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Helpare you by any chance Indian?
in reply to a message by Caelesti
Becauseas an Indian (not Native, natives run around the jungle with spears and bones through their noses) I always find it amusing when white people take it upon themselves to decide what is disrespectful to Indian culture. It just screams "Look at me, look how noble and PC I am!"
Having said that: I do not find it "disrespectful" when whites and blacks name their kids stuff like Dakota and Cheyenne and such. I do find it ironic, and kind of pretentious, but am not offended by it or feel disrespected. Most of those parents just chose the name because of it being popular, or because they liked the sound. Not out of any desire for "cultural appropriation."
And as for your assertion that white Americans "went in and practiced genocide" on Indians and that's why it's disrespectful to use those names, that is about the flimsiest argument ever. As Elinor said, if that was a valid artgument then it would be morally wrong for anybody of British descent to name a kid Erin, or anybody of German descent to use Brittany. And if "practicing genocide" against a country or people in the past makes it wrong to use that country's name or the names of its people, then why do yo find China and India to be disrespectful? The US never practiced genocide on either of them.
I agree there is a lot of romanticized ideas about Indians, like that we're all gifted with some sixth sense and can sense things other people can't. But so what? You don't think Americans have romanticized ideas about IRish people? When you can't turn around without tripping over somebody obsessed with elves and fairy folk and Celtic myths?
Every culture has preconceived notions abot othe cultures. It's natural and normal and not a problem as long as we are not so bound by those notions that we refuse to find out anything about those other cultures.
Having said that: I do not find it "disrespectful" when whites and blacks name their kids stuff like Dakota and Cheyenne and such. I do find it ironic, and kind of pretentious, but am not offended by it or feel disrespected. Most of those parents just chose the name because of it being popular, or because they liked the sound. Not out of any desire for "cultural appropriation."
And as for your assertion that white Americans "went in and practiced genocide" on Indians and that's why it's disrespectful to use those names, that is about the flimsiest argument ever. As Elinor said, if that was a valid artgument then it would be morally wrong for anybody of British descent to name a kid Erin, or anybody of German descent to use Brittany. And if "practicing genocide" against a country or people in the past makes it wrong to use that country's name or the names of its people, then why do yo find China and India to be disrespectful? The US never practiced genocide on either of them.
I agree there is a lot of romanticized ideas about Indians, like that we're all gifted with some sixth sense and can sense things other people can't. But so what? You don't think Americans have romanticized ideas about IRish people? When you can't turn around without tripping over somebody obsessed with elves and fairy folk and Celtic myths?
Every culture has preconceived notions abot othe cultures. It's natural and normal and not a problem as long as we are not so bound by those notions that we refuse to find out anything about those other cultures.
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