RE: Understanding and Navigating Culture Appropriation will take Collaboration in Society

You've admitted you don't have any real experience in this sort of thing and are telling ME, who has, the ways of the world.

Being that I am White, I do not have any direct experience that would allow me to answer the question that you asked me. However, I'm currently taking a course on Indigenous Knowledge and have been listening to the first hand accounts of Indigenous people, guest speakers and researchers about how colonialism is slowly destroying their culture. Though I used to have a similar viewpoint that you do, I'm no longer quick to say that culture appropriation or that colonialism is not a valid issue in society today.

Regarding to the video you posted. I don't really know what to say to that. You found a video of a white guy being shot by police - I guess that proves that racism doesn't exist in the world?

Honestly, I'm sure you can find plenty of anecdotal evidence that will confirm that theory.

I'm not saying at all, that other people do not experience oppression. Everyone (generalizing) in society experiences oppression in some from or another and it can be based on nearly any aspect of a persons characteristics or life situation (color of skin, ability, socio-economic status, or even clothing or hair style as you pointed out with your experience). My point is not to say that others do not experience these things but that there are some systemic constructs in society that can lead to oppression of certain groups.

Regarding the slippery slope argument.

Firstly, I should mention that I am speaking from a Canadian perspective so things may be different in the U.S. My link between culture appropriation and cultural genocide isn't clear because I currently do not have the capacity to discuss the history or current systemic action being taken against Indigenous people in Canada. To fully clarify how they are linked I would have to explain "the 60's scoop" and the residential school system in Canada. I would have to explain how native "status" is regulated by the government in such a way that the "Native" is essentially bred out of the people over time. I would have to explain how, land is divided and historic treaties are not adhered to by the government. There just too much to discuss on a forum like this.

My overall point is not to discredit your experiences. This discussion has shifted along the way and has become very convoluted so it may come across in that way. Its not my intention.

My original point was to validate the experiences of others and not discredit them off hand - like i may have done in the past.