White SF State student with dreads accused of 'cultural appropriation'

[FrodosPet]

http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/White-SF-St-student-with-dreads-accused-of-7215259.php

By Mike Moffitt Updated 12:13 pm, Tuesday, March 29, 2016

San Francisco State confirmed the authenticity of the 46-second video posted by YouTube user Nicolas Silvera, but did not identify the students involved. The university noted that the YouTube title of the video was incorrect: The young woman is not a campus employee.

In the video, she accosts her fellow student in a hallway of a campus building.

"You're saying I can't have a hairstyle because of your culture? Why?" asks the incredulous dreadlock-coiffed student.

"Because it's my culture," she says.

~ snip ~

Hypersensitivity or a legitimate defense of culture?

[msongs]

1. people have been braiding hair for thousands of years. is breathing a cultural thing too? nt

[ScreamingMeemie]

2. Staged video in my opinion.

[angstlessk]

4. I agree, looks totally staged

As if he was auditioning for the college thespian society!

[ScreamingMeemie]

12. Yup. The beginning of the altercation was especially awkward...

and it had an almost "Scene 1, take 1" assemblage of the parties involved.

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

18. Yeah, that's the tell

The bulk of it is pretty convincing, but the first few seconds seems like ACTION!

Plus, Seth Green dreds kid seems to be hamming it up with the hand motions

[ScreamingMeemie]

39. Right? I bet it ends up being somebody's "project."

[Nye Bevan]

5. I don't think so. Her pissed off "why are you filming this?" face is pretty convincing. (nt)

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

8. Meh

She doesn't seem angry enough. It drops quickly as she reaches for the camera, indicating her concern was not to break the thing.

[0rganism]

15. she is a better actor (actress)

this plays out like a "how not to be politically correct" agitprop video

[0rganism]

17. +1

it looks like a campaign ad against political correctness

[JI7]

24. agree

[FrodosPet]

25. It does look that way

I hope they fess up soon, though, because the young lady's name is being dragged through the mud.

[Marr]

31. She's an employee at the school, apparently.

I thought it seemed fake as well, but it seems not to be.

[ScreamingMeemie]

33. The university is claiming this is not so. It's fake as heck.

Look at the first few seconds. It's an "and action" moment. You can even see the black man smile and then they roll into it. Also, that hairdo? Wha-? Not dreads. I'm guessing this is some student's idea of a project to gauge social media reaction and/or a stupid idea by bored almost end-of-semester students.

[Marr]

34. Oh, I agree it looks like awful, home movie crap.

[Yo_Mama]

42. Reading the article would help - the University police were called at the time.

Jonathan Morales, San Francisco State news and media director, provided SFGate with this statement from the university:

"We are aware of the video made of an incident which occurred on campus yesterday afternoon. University police were called to the scene of the incident when it occurred. The two individuals involved in the incident are not San Francisco State University employees. Further, no criminal charges have been pressed at this time to the University's knowledge.

Two students (or more, given the filmer and the bystander).

[ScreamingMeemie]

43. "Reading the article would help..." Being nice is even more helpful.

Read the article. Still think it's fake. Even staffers at the newspaper think it's fake. Sorry, people can call the cops on whomever they wish. Still doesn't make a fake video real. Watch the first two seconds.

http://sfist.com/2016/03/29/video_apparent_sfsu_employee_allege.php

"While we can not confirm that this whole drama was not staged for viral effect (a couple of more cynical SFist staffers think so), a statement from school officials which went out today reads as follows.."

[Yo_Mama]

44. If this were staged the students would not dare to call the cops on themselves.

That is an offense which could get them expelled, or even brought in court on charges depending on the status of the campus police.

I suppose it is possible that the person filming it wasn't involved, and called the cops because his phone was grabbed (which he had a right to do).

Filming doesn't begin at the start of this incident.

[Recursion]

86. And that means it wasn't staged?

[Ex Lurker]

46. Not staged. More information here

including names of the people involved http://goldengatexpress.org/2016/03/29/video-of-student-center-confrontation-fuels-cultural-appropriation-controversy/

[Recursion]

85. +1000

I don't buy this for a second. Particularly given the "response" video from the white kid later.

[Nye Bevan]

3. The offended woman appears to be wearing blue jeans.

Is that a traditional African or Caribbean garment? I don't think so. Seems to me that she has engaged in her own "cultural appropriation".

