Cultural Appropriation

[Muscletank 410]

13 minutes ago, Ziggy said:

 They don't have a hive mind or something lol

Exactly so why speak like every black or mixed race person agrees with your point? They don't. This phenomena has only beome a thing in the last 2 or 3 years. The  people who are crying about cultural appropriation don't speak for all black people or people of colour. Btw, you may want to do some simple reading about India and Japan, two of the most racist countries in the world. Racism is not an American thing, it is world wide and it is experienced by people of every single race on the planet. Did you know that Jordan is officially the most racist country on the planet? I suspect you don't...

 

There is a big world out there beyond the borders of the United States. Try looking up an atlas.

[Ziggy 11,868]

1 minute ago, Muscletank said:

Exactly. And these people who are crying about cultural appropriation don't speak for all black people or people of colour. Btw, you may want to do some simple reading about India and Japan, two of the most racist countries in the world. Racism is not an American thing, it is world wide and it is experienced by people of every single race on the planet. Did you know that Jordan is officially the most racist country on the planet? I suspect you don't...

No, exactly, you're right. I'm saying if you offend one person, try to course correct that instead of being proud and telling them they're wrong. It's a feeling. It never hurts to open up and listen to someone else's way of thinking even if you don't ultimately agree with it.

You're also right on your second point, though please refrain from the rude and condescending tone regarding it just because we disagree. If you thought I was that way, I apologize, it wasn't the intent at all. I was just trying to explain how I see it.

 

Regarding said point, just because both India and Japan have racist features in their cultures doesn't make them immune to racism. I mean, correct me if I'm wrong but there is racism in the black community about the lightness of someone's skin. That's racist, but it doesn't make them immune to racism all of a sudden. So I don't exactly see what you're trying to say, but would love if you could explain it further.

[ristretto 883]

i don't think anyone should comment on what's appropriate to wear or not, if you're not in the community or belong to the culture being appropriated. is this really a hard thing for people to understand? saying that black people took offense by katherines braids because their petty is plain rude, cuz if you're not black and have no relation to their culture you don't decide what's offensive or not. 

[Spanish Eyes 2,279]

Considering we live in a global society, appropriating another culture is basically inevitable. You're going to do it at some point. If it were a balanced give an take among cultures, it wouldn't be a big deal. It would be inherently neutral.

 

But the issue is that there are power dynamics. White people hold institutional power in the US that People of Color don't have. (If you disagree with that statement, we have a lot of catching up to do, and I ain't got time for that.) It is because of this that white artists can literally perform blackness (to varying degrees of accuracy) and achieve even greater success than a black artist, be praised as original or edgy, etc. Don't believe me? Ask Elvis. His style was lifted from various black musicians of the time, but he is the one who achieved the greatest success because it was a white body on which these styles were presented.

 

Is it a problem? I don't honestly know. I think it depends on where you draw the line in terms of acceptable cultural appropriation. Technically, me going to the Mexican district of my city and enjoying a meal could be considered appropriation. But that's not harming anyone, and my money is helping the members of the community. 

Some things to consider before using the work of another culture:
1. Are you staying true to the intended meaning of the cultural item? (wearing a Native American headdress in a party setting)

2. Are you profiting either monetarily or in social standing through the appropriation? 

3. Do people of the target culture face shame for doing the exact thing you're doing?

 

Watch this video for more information. She's wonderful. 

 

 

[StrawberryBlond 14,880]

9 hours ago, Ziggy said:

Of course it is American-centric (though it has roots in British history and colonialism as well) lol but so are so many other improper behaviors and historical trends. That doesn't mean it's a made up phenomenon, it just means you need to examine it within the context of American culture. Why does it exist? How does it function?

The best way I can describe it is a lack of appreciation and understanding for a given minority culture, but a willingness to adopt certain attributes of it anyway. The problem with it is specific to the fact that they're minority cultures. If you think of it in terms of corn rows or "boxer braids" as they're so affectionately labeled when a white person wears them, black people where them and people think they look "hood". A white person wears them and changes the name and all of the sudden it's hip and cool. Essentially, as far as I see it, it is an oppressive act by the very nature of the fact that it's someone of majority status stealing and "appropriating what isn't their's to the detriment of those they stole it from.

