so maybe there's something different for people living in the states. Because I feel that these things are very specific to the United States and I think that's what should be addressed a bit more. I think sometimes saying something is offensive straight out with no leeway is just forcing American cultural sensibilities on the rest of the world. Though in in the case of the topic the girl is American.
(Sorry about off topic)
Liu Kang Baking A Pie
Member
Then you're still not trying.
Is there an acrimonious history between Asian and Greek people I don't know about?
Boss Mog
Member
The stereotype that certain hairstyles are only for certain people. It's putting people in boxes, I don't like that. It's bad enough when one group pushes another group into a box but when a group pushes itself in a box, that makes me really sad. Everyone is first and foremost an individual person that should be free to like or dislike what they want and who shouldn't feel obligated to try to fit in whatever box this ridiculous society of ours tries to force them into.
Shpeshal Nick
aka Collingwood
So that's the reason? Really?
That's the reason a white girl isn't allowed to have a "black" hairstyle? Come on. I'm doing my best to draw conmparisons in my own culture, but I can't, I just don't hold a grudge against Turkish people the way a lot of Greeks still do to this day.
Sorry, I just got around to reading ths thread (and I'm not going to read through all16 pages I missed), but WTF are you talking about? That's areally patronsing, off base way of looking at people.
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=148349285&postcount=720
Summary post for the new people.
Though why I'm the one finding this, I'm not sure...
Summary post for the new people.
Though why I'm the one finding this, I'm not sure...
~Devil Trigger~
In favor of setting Muslim women on fire
there's no comparison needed, its a ridiculous outrage from a few in a corner of the internet.
Liu Kang Baking A Pie
Member
There are so many thoughtful posts in here about this issue, and you're just going to dismiss it like that because I guess you don't want to think about it.
jhmtehgamr20xx
Banned
No one's made death threats against the girl have they? That'd really be taking it too far.
Personally like I said earlier I don't see the problem in her doing this; she's a free individual and can do as she likes, especially if she means no disrespect. At the same time everyone mentioning cultural appropriation on the grand scale are correct and have a point, especially if this were something that were done for malicious intent or became blatantly offensive.
It's a slippery slope, that's for sure.
Personally like I said earlier I don't see the problem in her doing this; she's a free individual and can do as she likes, especially if she means no disrespect. At the same time everyone mentioning cultural appropriation on the grand scale are correct and have a point, especially if this were something that were done for malicious intent or became blatantly offensive.
It's a slippery slope, that's for sure.
CapNBritain
Member
I get what you're saying, but I think there are levels of this. For example, minorities getting shot more often than non-minorities is a much bigger issue than not listening to rap until a white guy does it. Also, I think that the same issue may arise from different sources.
I like your purse clutching example. One person may do it because they think all black people are criminals. Another may do it because they are in a bad neighborhood and think that a person who dresses a certain way may be a criminal. And another person will always do it because they are paranoid (my fiancee calls it City Mentality, what your shit and your stuff). It may all come off as the same thing, but I think it's unhelpful to just lump it all together.
The thing about not hiring people with black sounding names though, I just found out about that recently. That's just amazingly terrible. I wonder what people when they come across my last name.
I think that a person can be legitimately angry at being seeming patronized and it's one of the reasons why I'm not into languages. I'm really terrible at learning them, and I feel like I do native speakers a disservice when I try. It all comes off as a it fake to spout a few words in an attempt to what, seem cute? But I think it's also important to try and keep an open mind about things and to not try to assume malice when there might not be any.
Or its just fashion and personal preference?
Cultures always interact and influence each other - has been the case since time immemorial. Can't think of a scenario where forcefully preventing one group from doing that will result in a net positive outcome.
Plus, think what part of the "white" US population will be quite happy for the "cultural appropriation" to end?
According to whom?
Chie Satonaka
Member
It's not like this situation is unique to the US.
Ultimately, it all comes to gut feeling "it's OURS. How DARE they!"