One of Levi's many customers was a tailor named Jacob Davis. Originally from Latvia, Jacob lived in Reno, Nevada, and regularly purchased bolts of cloth from the wholesale house of Levi Strauss & Co. Among Jacob's customers was a difficult man who kept ripping the pockets of the pants that Jacob made for him. Jacob tried to think of a way to strengthen the man's trousers, and one day hit upon the idea of putting metal rivets at the points of strain, such as on the pocket corners and at the base of the button fly.

These riveted pants were an instant hit with Jacob's customers and he worried that someone might steal this great idea. He decided he should apply for a patent on the process, but didn't have the $68 that was required to file the papers. He needed a business partner and he immediately thought of Levi Strauss.

In 1872 Jacob wrote a letter to Levi to suggest that the two men hold the patent together. Levi, who was an astute businessman, saw the potential for this new product and agreed to Jacob's proposal. On May 20, 1873, the two men received patent no.139,121 from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. That day is now considered to be the official "birthday" of blue jeans.

http://www.ideafinder.com/history/inventions/bluejeans.htm

[Jackie Wilson Said]

6. I dont know where to begin with you... I have an idea, I wont even bother.

[JI7]

26. +

[KamaAina]

13. So the 49ers (the miners, not the lousy team) constitute a "culture"?

[KamaAina]

7. Assaulting the white person is WAY over the top.

Express your displeasure verbally, please. This is, after all, a university.

[BillZBubb]

9. Talk about over culturally sensistive!

She needs to take a chill pill.

[notadmblnd]

19. It's not necessarily AA culture

Many believe that dreadlocks originated in India with the deity Shiva and his followers. The young woman did not look like she was of Indian heritage and probably wouldn't claim it if she were asked.

IMO, she was acting like a bigoted bully.

[BillZBubb]

20. I understand that.

That style has occurred in many cultures.

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

29. and it looks stupid in all of them,

that kid looks like he should be panhandling outside a liquor store.

[Yo_Mama]

45. I admit the ugliness of his hair is leaving the strongest impression on me. n/t

[Heeeeers Johnny]

59. Looks like something you'd see in 'Braveheart'.

[romanic]

10. Part of me thinks it's staged.

But part of me thinks this is just more indoctrinated stupidity leaking out into real life.

Me personally as someone whose half-black, I don't think white people sporting dreads or cornrows or whatever is a bad thing at all...as long as they can actually look good and pull it off.

[NV Whino]

11. Umm, what about all the hair straightening that black women sport

And then there's the bleached hair that seems to be popular as well.

Damn it, it's your hair. Do with it as you please.

[Smarmie Doofus]

14. Neither.

>>>>Hypersensitivity or a legitimate defense of culture?>>>>

Political mental illness.

But it's a little unsettling that you have to ask.


Shhheeeeezzz. Only on DU.

[MowCowWhoHow III]

16. Poe's law breaks into physical reality

[AngryAmish]

21. And these are the people we expect to pay our social security.

WE. ARE. FUCkED.

[dbackjon]

22. Hypersensitivity that makes real concerns go ignored.

[catnhatnh]

23. Fair enough...

...but as an Irishman I have to warn her that she can no longer get drunk.

[Nye Bevan]

35. Well... she DEFINITELY cannot drink green beer on St. Patrick's Day (nt)

[arcane1]

27. This looks fake to me for some reason, or at least misrepresented.

They both appear to be acting, poorly.

[ScreamingMeemie]

32. I will not be surprised to find out this is a project to assess social media

reaction to this event. I don't buy this as "real" at all. Look at them right at the beginning. Also, those "dreads" are the worst hasty 'do I've ever seen.

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

28. I think her friend is culturally appropriating Inspector Gadget

[Xithras]

30. Locks can be seen in cultures around the world, and have been in Europe for millennia.

There are depictions of dreadlocks in the earliest Greek paintings, the Scythians wore dreadlocks, the earliest Persians wore them, and the Indian's wore them. The Romans described the Celts as wearing their "hair like snakes". Because all of those groups share the same proto-Indo-European ancestry, they may have all inherited the practice from their shared ancestors thousands of years ago.

It would be cultural appropriation and offensive for a white person to adopt black Rastafari mannerisms (white people can join the Rastafari faith without pretending that they're black), but locks themselves aren't "African" any more than goatee's are "European".

[Zambero]

54. Ones own hair

To mess with as one sees fit. Just wish I still had enough of it to make it worth my while!

[Rex]

36. Staged.

She only realized someone was recording after the act plays out? Originality? Not even.

[malaise]

37. Bullshit

Dreads are everywhere -what culture - is she Rastafari - and since when do only Rastas have locks???

[Dr. Strange]

38. Might be under investigation.

http://www.thecollegefix.com/post/26799/

[romanic]

49. Hate to be shallow.

But she looks a tad psycho in those screenshots.

[melman]

40. She's lucky he didn't press charges

[Democat]

41. If it's real

It's dumb.

[Prism]

47. Being against white dreads in San Francisco?

Uh, good luck with all that.

(My ex went to SF State and finished his degree there. The SJW presence is utterly insufferable. He was accused of appropriation once for taking a Japanese tea ceremony course. Uhm, he's half-Asian).

[romanic]

48. I'd like to get a professor's pov on this.

I know there are a few here on DU. I ask this because this all of this "cultural appropriation" crap and other identity poltics are being taught by liberal professors in colleges. Where did this thinking come from because it is anything but liberal in my opinion.

[MisterP]

50. she should go after her henchman for being neither Janelle Monáe nor Neo

[HassleCat]

51. Maybe it's religious appropriation.

If the person with the dreadlocks is not a Rastafarian, is he mocking the religion? Or is he trying to be a Rastafarian? Maybe is a member of that religion. Is the person making the accusation a Rastafarian? What other aspects of various cultures and religions are off limits to "non-members?"

[Rebkeh]

52. Sometimes it's legitimate

Sometimes it's not a battle worth choosing. It varies, but one thing is for sure, when someone with privilege doesn't have to deal with the baggage that comes with what they appropriate, it can be really offensive. Even hurtful. Especially when they don't appreciate the meaning behind things. Or when they get applause, credit or even a big financial payoff ... Oh that's just so wrong.

But it's been happening for many decades, with things we don't even realize. Like Elvis ... first time black music (that had been around for many, many years) was appreciated and actually on the radio is when a white guy basically stole it and passed it off as his own. And to this very day, nobody even thinks twice about it.

All those musicians before him deserved the same break but it never came. No access.

So, it can be a sore spot. More hurtful for some than others.

[Democat]

61. Most musicians probably appropriate some culture

Where do their instruments come from?

Often the people who talk the loudest about privilege are upper class academics who have lots of privilege.

[melman]

74. You are way off base on Elvis

Just totally wrong.

[jberryhill]

80. Assault is not legitimate

No, there is no legitimate right to assault anyone on the basis of their race or choice of hairstyle.

[Zambero]

53. Cultures have always borrowed from other cultures

And they evolve as well. In a multi-cultural society, this is unavoidable, for lack of a better term. If I go to a Vietnamese restaurant because I enjoy the food, am I appropriating another culture? Or if I listen to Cuban music? Style and fashion are no different, in a cultural melting pot.

[Act_of_Reparation]

63. None of that would be considered cultural appropriation.

Cultural appropriation is most typically applied to white entertainers who shamelessly crib the style or image of (often neglected) minority artists without giving due credit or helping to develop the style.

Pat Boone, for example, is widely considered to be a cultural appropriator because he made untold wealth singing songs written by black R&B artists, more or less as they were written, while the original artists received nothing.

There are plenty of white artists playing stereotypically black music that are not generally considered cultural appropriators. The distinction is that they either credit the original artist, or give back by helping develop their respective style.

[Rebkeh]

66. This. ^ Eom.

[Zambero]

84. I agree with your assessment n/t

[kentauros]

55. I have no interest in watching the video.

Honestly, I just can't take 'cultural appropriation' seriously. And if anyone ever does try that on me, I won't stand for it.

Because the very first thing that should be 'questioned' in such an attitude is the English language. After all the fun I've had over the years looking at the etymology of words in my native tongue, I cannot recall a single word that originated in English (excepting words created since the invention of the Internet, or nonsense words created for fiction.) Almost all of English language vocabulary originated somewhere else.

Now it would be interesting to see how well one of these SJW types could communicate once they had excised their vocabulary of all non native-culture words. In fact, that could be a decent stand-up act

[Separation]

56. 9h for fucks sake!!

The next thing you know some delicate flower is going to need PTSD counseling because somebody wrote Trump 2016 in chalk on the campus grounds.

Oh wait.....

[LanternWaste]

64. And after that, you know another delicate flower will get exasperated on a message board

"The next thing you know..."


And after that, you know another delicate flower will get exasperated on a message board and express their frustration because someone else holds a different opinion...


Oh wait, part two.

[Odin2005]

57. "cultural appropriation" is nonsensical bullshit.

[Bonx]

65. It exists. From all cultures. I'm just not offended by it.

[Rebkeh]

67. +1

[TacoD]

68. There are some things that cross the line IMO e.g Native American headdresses as fashion accessories

White people wearing dreadlocks is nowhere near the line tho

[Bonx]

70. Why would that be offensive ?

And the bigger question - for me - who is wearing one ? Lol.

[Act_of_Reparation]

71. Because the war bonnet is a symbol of honor to the Plains Indians.

Not a fucking fashion accessory. Wearing feathers you didn't earn would be like lying about a military service record.

And the person wearing it is this idiot:

[romanic]

72. It's pretty fucking cool looking though.

lbr.

[Bonx]

73. I'm having a difficult time giving a shit about that.

Are plains Indians still earning war bonnet feathers and wearing headdresses ?
I honestly have no idea, but don't see how it matters whether Pharrell wears something similar if he wants.

[jwirr]

76. Not just plains Indians - many can be seen at the Pow Wow

held by many tribes. And yes they are not fashion - they are given as honors by respected tribal leaders.

[Bonx]

77. That's mildly Interesting. I still don't care if Pharrell wears a feathery hat.

[jwirr]

78. Didn't say anything about that. Was answering the question

about Native customs today.

[Bonx]

79. Gotcha. Thanks.

[jwirr]

81. Welcome.

[Act_of_Reparation]

82. I'm having a difficult time giving a shit about what you do or don't give a shit about.

Are some people oversensitive? You bet. Do some people put too much stock in their own offense? Absolutely. But whenever this topic comes up, some armchair comedian, wannabe rebel, or dusty anachronism takes it upon themselves to arbitrarily delineate what should or should not be considered offensive, based on nothing but their own limited, subjective existence.

Ten bucks says there's at least one article of clothing that if worn publicly would piss you off. Twenty says you couldn't justify that offense without contradicting yourself here.

[Bonx]

83. That's fair. Because I certainly don't give a shit what you think.

Also, send me my twenty bucks.
Thanks !

[zigby]

88. I liken it to "stolen valor"

Like it's not cool for someone to wear military uniform or badges, etc without having earned the right. Same thing with valor of other cultures, like headdresses. Something that can, and has been, widely adopted should not be taboo although people should always be aware of the cultural messages attached. From what I understand, dreadlocks are associated with multiple cultures, and if there is any pan-cultural symbolism it is to a type of asceticism and accepting of how God made your body, which is certainly something that applies to hippies like this dude.

[Heeeeers Johnny]

58. LOL at the whole thing... especially the clothes on the two guys.

Seriously, their ensembles look like something pulled from some hip/chic European fashion or lifestyle magazine.

[Codeine]

60. White dreads smell horrible and look idiotic.

That said, this whole thing looks staged and phony.

[TexasBushwhacker]

92. Never smelled them but I agree they look stupid n/t

[Marr]

93. Why would a white person's dreads smell any different that a black person's dreads? /nt

[Codeine]

94. Our hair is different. Oilier.

Ever smell white dreads? It's. . . unpleasant.

[Bonx]

95. Almost missed this stupid post.

Any dreads stink if they're dirty.
'white dreads' smell clean when they are clean.
Any other confusion about white folks I can clear up ?

[Blue_Tires]

62. She must not have had her coffee that morning

or maybe she had too much...

[Taitertots]

69. I'm an unashamed cultural appropriater.

I'm going to adopt anything that is worth adopting without considering who started doing it. No one owns hair styles, clothing, music, dance...

The correct response to someone complaining about your hair is "fuck off".

[jwirr]

75. From experience watching my nieces set for hours while

their dad put those dreads in I don't think the black culture has much to worry about. Most kids will not have the patience to do it.

[Recursion]

87. I just don't buy any part of this story

Literally none of it.

[Katashi_itto]

89. Certain British Tribes during the Romans had dreadlocks.

I think she needs to learn historical hair styles.

[Heeeeers Johnny]

90. This sends up a few red flags regarding the authenticity of the encounter.

Bonita Tindle has been familiar with cameras since she was fifteen. Starting off with cinematography, Bonita developed a passion for telling stories that were often left behind, sparking positive change in her surrounding communities

http://www.colorparadigmphotography.com/about.html

[Vinca]

91. I wonder if the young black woman approves of hair straightening.

With her limited world view that might be considered cultural appropriation. I wonder how she'd react to a guy I know with dreads who was born in Iran.