 

In Katy Perry's case and that stupid music video, it's not the watermelon that's the problem. The problem is that contextually the video is showing her in various efforts of coolness and one of those happens to be her with grills and braids. She doesn't see any cultural significance to what she's wearing, just that it's "cool". It's the same issue of the Oriental that has plagued those of Asian (not Indian, Bangladeshi, etc.) descent for decades. People fetishize these very specific features of a culture but won't try to understand why it exists or why it's important to that culture. It's insensitive. It isn't a war crime, but it's insensitive. It feels like mockery.

 

Truthfully, if you ask me idk why people get themselves worked up defending themselves. If you offend someone why would you go out of your way to tell them why they're wrong and you're right? It isn't about that. It's about how someone feels and it shouldn't matter if you qualify it as valid or not. If you're not on the receiving end of it, I don't see how it's your place to lay claim or dictate how someone should be feeling.

 

If it doesn't bother you then that's awesome, but just because one black person wasn't offended by Katy Perry doesn't mean you should treat every black person identically. They don't have a hive mind or something lol

 

Let's make it clear - some of the 're-naming' of these styles is coming from ignorance. Some people genuinely don't know the right name and say the name they think is right. Saying boxer braids isn't an attempt at official re-naming, it's just the name they thought was right. Box to boxer is very easy to do. Especially since a lot of black boxers wear these braids. You can see where the connection comes from. And I have yet to see widespread acceptance of white people wearing black hairstyles. We generally get called wiggas or get told we look ridiculous and this comes from all races. The general consensus in my lifetime has been "black hairstyles just don't look right on whites." I have rarely seen a white person in braids who looked good, regardless of their hair colour. And they're as good as told that. As far as I've always seen, a white person adopting a black hairstyle is a social risk, it doesn't benefit them at all and we have no idea how it will be perceived. I think the notion that white people are praised is informed completely by the reaction white celebrities get when they do it. Celebrities operate on a different level. People accept things from them that they don't accept from their fellow citizens. Suddenly, if a celebrity wears something uncool, it suddenly becomes cool and all that. Of course they'll praise a celebrity who is cool, relevant and pretty for wearing a black hairstyle. Doesn't mean they'll treat every white person the same way.

What's wrong with wearing something because you think it's cool? Why are white people not allowed to have fun with their style like everyone else? Why have we got to now put additional thought into everything we wear? True equality means everyone's held to the same standard. I'm not here for whites having to put extra effort into every clothing choice they wear while every other race can wear whatever they want without thinking twice. Really think about how much you're reading too much into this video. You are putting an expectation on white people that is absolutely ridiculous. The only culture that she seems to mock in the video is Japanese culture, yet that's the bit that very few people seem to talk about. Focus on the real piece of offensiveness and stop drawing attention to basic visual representations of having fun (driving in a car, sitting on a lounger eating watermelon, eating ice cream, calling up your friends). How is putting forward a simple visual representation of another culture implying that you don't understand it? I have never assumed that of anyone else. How do you know that they haven't researched it before putting it out there? If you have no proof, don't assume. It all comes down to assuming all whites are ignorant to some degree. Do I even need to go into why this is offensive? How about getting to know people before claiming that they're ignorant?

We get wound up defending ourselves because our characters are being misjudged and by someone talking utter nonsense with double standards, at that. See, here's the thing with offence. There's acceptable and unacceptable forms of it. Claiming that you're offended when someone calls you names? Acceptable. Claiming that you're offended by say...the colour green? Unacceptable. I know, it's a silly example, but the fact you think it's silly shows that we all have a general sense of acceptable and unacceptable offence, no matter how subconscious it is or how open-minded we think we are. I think claims of cultural appropriation (and bear in mind, I'm talking about simply indulging in something that isn't your culture, you're doing it right and everything) as offensive is unreasonable. I'm sorry, but facts and logic matter more than feelings. Some feelings can't be denied by facts but some can. If you can't accept the facts, you have to check yourself into therapy where you can be coached on how to handle the world better.

And just as you think that not all black people have hive minds, maybe not all white people have hive minds either? And you may say "But I wasn't trying to say that all whites are ignorant and racist" because that's how your argument comes across. If feelings matter so much to you, why don't you take into consideration the white people who are feeling offended by assumptions about them? I thought you didn't believe in others dictating how you feel?

8 hours ago, Thomas said:

i don't think anyone should comment on what's appropriate to wear or not, if you're not in the community or belong to the culture being appropriated. is this really a hard thing for people to understand? saying that black people took offense by katherines braids because their petty is plain rude, cuz if you're not black and have no relation to their culture you don't decide what's offensive or not. 

