London is a very welcoming and multicultural place - should you ever find yourself here, then message me and we will do coffee. You'll have to sign an NDA on the real-life identity because a lack of identity is, counter-intuitively, my identity on Medium. However, having conversations is an important part of how people learn, understand and facilitate conversation.
For me, politics underpins everything. The ideas which percolate in individuals and groups will find expression in the body politic and this can either stabilise or destabilise a democracy. When a democracy becomes unstable, it is those in minority groups who suffer the most, as they are easily scapegoated and most easily blamed. That is why I differentiate liberalism and socialism from identity based politics. Identity based politics splits the left and rallies the right - it's why my country has a succession of right-wing idiots for the last ten years. The left is too busy deciding whether it wants trans-rights, feminism, inclusion, anti-Semitism or BLM to notice that the constant messy infighting means a majority coalesce round terrible people like Boris Johnson. The principles of liberalism and freedom to speak are what I hold dear.
And yes, the article does begin 'treat others as you'd like to be treated' but it then deviates very quickly into 'I'm annoyed at white people', by the middle of the article that's pretty much the tone. Here you are: Cultural appropriation is White people using the word “Namaste” because they think it makes them look “chill”, “calm” and “smart”? I guess.
It's important to recognise that a discussion about cultural appropriation and a 'pile on' at white folks are different things - and that's why I said my culture invented the WWW and the English language. It's a ridiculous argument to make, I appreciate my sarcasm may not travel well via text - but it's a tongue-in-cheek rebuke. As was the history lesson, because part way through the article the author asserts 'I understand you don't have ancestral traditions and it is sad for you but stop co-opting and stealing ours.' - the author not only fails to differentiate between different countries and histories in Europe, she fails to appreciate each of these countries has their own culture.
My culture isn't great. That's not the point I'm making here. My language has been co-opted into business but I'm still culturally different from others. I'm not saying you can't speak other languages, I'm saying if I want to learn about the history of Haiti (and I have) then I should be allowed to do so and it not be considered a threat. If I want to study and understand the Taíno people and their post Columbus plight then I should be free to do so. When we set up a world in which curiosity about other cultures, albeit naive curiosity, is shamed - we encourage everyone to stay in their silo. When cultural exchange happens, even if it is unbalanced then I believe the world becomes a bit more inclusive.
The dead candy skull is a good example of this in practice. You show up to my halloween party in that, we have a conversation about those traditions, you also have conversations with those who share that culture more fully. All it takes is one person to veto it, and yes.... they may have a valid emotional reason for this, but also they may not. You're the arbiter. If I tell you my cultural heritage includes you not being able to use the internet because I am related to Tim Berners-Lee and I feel you're disrespecting my culture, where do you go from there? Who gets to police the personal rules - that's what makes it political. Politics and people are the same thing.
And no, I don't think that's the case about the protection of white feelings. I routinely teach people about black history in the UK. You just don't see any of those stories because the algorithm doesn't serve them up for you... So here you are. Something from my culture. https://medium.com/p/71079a4fa362 Look the Black guy up next time you're in London, he's only been in plain sight for 180 years or so. Better still, hit me up and I'll take you to some of the other historical spots once you've signed the NDA.
