Personally I don't agree with this. I don't think we can completely "write off" the experiences of others as being invalid. We have to keep in mind some of the history of colonialism and how it is used as a tool to eradicate certain cultures from society. Oppression exists in society and to say that is doesn't is pretty naive. Some groups experience more oppression than others. Many individuals in society do not actually realize how much privilege they have in their lives. Often our privilege shapes our view of the world, but life isn't experienced the same for everyone. For instance, as a white, middle class, able bodied, heterosexual male, I've grown up to believe that the world is a safe and fair place to live. I don't have a fear of being arrested or shot by the police for driving my car or walking down the street. I am treated fairly when I enter a store or interact with people in general. I'm not followed around unnecessarily and I never hear racial slurs or experience micro-aggression's. The reality though, is that this isn't the case for everyone in society.
I personally wouldn't be so quick to say that the experiences of others are invalid, especially when we have not experienced what others have experienced.
POOR BABY!!! THESE PARENTS SHOULD BE SHOT FOR IGNORING THEIR SUFFERING INFANT!!!
I'm not sure i understand the point you are trying to make with the video
BTW: The best way to support equality, if you are into that sort of thing, is to simply treat everyone as a human being. It's really that simple. Here's an example: When the actress who plays Uhura was considering quitting Star Trek after the first year she was advised to stay on the show by Martin Luther King because her character "reflected what they were marching for." And that was simply being herself as just another part of the crew rather than "black".
The poor child is being "oppressed". The people aren't doing what he thinks they should and this causes him great pain, unless of course, he's not being seen... hmm...
Unlike you, I am a white-ish uber-under"privileged" male who's experienced being followed around a stores and kicked out of them for no other reason than my clothes were too black and red and my hair too long and I wasn't handing the cashier cash at that very moment.
But so what? This in no way is "oppression". This is an encounter with an asshole. An encounter with an asshole in no way calls up a history of colonization written vaguely and indistinctly on the wikipedia article about the scientific version of the term "cultural appropriation" nor does it in any way make the store manager asshole responsible for something that happened a long time ago and that they didn't do.
Let me be clear, while there isn't colonialism or oppression, there is bullshit. I would say it's pretty naive to claim that dime-store bullshit is some form of legacy colonialism that oppresses those not holding a uber-privilege card. I'm from the other side of the tracks and I can't make that connection -- honestly, I have to wonder why you do.
What the mundane, non-scientific version of "cultural appropriation" is just another example of "special" people playing stupid mind games for attention and get what they want. Just like the baby in the video.
Please tell me how a someone who isn't an american aborigine putting on a headdress hurts anyone in a real sense.
Your "asshole" situation, is a little different than situations of systemic oppression that some groups experiences because of the color of their skin for instance.
Also, colonialism is only one lens in which to view the world and doesn't apply to every situation. Though colonialism relates to the issue of culture appropriation, sometimes a lens such as racism better fits a given situation. As such, colonialism does not apply to every instance of oppression.
I cannot speak to that from experience. That is their story not mine. But, for instance, when Caucasian fashion models walk down runways with headdresses on repeatedly, over time they become associated with Caucasian culture and their cultural significance gets lost along with the true meaning of the symbol. Over time, symbols essentially get assimilated into the dominant culture. When that happens, cultural genocide takes place.
I may have labeled it "an encounter with an asshole", but it was your example.
I've been stopped a few times and had a gun pointed at me as the cop approached my car. But you know what's interesting? 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.
It's not just black people getting shot. Fairly recently white guy (wearing black) who got blown away (with an automatic rifle) for pulling his pants up. It's not race that's the problem. It's the police policy of "shooting first, asking questions later." Or, as they call it "officer safety."
THAT's the problem with police shootings. Don't take my word for it, see it for yourself:
The above video happened because the guy matched the description and his only crime was being at the wrong place at the wrong time. Also notice, it's not on a dark street.
Colonialism doesn't apply at all:
We call this a "slippery slope."
https://yourlogicalfallacyis.com/slippery-slope
It's the same kind of bullshit that gives us such wonderful non-arguments as "If the gays get married, then marriage will be meaningless."
I can't counter-argue a slippery slope, except to say if we keep using slippery slopes, the intelligence of everyone will plummet, causing us all to leave logic behind and doom humanity once, for all, and irrevocably!
(that, too, was a slippery slope.)
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.
Just in case you didn't know who the Village People were: