Why white people need to stop saying 'namaste'

originally posted by: Blarneystoner
On a serious note....

Think about what it would be like if disparate cultures didn't borrow from each other.... there would be no blues, jazz, rock & roll, bluegrass, etc
...no pizza, no baseball, no football, no jai alai... lol...
Nope.... can't tell me not to borrow from anyone's culture. But I will respect other's cultures.
~ Slainte!

True...but I look at it his way...
I interact with a few Ojibwa First Nations...with them, I will greet them with Aaniin or Boujou, and thank them by saying Meegwech. If I started doing that with friends or strangers, well then I'd be a goof.

a reply to: JohnnyCanuck

Nah, not if it made sense in the area. If you live close enough to the tribe, using their vernacular wouldn't be odd at all.

Our local language tends to have so much spanish, and even some occasional german (the Menonites speak German) just because of some cultural melting.

Im sure everyone can tell I love living in this part of the world. That cultural melting is part of why. And its also why i tend to get kinda pissy about the whole "illegals" thing. They are good people....i don't like seeing them treated like second class humans.

a reply to: JohnnyCanuck

Nah, not if it made sense in the area. If you live close enough to the tribe, using their vernacular wouldn't be odd at all.

Our local language tends to have so much spanish, and even some occasional german (the Menonites speak German) just because of some cultural melting.

Im sure everyone can tell I love living in this part of the world. That cultural melting is part of why. And its also why i tend to get kinda pissy about the whole "illegals" thing. They are good people....i don't like seeing them treated like second class humans.

a reply to: Dark Ghost

That's pretty stupid. I wonder if she get her briefs in a wad when someone in India greets her with "hello."

a reply to: Blarneystoner

Don't worry. None of the rest of us wants to use those, ah, words.

Black, white, brown, red, yellow, magenta,
we're all human.
Sorry if this offends you.
Just kidding, you're a hyper-sensitive baby.

The reason we need cultural appropriation is the same reason you need to talk to people who disagree with you. You learn things, and end up understanding each other.

What happens if we don't appropriate other cultures and diverse ideas from other places?
We go to war with each other and kill each other over differing ideologies, and eventually wipe ourselves off the face of the planet because those commie Japs didn't believe in God Fearing Democracy.

What happens if we appropriate other cultures?
We learn that maybe our religion wasn't all right and maybe it wasn't worth killing for, and that Japanese people are aight, and maybe we should establish some tradelines with them and get some Nintendo and Mitsubishi.

Furthermore, I have a right to believe any d@%% thing I wish, and if I decide the Hindu religion makes the most sense to me, I can do that.
It's a compliment to Hindus that someone thought their thing was nifty.

And by the way, "Namaste" means "I acknowledge your soul."
Why would any rational person find that offensive anyway?

-Cheers.

Namaste means “ I bow to the divine in you ”, and it is true, since we all have souls, so a part of The Source is within us all, that's why “ We are One ”.

originally posted by: bigfatfurrytexan
a reply to: JohnnyCanuck

Nah, not if it made sense in the area. If you live close enough to the tribe, using their vernacular wouldn't be odd at all.

Good that they're part of the local culture in that way. Up here, you get a lot of 'wannabees' and 'shouldabins'...especially due to the Indigenous Studies programme at a nearby university.
Then there's the Germans at the Pow Wows...lol...but that's another story!

a reply to: Dark Ghost

I read the article in the OP a while ago, and I have to say after reading it, that the hypocrisy . . . burns.

I won't go back and double check the article, it's not worth reading again, but I don't think there was a section for comments? I imagine if there was, it would be lit up. lol.

Anyway, what got me is that this writer/journalist wants white people to stop saying, "Namaste", as it's her culture, yet she's upset that there's only two coloured people up for some type of fancy movie/TV award that 'white' people started as part of their culture.

So she wants rights given to more coloured people in different cultures, but she wants those same rights taken away from white people? This is the right of participation in other cultures.

And it doesn't even matter who says, "Namaste". None of that matters. They're not hurting anyone. The practice of yoga and saying, "Namaste" must make people feel good or they wouldn't do it.

The writer sees her culture being overtaken, perhaps? And you're right that even though this was just a small article, it hints at the deeper issue that white people are being told they cannot do this or that, yet when coloured people aren't awarded something or included in something that started out as being part of 'white' culture, they claim it's completely wrong. But they stand behind this judgement of one being wrong and the other being right.

First example: where is her horror at the idea of Bollywood?

originally posted by: Astyanax
a reply to: Blarneystoner

Don't worry. None of the rest of us wants to use those, ah, words.

Glad to know you speak for "the rest of us"....

...not worried.

originally posted by: JohnnyCanuck

originally posted by: Blarneystoner
On a serious note....

Think about what it would be like if disparate cultures didn't borrow from each other.... there would be no blues, jazz, rock & roll, bluegrass, etc
...no pizza, no baseball, no football, no jai alai... lol...
Nope.... can't tell me not to borrow from anyone's culture. But I will respect other's cultures.
~ Slainte!

True...but I look at it his way...
I interact with a few Ojibwa First Nations...with them, I will greet them with Aaniin or Boujou, and thank them by saying Meegwech. If I started doing that with friends or strangers, well then I'd be a goof.

You're already a goof...

Can't get over this, nemesis...I seen white folks practicing yoga learned a lot, here
Thanks for this great thread.
Still chuckling over, why folks shouldn't say Nanette.
Auto correct struck Shane.
I'll leave maybe bring this thread topic up again and start my own rant?
By I'm leaving the world here,
Thanks again for. Thread.