Thing is, I'm all for taking the word of a marginalised group over mine when it comes to offence. They should, after all, know better than anyone else. But when you do some research into certain claims of theirs and find inconsistencies and in some cases, downright lies? What should you do then? Remain quiet while they spout their inaccurate viewpoint? Look, I'm a woman and a proud feminist, so I like it when people just take my word for it when I describe an issue that is offensive to women. But at the same time, I don't like to live in world where everyone just nods and agrees with everything I say. If I say something that is unreasonable or factually inaccurate, I would be all too welcome for someone to tell me. Some issues that some feminists raise are ridiculous and petty. And in moments like that, I hope not everyone lumps me into their category and that their ideas get challenged. I have no problem with men challenging anything a feminist says as long as they have facts, reasoning, logic, etc. behind their argument. A cause cannot improve if they never get called out sometimes. You never get better if you live in an echo chamber and everyone just blindly accepts what you say without question.

4 hours ago, Spanish Eyes said:

Considering we live in a global society, appropriating another culture is basically inevitable. You're going to do it at some point. If it were a balanced give an take among cultures, it wouldn't be a big deal. It would be inherently neutral.

 

But the issue is that there are power dynamics. White people hold institutional power in the US that People of Color don't have. (If you disagree with that statement, we have a lot of catching up to do, and I ain't got time for that.) It is because of this that white artists can literally perform blackness (to varying degrees of accuracy) and achieve even greater success than a black artist, be praised as original or edgy, etc. Don't believe me? Ask Elvis. His style was lifted from various black musicians of the time, but he is the one who achieved the greatest success because it was a white body on which these styles were presented.

 

Is it a problem? I don't honestly know. I think it depends on where you draw the line in terms of acceptable cultural appropriation. Technically, me going to the Mexican district of my city and enjoying a meal could be considered appropriation. But that's not harming anyone, and my money is helping the members of the community. 

Some things to consider before using the work of another culture:
1. Are you staying true to the intended meaning of the cultural item? (wearing a Native American headdress in a party setting)

2. Are you profiting either monetarily or in social standing through the appropriation? 

3. Do people of the target culture face shame for doing the exact thing you're doing?

 

Watch this video for more information. She's wonderful. 

 

 

The idea that white people can perform black music and have more success than a black person with it literally hasn't been valid for years. After Elvis and the jazz era went out of fashion, whitewashing in music stopped in the sense that white people were not longer allowed to be the face of a brand of music that didn't originate from them. They could still do it, but they weren't allowed to hold a higher position than black people. By that, I don't mean there was a law put in place, it was just social change. If you look at the statistics in music (who's selling with singles, albums, tours, who's getting the most amount of praise and the most awards), black people are owning it right now. And they owned it back it from 2003-2008 as well. Black people are some of the most awarded artists in Grammy history. There have been barely any US #1's from white artists this year (in addition, in 2004, all 12 of the Billboard Hot 100's singles were by black people). Almost all of the most sold and talked-about albums of the moment are from black artists. The notion that black artists are suffering in the music industry has always baffled me. It's factually false. If anything, it's white artists who can't cut a break right now. They're getting albums pushed back and cancelled. They're getting tours cancelled due to poor ticket sales. The biggest names are having flop albums. Some really talented ones aren't getting promoted or made to matter to the public in any way. If they want a hit, they have to let a black artist feature on their song. I don't say this to imply: "Look how bad white artists are being treated." I'm just pointing out observable facts. If black artists were currently going through what white artists are, they'd be accusing the music buying public of racism and you know it.

Thing is, why should only white people have to adhere to these criteria you impose? Why should we live our lives according to a standard that no one else has to abide by? That's not equal rights. Life is stressful enough. We shouldn't have extra stress put on top of us. And Kat Blaque, while she's not the worst out there, tends to think she's saying more than she actually is or is showing some sort of enlightenment. You'll notice consistently in her videos about white people, she'll describe an incident with a white person where they were being really ignorant and then proceeds to say something like: "For a lot of white people, hearing any challenge to their beliefs are hard, they're not used to this." Whereas I watch her videos and just feel like I've heard it all before and I think she bases her view of white people too much on her personal experiences rather than looking at the wider picture outside of herself. I have rarely encountered a white person as ignorant and stupid as the ones she talks about. If a white person based their opinions of black people purely on their negative personal experiences, it wouldn't be accepted. But it's ok to do it in reverse? And then act like there's a problem when someone questions that?

