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

[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.