yovargas wrote:River wrote: And I'm not sure what the solution to such events is.
Not assuming the worst in everyone all the time would be a nice start.
Unfortunately that presents a bit of a problem in that we (as a society) often only apply this courtesy to white people.
Not to drag the thread down, but black people are seen as larger, older, and more scary than they are - they've done tests where they ask people to guess ages and sizes and they over-estimate black men consistently. They're seen as intimidating just by existing. So the average person already assumes the worst of them.
Mexicans are "rapists and thieves", gang members, drug dealers. So many average people already assume the worst of them.
Immigrants are stealing our jobs, Native Americans are drunks, we have something negative to sling at everyone.
Oh, but some Nazi's are, of course, very fine people.
Let's face it - if the worst thing you have to worry about is someone misinterpreting your costume as racist, you have a freakin easy life.
Yes, someone may assume the worst. But that's because much of this impacts real people. It has real negative effects on some people's lives. Yes, sometimes the "social justice warrior" fires indiscriminately, sometimes they attack based only on the perceived whiteness of the person they are attacking, sometimes they assume something is racist that absolutely is not.
But it is part of being white that if that is the worst thing we face, that is not having it rough. That is not some unnavigable minefield of police who are more likely to shoot you, of store owners who are more likely to accuse you of theft, of random strangers calling the police on you for doing absolutely nothing.
So yes, don't always assume the worst of people - but it would sure be nice if we as a society could extend that courtesy to everyone and stop crying because we got called out for doing something that has real negative effects on others.
I agree that not all instances being called appropriation necessarily are. There are many cultures who love sharing, and love seeing others embrace their clothing or cuisine or other aspects. We should absolutely not try to insist that it is wrong when they are telling us they are okay with it! And we should not shame anyone who was personally brought into a culture and welcomed because we don't own any culture to decide who can and can't be part of it.
But there are some things - as we all are aware - that have very painful, hurtful historic connections to oppression that should not be ignored just because 'I'm appreciating it!' when they are telling you very clearly 'we don't feel appreciated!'
Just... my $2.50.