[Naor Daniel 937]

It's obviously cultural appreciation.

I come from a Jewish background and I really didn't care about that Jewish thing she did in Birthday. 

Why would I care, really?

It's really trendy to hate white people nowadays... everything they do is up for criticism. obvi. 

---

I'd also like to know if Beyonce wearing all those blonde wigs or dressing up like some Greek mythological god is a cultural appreciation? 

That's black privilege isn't it

[Wild 1,296]

All I can say is that if the world is to ever truly get along we need to stop dividing ourselves needlessly. Yes, people shouldn't make fun of other peoples cultures. However, being inspired by many backgrounds shouldn't be a problem when done right. 

Every culture, every person, every region of the world has influenced each other in some way throughout history. It's time people realize this. Instead of getting offended. Why not be happy that someone is so enamoured with the beauty of your culture they felt inspired by it? 

There is also a huge double standard. It seems as if white people are the only ones capable of stealing others cultures. If Katy Perry playing an Egyptian Queen is a problem then why is Beyoncé posing as a Grecian Goddess overlooked? If white women getting dreads is disrespectful then why isn't women of color getting weaves? 

(I am not trying to offend anyone by saying this. It's just my opinion) 

[15jocart 2,305]

6 hours ago, StrawberryBlond said:

The idea that white people can perform black music and have more success than a black person with it literally hasn't been valid for years.

Iggy Azalea, Miley Cyrus circa 2013, Macklemore....

6 hours ago, StrawberryBlond said:

If anything, it's white artists who can't cut a break right now. They're getting albums pushed back and cancelled. They're getting tours cancelled due to poor ticket sales. The biggest names are having flop albums. Some really talented ones aren't getting promoted or made to matter to the public in any way.

This isn't because of people of color......

Why do white people always have to play the victim 

6 hours ago, StrawberryBlond said:

Thing is, why should only white people have to adhere to these criteria you impose? Why should we live our lives according to a standard that no one else has to abide by?

Truer words have never been spoken....oh wait, people of color in America have been saying this since before the country's creation. Like I said before, just because you personally cannot relate to something (i.e.: being targeted by systemic racism in any way, shape, or form) does not mean that others are wrong in making accusations.

[StrawberryBlond 14,880]

14 hours ago, 15jocart said:

Iggy Azalea, Miley Cyrus circa 2013, Macklemore....

This isn't because of people of color......

Why do white people always have to play the victim 

Truer words have never been spoken....oh wait, people of color in America have been saying this since before the country's creation. Like I said before, just because you personally cannot relate to something (i.e.: being targeted by systemic racism in any way, shape, or form) does not mean that others are wrong in making accusations.

I knew those were the names you'd come up with. And none of them hold up. Iggy is one of the first names I think of when I think of "white artists who can't get a break right now." She had one #1 and one top ten and then basically dropped all relevancy. Her album barely scraped platinum in the US even with sps and its pure sales are little over 500k to date and sold even worse worldwide. Her Reclassified re-release didn't spawn one hit. Her music video views fell right down. She had to push back/cancel some dates for her US arena tour and ended up cancelling the whole thing because no one was buying tickets (it was this I was referring to in the next paragraph). The lead single off her new album flopped and it caused the entire era to be pushed back and subsequent singles have flopped even harder, they're not even charting in the US. She is one of the most disrespected rappers of all time. Miley in 2013? She had 2 big hits (Wrecking Ball wasn't even an urban sound, it was just a pop ballad) but it didn't translate into album sales. Her tour made less than the artRave and some dates had to be cancelled for poor ticket sales. She lost all respect with her new image and everyone was laughing at her and accusing her of cultural appropriation. And Macklemore, while having 2 big hits with his debut, selling well and winning a Grammy, seemed to completely lose the public's interest afterwards. His follow-up album was an epic flop, producing not one hit and no one even talks about him now...except when arguments of cultural appropriation pop up.

