Mountain out of a molehill, people.

[tenoko1]

Racism? Really? It's a pattern.

If it were making fun of the Navajo, saying they are somehow lesser citizens, then THAT would be racism This is simply the use of patterns, stylings, and ideas for fashion. I mean seriously, it's nothing we wouldn't do and haven't done to the American flag for years, why are you freaking out? I think it's cute. Relax.

Comments

[gs-disaronno.livejournal.com]

REALLY? The number of shops that sell shorts, jeans and shirts with the American flag on it is ridiculous, and no one thinks that's racist. Why? Because it's NOT.

Fashion designers take influence from different types of cultural clothing all the time. We've had the poncho trend, dresses based loosely on kimonos and Moroccan-style patterns on clothes and so on. People really will just look for anything to call out as racist, won't they? xD

[tenoko1.livejournal.com]

EXACTLY!!! The people that are all "I am DEEPLY offended by the blantant racism" WHAT? If it was a shirt depicting a Insdian being lynched THAT would be racism.

[gs-disaronno.livejournal.com]

I'm really sick of people actively seeking things to be offended over, whether it's crying racism, sexism or whatever. It's getting soooo old.

[helsgard.livejournal.com]

I'm offended when people misuse commas. Guess I'll start a whiny blog and whine and demand JUSTICE FOR COMMAS.

Sheesh. Get a frakin' life, people.

[schwarzekapelle.livejournal.com]

First Nations clothing is not a trend to be put up in retail stores for every white person in the world to purchase. First Nations people were slaughtered and assimilated for the clothing they wear. Their clothing is their identity, their pride, their culture and their history. For white people to appropriate it into their everyday wear, when it was this clothing and culture that got First Nations people killed, is racism. But I'm glad I know you think differently, I don't really need people like you on my flist.

[tenoko1.livejournal.com]

Are you being serious or facetious?

In the event that you are sincere, let me just say I'm sorry if you were offended by my entry, it wasn't meant to be. That being said, I still stand by my point that simply using the patterns and designs for regular clothing, allowing for people outside of their culture to wear it is not an act of racism. Not only white people will be wearing these patterns and be able to appreciate them- this is America, after all, the Melting Pot of cultures and people. The meaning behind the colors and patterns may not be able to appreciated by everyone that wears them, but does wearing an American flag fill every American with a deep sense of pride and reference for the country we fought so hard for? Of course not.

To ban a people from using another country's/people's/era's colors, stylings, patterns, etc because we were once at war with them? That seems excessive. Yes, what was done to the Native Americans was terrible, but we can't fix a movement that began more than 300 years ago. Are people outside of Japan banned from wearing anything with any sort of Asian writing, stylings because we dropped a bomb on them in WWII? Should Harry Potter be banned because we declared our independence from England? Are African crafts, dresses, jewelry, art only available to African Americans because before 150 years ago they were enslaved and mistreated?

Every documentary I've watched on Native Americans, history of America, and the progress of cultures say that the histories of a people are being lost because the current generation has absolutely no interest in carrying on the mantle. People aren't perfect in any culture, and again and again we have wronged each other, but the only way to keep that from repeating is to let go of past grievances and move forward having learned from the past. I do not think there is any point in hanging on to such an old wound, especially when no longer truly relevant to the original issue. America was invaded and taken over, yes. It wasn't the first country, it wasn't even the last.

I think there's a time and place to pick every battle. Using a nation's styles in current clothing? I don't think it's worth a battle when it wasn't meant as a strike out against those people, but more a show of appreciation for their creativity and eye for color and pattern. Hundreds of years later, their works are still beautiful, what wrong with allowing people to appreciate that? Or should they be banned from it because of a war that happened probably before their family even came to this country?

If you want me off your flist, that's fine. I'm sorry you feel that way. I did nothing wrong, though, and do not apologize for my opinion.

[heartsick]

This is...bizarre. People get offended over ridiculous things. I come from a place with quite a few Native American reservations (and...yeah, they don't get upset if you call them Indians, so...not sure why that become offense too) and I can assure you that most of the people there won't flip out if you had a patterned scarf on. I've also grown up around a couple of casinos on reservation property and so I've seen the flipside, too. There isn't a problem there selling their clothes to "every white person in the world."

[tenoko1.livejournal.com]

Agreed. Sadly I've already lost a lj friend because I posted this. No joke, check my comments. Cie la vie. We've been atoning for centuries and will continue to do so. I hardly consider this a racist action- trust me, I live in the South where it is still very racist. It's more like a compliment, I think.

[heartsick]

I saw that. o___O

Ha, AGREED with the racism in the south. I grew up in Connecticut and...uh...I didn't really "get" racism, so to speak, until I moved down here. The same shit just doesn't happen where I was from. Up north everyone just kind of lived together, and down here people go out of their way to tell me how white I am and wave around their ridiculous confederate flags around and THE SOUTH WILL RISE AGAIN MY BROTHER!!

Personally...I am offended by nothing, so I never understand what people are making a big deal over. I know I'm kind of a dick, but people seriously need to let some things go. Pick your battles, man. I'm 24 years old and my ancestors are all French (besides the couple of Native Americans, actually, on my mom's side, who ended up marrying the French when they were sold into slavery and shipped to the US) so I'm pretty irked when people get mad at me for shit that's not my fault. ...also, I hate trying to be politically correct, because basically anything anyone says can be construed to be offensive to someone. That's tiring, and I am too lazy to filter myself.

[tenoko1.livejournal.com]

Lol the South will rise again. *snicker* where from the South are you? Georgia, right? Alabama is a little different, but I think its because we have such a high crime rate for black people. "Why's everybody blamin the black man? Racism! Police brutality! My people--"
Uh, the black man was caught on camera and is a repeat offender, for starters.

[heartsick]

Yeah, I'm in Georgia. I know not all parts of this huge ass state are that bad. I've been to Atlanta before and it's less...absurd, but the smaller towns are just full of weird racism against basically everyone. ...and everyone gets kind of mad when I tell them I'm 24, unmarried, and have no kids.

[tenoko1.livejournal.com]

Lol you too? Typical response I get is an apology. I'm 25, no kids.
"Where's your husband?"
"I'm not married."
"Oh, I'm sorry."
"Why?"
"Well, you'll find you someone."

[heartsick]

It's so WEIRD. UP north people are, you know, happy that you're not running around knocked up at 16. Down here they just get confused and sometimes mad.

"So how many kids do you have?"
"Umm....none?"
"....." *stares, making odd forced painful smile*

[followingwords.livejournal.com]

Welcome to America, where the main entertainment is always drama for drama's sake. ~rolls eyes~

[tenoko1.livejournal.com]

Apparently. I actually lost a lj friend over my opinion on this.

[followingwords.livejournal.com]

My opinion is either everything is open to being used for whatever or nothing is. I'd prefer everything so that creativity can flourish, rather than nothing and watch the death of art. Frankly, I think that things becoming pop culture actually helps society learn to accept them more and/or brings their plight to people's attention. I mean, as bad as this sounds, a few years ago, lesbians were way more accepted than gay men because lesbians had become a part of pop culture, which I think helped them get a leg up in acceptance in society (I'm not saying that that's the only reason, but I think it helped). Of course, now things are becoming much more even and gay men are turning into a pop culture thing, which I'm very happy about, because it means society is learning to accept them for who they are.

So, yeah, that's what I think. I'm not sure that this applies 100% to this current situation, but I think that it does apply a little bit.

PS: Sorry if this isn't coherent. I'm sleep-deprived and can't sleep.