Article Critique: "White People and Dreadlocks: A Problematic Union"
History and Religious Significance
Hi, long time lurker first time poster. always wanted to say that. I am half native american and black and a little spanish. For what its worth I agree with Charley. I kinda felt his point was missed. The point being that if a white person has dreads and the are ridiculed by society for being a"dirty hippie" they can always get a hair cut and make themselves presentable. I understand, that should not be the case, but lets face it in America that is how it is in some places. We all agree, I think That if we put are minds to it anyone of us can accomplish the things we set out to do. We all can go to college, some will have to work harder than others, it doesn't matter what race you are. Yes minorities do have access to funding that the average white male does not have, cry cry . So you graduate college or in my case just started working out of high school. I am a good person, yah I have gotten into fights, it happens, I speed everywhere, oh and I am pot head, but other than that nothing really separates me from many of my white friend, except for a few things. I am not white. i think a lot of blacks, latinos, natives do not tell there white friends the truth about racism in america. I know I am guilty of this also. I pay my bills, try to stay out of trouble, be courteous to everyone, help people when I can. basically I am not a burden on society. life is great no complaints really to speak off. Except this one. Being not just a minority, but being black in America in the twenty first century. We minorities are pitted against each other all the time. I see it in the media with presenter saying, that hispanics are the number one minority in America surpassing black, sorry African Americans. that is wrong. There should be no minorities period. Everyone should be the same, or at least the right to succeed in life without being called names like nigger (opps I sad it), spic, cunt, chinc, wop, jew, sand nigger. These word are just words, but they are very, very painful and still used today in the twenty first centruy. These word are still used to day in every part of this country. Have you not seen or heard the Obama joke that go around the work place, bars, peoples homes? Its funny when your grand parents or parents for us older peps, I am 40, use to tell use to calm down, this has all happened before. I am talking about war, prohibition, global depression. guess what it is happening all over again. I have been called a nigger for dating a white woman, just last year i beleive it was 2011. I did not deserve that. I could go on and on, but even I tire of hearing myself complain. Back to the point, when a white person decides to rejoin society they can with very little to no consequences you can, by that I mean you are no longer a dirty hippie. I am still Black. Yes I understand that just because you are White you will not have an easy life. I understand that because you have every inch of your body pierced, tattooed, or modified people will move to the other side of the street, mothers will pick up there children in the store because they feel that you might harm them in some way, women crossing the street to avoid you. I get it. That can change by removing the piercings take the coke cans out of your ears, cover or remove your tattoos, cut the locs. Guess what, I can not nor would I want to change the color of my skin. Michael Jackson tried it, white people still called him black. I am still juged by the color of my skin. To be fair in my case I am judged by white people, black people as well as hispanic people. the only place i feel absolutely at piece, is on the RESERVATION. Lets set somethings strait. Been fighting terrorism since 1492. Natives discovered Columbus he did not discover America. You will find these bumper stickes all over the reservation. Same reservation that all of your white ancestors put us on. No we should not get over it. Go tell a Jewish person that he should forget the holocaust. You wouldn't think of it, unless you happen to fit the profile of a white racist. I probably have offened several people. not my intention. I don't know why but this particular topic angered me. I will apologize for the run on paragraph and any mis spelling. I just think the point was missed. For the record I do not think anyone owns the copy right to dreads, dreadlocks, locs. Like everyone has said, hair grows, don't comb it and it will lock. I don not get offended by white people having locs. I get offend it when white people tell me that racism in America doesn't exist, black people use the word NIGGER (do as I say not as I do), Racism is not dead by any means. African Americans are still not given jobs because of the color of their skin, Hispanics now have to prove that they are U.S. citizens in arizona. Thats right you now can be pulled over for the color of your skin in Arizona. Some argue most of them are illegal, so they should have to prove they are citizens of this country even though they were born here. Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, transgendered people are still getting beat up for no reason. Has for all of the non Americans readying or not understanding this rant, your countries have issues as well no country is perfect. I have live in several european countries.
Marc
taye said:
Before I say this..I want you to know I am not upset with you Charley. This is not a personal attack, I promise.What I am going to say is not said with anger or judgement. It is just my opinion.
There were Native Americans with dreads. This whole country was taken from them. They were put onto reservations where they were forced to speak english and attend christian churches. The goal was to completely wipe out their culture. My grandmother was raised on the reservation in Cherokee North Carolina, but she only knew a few words in her ancestral tongue. If anyone has the right to fuss about cultural appropriation it would be them. But you don't hear all the racist remarks coming from them. It is ridiculous to claim ownership of dreads from any one culture. I feel sorry for the people who get angry because i happen to have a certain color of skin and i have locks. Get over the skin color thing. We are equal. There were a lot of wrongs done in the past and there will always be people full of hate. But it is 2012. The only time I hear the "N" word is coming out of black people's mouths. Diversity quota....that is funny to me. I have never even thought of that...I just think everyone is in college because....maybe they want an education? I too have been followed around stores..I too have been pulled over by the police for no reason. All because I am a "dirty hippy" (no we are not called dirty barbarian gauls...we are called dirty hippies).
Everyone is shamed for their bodies and body types. Not just black people. That has to do with fashion magazines saying..you are too fat, your eyes are too small..your breasts are too small. Your teeth are not straight or white enough......anything and everything about us gets critiqued. Your skin is too dark or your skin is too light. Everyone is beautiful..we should not let an industry or the media define our beauty.
If some guy wants to claim a cultural right to dreads...let him. He was probably born in a hospital just like me. Went to the same type of schools, shops in the same stores, lives in the same neighbor hoods, celebrates the same holidays, speaks the same language. Watches the same movies. Eats the same foods. Lives in the same society....hence sharing the same culture...hmmmm.
I am not going to spend my short time here on earth worrying about what other people think. If some racist jerk wants to spend his/her time being angry because I choose to wear my hair a certain way that is their problem, not mine.