White people, just like any other race, can have one hit album. Just because this hit album was an urban sound does not mean that white people prefer a white person doing it. They just supported an artist for one album. It happens across all genres. The public have short attention spans, it happens. White rappers are notorious for having one hit and then disappearing (Vanilla Ice, Kreayshawn, Iggy, Macklemore) with Eminem being the only white rapper who's truly ever stuck around. Black rappers, on the other hand, are famous for continuing to maintain their success over time because their black fanbase are so loyal. Kendrick's albums US sales are over 3.2 million to date and rising. Nicki's albums US sales are over 3.6 million. Drake's albums US sales are 7.4 million (and that's not even including his very successful mixtapes and playlist). All of them completely own the likes of Iggy and Macklemore and they've actually proved they can have more than one successful album. For urban influenced sound in general, let's not even touch on how Miley compares to heavyweights like Rihanna and Beyonce. Let's not even touch on how these black artists have so much more awards and respect than white people in the same genre. I don't know what alternative facts you're looking at. It's bizarre how people are so blind to the truth. They just spout what they want to believe. They don't look at things critically, logically with no bias.

I'm not trying to play the victim here, I'm just pointing out the facts. Black people aren't accused of playing the victim when they put out facts about racism (well, aside from actual bigots, of course). Why should white people be called the victim for dealing out the facts that show they are nowhere near as privileged in music as they claim? Why are white people discouraged from defending themselves and the truth?

Of course I realise that people of colour in America have been saying this for centuries...so do you not see the point I'm trying to make? If racial oppression is so bad, why do you advocate the silencing of whites? I know as a female that I think gender oppression is bad and I would never advocate its application to men, no matter how much they may have contributed to the oppression of women. They can't help what they were born as and not all of them are bad. Therefore, they are just as entitled to have their thoughts and feelings not silenced. If you want equality, you have to put everyone on the same level. No more accusing anyone of trying to play the victim. I've found that this is the common refrain people say when they have no evidence to back up their belief. Instead of just filing any theory from a white person under "not to be listened to" just because they can't personally relate, perhaps listen and you might be surprised. I have to deal with enough men trying to tell me, a woman, that their perception of female problems is better and more nuanced than mine. And I have to put up with this and I actually welcome a challenge. I've had it from black men as well. But those same black men actually accused me of not knowing what I was talking about and having no right to speak when I tried to say that some claims of racism were a bit overblown with facts to back them up. So, let me get this straight - I have to endure my personal experiences of sexism being picked apart by men (even though I'm female and should know what I'm talking about more than any man) yet, I don't have the right to be critical of any racial theory because I'm white? My gender's oppression is just a free for all where anyone can be a critic but when it comes to me being critical of any element of racial theory, I've just got to stfu? Isn't that not irony and hypocrisy? Either you're allowed to criticise or you're not. In all areas of life. Choose one or the other because you can't have it both ways.

[SpookyKid 15,153]

On 29/6/2017 at 8:33 AM, Muscletank said:

Americans are out there. No one will ever tell me how to have my hair, what clothes to wear, what music I can listen to and what food I can eat. I'm mixed race and all of this **** is completely American centric. This is literally not an issue in Australia and Europe: areas with large multicultural populations. It does nothing but cause division. I really don't see the purpose of it.

Exactly this

[leecy 1,476]

I don't know why but this thread reminds me of this video I saw before

[15jocart 2,305]

Two things:

This issue is a lot more than ticket and album sales. I know we're on a pop forum discussing these things but I think you're too focused on the micro-issues (the minutiae of individual musicians) and you're missing the main point. I'm not trying to belittle you (you seem to be a nice person outside of these topics) but I honestly think that your inability to comprehend these topics is sort of 

6 hours ago, StrawberryBlond said:

Of course I realise that people of colour in America have been saying this for centuries...so do you not see the point I'm trying to make? If racial oppression is so bad, why do you advocate the silencing of whites?

And this: white people see POC calling them out as them being "attacked" or "silenced." It isn't. Take what you said here:

7 hours ago, StrawberryBlond said:

I have to deal with enough men trying to tell me, a woman, that their perception of female problems is better and more nuanced than mine.

and apply it to what you're doing as a white person, to people of color. When people mansplain to you, it feels pretty frustrating, right? That's what you're doing here.

Also, look up intersectionality: you can be oppressed in one area (gender), and be an oppressor in another (race). I'm not saying stfu, I'm saying listen to what POC are saying and don't assert your experiences as truth. Hope this helps.

[Bizcochito 5,313]

Cultural appropriation is a LIE.

[Ferrer Zorola 3,966]

I agree. Nothing belongs to nobody. We should try to become multicultural... I would love it if the world only used one language or the same money measurement 

everybody is too politically correct brb I'll be wearing an Indian headdress.