Trips the "us vs them" defence mechanism. When it's tripped it is a very, very unpleasant feeling, thus the aggression.
As discussed, though, it's a perception issue and it does not impact all cultures equally. As mentioned by Trey, the problem goes something like this:
Trey said:
It'd be great to live in a world where this sort of sensitivity didn't have to be a thing. And without being too "on the fence", it's fair to say this is a very complicated subject that does not necessarily have a completely right or wrong answer.
However, I do think it's instructive to read Trey's post and understand why such instinctive outrage happens amongst some communities. It's absolutely wrong it's aimed at this girl and nobody should threaten or be mean to anyone over this, but it's a topic that is ripe for some discussion and does have some gray areas.
Mr_Antimatter
Member
And yet, here you are stereotyping all white people when it comes to how they view hair styles.
Did it ever occur to you that maybe, some folks aren't seeing it as anything more then hair, and are actually colorblind to the race thing? Most couldn't give a rats how you style your hair as long as it looks good on the person in question.
The only race that has the luxury of pretending to be "colorblind" are white folk. Black folk by definition cannot be.
Do you want to know why this is?
DJ Crimson
Banned
Or if they're natural. God forbid if that's the case.
Mr_Antimatter
Member
I dunno. Then again, my moms half black and i'm married to an asian girl.
I just figured it's about ignoring what the racists and bigots say and doing your own thing. Why would a person give more then a passing crap about what people say about how you dress or how you style something?
ROUGE_BLOCK
Member
These are reasons twitter should be dismantled imo. Stupid direct outlandish racism from idiots.
Idiots being idiots...and racist!
I really don't like twitter.
Idiots being idiots...and racist!
I really don't like twitter.
theignoramus
Member
Nope just filling their hair with damaging chemicals, likely to conform to a Eurocentric standard of attractiveness, pushed by mainstream media. My sister went through that phase.
lol. You dont want to bark up that tree.
"Colorblind" lmfao. People saying they're "colorblind" is just a convenient way for them to continue to be ignorant about race issues.
Also, I am white. So please spare me the "YOU'RE BEING RACIST AGAINST WHITE PEOPLE!!!1" hyperbole, because you can't be racist towards white people.
Do not quote me the dictionary definition of racism either I stg.
Picked out this phrase because these examples really puzzled me.
I don't listen to rap music at all - if I were to name rappers, the only white one I know is Eminem and only because I watched his movie. At the same time I can name at least 10 black rappers even though I've never listened to any of them.
When Miley Cyrus did her thing, I certainly recall anyone calling her tasteful or graceful.
RockTurtle
Member
well damn you already put up a clause :C
Pardon me if you've read this post of mine before, but I wrote it out in a thread before and I think it's still very relevant to this subject.
Amir0x said:
It's important to understand that I don't think people who often say "I'm colorblind" mean to be offensive or racist or anything like that. Similarly, I don't think people in this topic who don't understand why some are sensitive to so-called "cultural appropriation" are inherently bad people or anything. I think it's just this is a very complex issue, and it's very hard to see the full picture and understand the very tight web of ways everything in society is aimed at making things difficult for minorities. In such an environment, minorities are naturally likely to be far more sensitive to issues such as the one in this topic.
To see it end, we need to fix the problems in society. The real issue with trying to push the modern "colorblind" angle is that it allows people to believe the problems systemic to society are somehow fixed or so dramatically diminished as to make it not worth complaining about. And that's why we have to be careful when we say something like that.
The Faceless Master
Member
because they're the ones who call the cops saying you have a gun in Walmart and were pointing it at people and they're scared.
Angelus Errare
Banned
I swear asking people to do the bare minimum and read through the thread before posting their remedial enlightened, I don't see race bullshit is like asking 7 year olds to solve P versus NP. And some of you have the gall to call yourselves intelligent. Fuck outta here
This is always hard to deal with. Especially since everything people have been saying is valid. Black women feeling like they are forced to straighten their hair to fit in, but then white people taking the hairstyle they abandoned. It must feel terrible.
With a 14 year old kid though it's tough. The response as always should be to educate. I can't blame a kid who just isn't aware of all the subtle cultural reasons people would object to a hair style.
We are at the real growing pains part of this. The so called "obvious racism" people see in the history books is mostly gone in a lot of places in the US. White kids are raised to not see any difference between people of color and themselves, and yet as is evident by recent events we really aren't finished yet, so you are going to get people making mistakes like this. I just hope people can empathize from both sides.
With a 14 year old kid though it's tough. The response as always should be to educate. I can't blame a kid who just isn't aware of all the subtle cultural reasons people would object to a hair style.
We are at the real growing pains part of this. The so called "obvious racism" people see in the history books is mostly gone in a lot of places in the US. White kids are raised to not see any difference between people of color and themselves, and yet as is evident by recent events we really aren't finished yet, so you are going to get people making mistakes like this. I just hope people can empathize from both sides.
But I can't solve P versus NP... I don't know maths. I'm not intelligent
Edit: Haha, it's an unsolved problem in computer science you rascal you!
CapNBritain
Member
When you say that colorblindness as a concept only applies to white people, you mean in general right? Because I think there are individuals who through luck and circumstance just don't need to worry about it and go through life without having to worry about color. I'm not trying to discount your point, because I believe in it as a whole.
Which post are we supposed to be reading that would change our minds.
Seems like haters are going to hate. It looks alright on her. I see white guys with dreadlocks and that just gets dismissive insults at worst.
Can't share each-others' hair styles :S
It already happens loads and it's basically a compliment to mimic the style.
Seems like haters are going to hate. It looks alright on her. I see white guys with dreadlocks and that just gets dismissive insults at worst.
Can't share each-others' hair styles :S
It already happens loads and it's basically a compliment to mimic the style.
Angelus Errare
Banned
If you could solve it you would totes be rich! All I ask for is $200,000!But I can't solve P versus NP... I don't know maths. I'm not intelligent
Edit: Haha, it's an unsolved problem in computer science you rascal you!
The Faceless Master
Member
such as? the richest nigga on earth will still have a problem catching a cab in Manhattan at 5pm.
Shpeshal Nick
aka Collingwood
I"m fully understanding of all you've said and are saying.
I just don't feel it applies here in this case. Why can't this girl wearing box braids be seen as a celebration of black culture? Which is technically what it is if you believe her "I saw it and liked it so I wantwed to copy it" story?
Why does it always have ot be glass half empty when it comes to perceived racism? It's not she wore a Klan hood to halloween, it's not like she shaved n***er into her head, it's not like she went blackface.
She emulated a hairstyle she loved. It's that simple. I understand the unfortunate societal restrictions placed on minorities in the world (not just the US, we have an arguably worse scenario with Aboriginal folk in Australia), but I just don't view the outrage in this particular instance justified at all.
Aboriginal people in Australia don't get upset when non-Aboriginals try to celebrate their culture.
theignoramus
Member
I think there's an undercurrent of resentment around Macklemore because his shit doesnt involve anything that hasnt been said by other rappers. Yet somehow he is implied to be a "breathe of fresh air". I wonder why that was?
Also, it didnt help he won a rap award over an album he himself knows was more deserving. But whatever. The dude makes rap for people who dont fuck with the genre and he showed up on stage in an anti-semitic costume....I consider him a clown, not even worth my scorn.
Oh of course, I actually slightly touched on it in my post.
Amir0x said:
Notice the "regardless of what race you are" part. That was a nod to the fact that sometimes in rare cases a minority born into certain circumstances might feel they have not encountered those problems, and thus say they're "colorblind."
However if a person is a minority and believes themselves to be "colorblind", I'd say this is not quite the same as a white person saying it. Because when a white person says it, they can leave their house and enter a society where doors swing open for them. When a black person says it, no matter how well off they are, they still have to accept they are many many many more times likely to be stopped just for driving a decent car for example. So pretending it's not an issue would be more like willful ignorance
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