[StrawberryBlond 14,880]

21 hours ago, 15jocart said:

Two things:

This issue is a lot more than ticket and album sales. I know we're on a pop forum discussing these things but I think you're too focused on the micro-issues (the minutiae of individual musicians) and you're missing the main point. I'm not trying to belittle you (you seem to be a nice person outside of these topics) but I honestly think that your inability to comprehend these topics is sort of 

And this: white people see POC calling them out as them being "attacked" or "silenced." It isn't. Take what you said here:

and apply it to what you're doing as a white person, to people of color. When people mansplain to you, it feels pretty frustrating, right? That's what you're doing here.

Also, look up intersectionality: you can be oppressed in one area (gender), and be an oppressor in another (race). I'm not saying stfu, I'm saying listen to what POC are saying and don't assert your experiences as truth. Hope this helps.

I mentioned that these artist also have been showered with awards and acclaim from both critics and the public. So, if that's not "more than ticket and album sales," then what is? There's only one white rapper that the critics and public have ever truly respected and that's Eminem. Everyone else has tried and usually failed to get any sort of true acclaim or even stick around for long. If rap was truly whitewashed, there would be a lot more of them in the game. White rappers are not being signed left right and centre because labels know that people, subconsciously or not, want a black person to be serving rap. Even I think that black rappers are the most superior, though the fact their career path has been seen as a respectable path to take and they've had more years of acceptability to get good is obviously the reason more than anything else. Funny, you say I'm too focused on micro-issues when micro aggressions are seen as the utmost importance to highlight among the SJW community. But suddenly, focusing on the small stuff (though I hardly think in this case, it is small at all) is wrong? Again, pick one or the other and stop contradicting. Oh, trust me, I comprehend these topics. Just because I come to a different conclusion to you doesn't mean that I have not looked into them well enough or don't understand them.

I've got news for you - anyone can attack or silence someone. You don't have to be in a position of power to do it. The person who you're doing it to just needs to feel disrespected and like they're incapable of responding due to the lack of respect being shown to them and no longer welcome or comfortable in your company. That's all it takes to attack/silence someone.

And here you've just shown how you've missed my point again. If being dismissive of one race is bad, it should be bad across the board. And you've also clearly misunderstood what I intended by bringing gender into it. I said that I make it part of my personal policy to never shame, attack or silence men, no matter what their gender may have done in the past. I judge them as individuals and respect their intelligence. I welcome any challenges they may want to bring to the table regarding feminist issues. Because the only way we can bring about equality is showing respect and understanding among all people. Now, my point is, why can't the same be done from a racial standpoint? Why can't POC treat whites like individuals, get to know them before judging, refrain from making blanket statements and see if any challenges they make to any racial theories are valid? No one is immune to criticism. When you start saying certain groups are above criticism for any reason, you're going to encourage nothing but arrogance and delusion among the group and nothing but disrespect and contempt from anyone outside the group. Not the way to go if you want to bring about equality. And for the record, I have no problem with "mansplaining" (hate that term), as long as there are no women to provide an explanation and the man in question knows what he's talking about. See, fairness.

You assume I haven't looked up intersectionality. I think you'll find that that term comes up fairly frequently in my life. And here comes the next assumption - you assume I'm not listening to the things that POC are saying. This ties in to the pet hate I touched on earlier: assuming someone must be lacking in intelligence or hasn't looked into something deeply enough because if they had, they'd agree with you. You have no idea of the amount of people I've had to explain this concept to. You can understand something and still disagree with it. I have listened to POC, if I hadn't listened to them, I wouldn't be voicing my displeasure at some of the claims they're spouting, after all. Just because I've looked into these claims and found them to be riddled with fallacies, holes and lies does not mean that I haven't listened to them, it just means I have listened but don't agree. Don't try to live in an echo chamber. Don't just take people at their word without delving deeper. Don't be afraid to question.

In case you're unaware, I was the top student in my Modern Studies class at school (the only class that talked about racial issues in modern America), I studied sociology at one of the most respected universities in the world and I have a degree in Religious Studies (involving Christianity, Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism and Islam) from said university. I was writing about and supporting racial issues and other cultures before BLM was made and before SJWs were even fashionable. So, can you imagine how it feels to have my intelligence and character questioned on these issues? As I said, get to know people before making assumptions.