Cultural appropriation, commencement speeches and logic: no relationship

By Frank Louis

You hear a lot these days about "Cultural Appropriation," especially with the number of Anglos celebrating the recent Mexican Holiday "Cinco De Mayo." It has even been all over the mainstream national news broadcasts and cable news networks. How dare we of Anglo-Saxon decent enjoy that revered "Latino" holiday? As a white male of Irish decent, I have asked similar questions throughout my adult life about my culture's contributions to the world. Yes, we Irish obviously have nothing to offer in the bartering of cultural elements aside from green beer and leprechauns. Oh yeah, and that proverbial "pot 'o gold" at the end of the rainbow. Heaven forbid I ever wear a sombrero.

So, I have strived all my life for cultural recognition while we are led to believe we Anglos have no culture worth sharing. Yes, heaven forbid some white person wears dreadlocks, goes to a soul-food restaurant, etc. Wikipedia defines Cultural Appropriation as elements "copied from a minority culture by members of a dominant culture." Well, therein lies the hit. We Anglos, defined here as the "dominant culture" obviously are incapable of having our "culture appropriated!" Hum... Just like we cannot be victims of micro-aggressions, discrimination or racism. Does not compute to me. Oh yeah, speaking of "micro-aggressions," Tim Allen's show "Last Man Standing" is being canceled.

There is much discussion, debate and... yes, argument about various sports mascots, team names, etc. Well, I must ask what about the actual sport itself? Our sports are being "appropriated" from us and we sit back idly and watch it happen. "What is this?" you might ask. I will tell you.

Take basketball, baseball, and football for starters. All games born in the USA of white, Anglo-Saxon men! Basketball, invented in 1891 in Springfield, Massachusetts by Canadian physical education instructor James Naismith. A white guy! What about baseball? Whether or not you want to debate the idea that Abner Doubleday invented the game known as baseball in Cooperstown, New York, during the summer of 1839 or nor, it is surely an Anglo-Saxon rooted game.

Yes, more Cultural Appropriation as these games are overtaken by those whose cultures are apparently "over the border" when it comes to these sports. We, however, sit back and allow these games to be overtaken by the same people who complain if we invade their "safe spaces" and liberals who get upset because I might serve tacos or miso soup at a gathering with my anglo friends. This is nuts. We caucasians are being led to believe we have offered nothing to the world and should feel guilt every time we have a giro-sandwich, wear tie-dye or eat a burrito, much less enjoy the life and nation our forefathers fought and worked so hard for (and put a border around), rooted in one God, one Truth.

Then let's not forget football. Well, on November 6, 1869, Rutgers and Princeton played what was billed as the first college football game. A fellow named Walter Camp developed rules that transformed rugby into the new game of American Football. I will have to research his ethnicity. But it sounds to me like it is yet another "appropriated" cultural element now being taken from the White (privileged?) Male American Culture by those who get upset if we may say "ola."

Sorry for speaking up, but I am tired of being overrun and told the problem with the world is a result of what my ancestors have provided us today. Surely, you understand that I am not overlooking any of the thousands of atrocities perpetrated on one group by another throughout the history of mankind (say, for instance the Muslim Turks killing off millions of Christian Armenians). And, while we surely had slavery here in this country, I have read where only 380,000 or 4-6% of Africans sold into slavery by other Africans came to the United States. The majority of enslaved Africans went to Brazil, followed by the Caribbean.

American slavery lasted for a total of 246 years. Compared to the global history of slavery, a rather brief period. And it seems that our Brazilian brothers and sisters enjoyed this practice for a far longer period of time than we here in the USA. Everyone forgets the millions of White Americans who fought and died to end this evil practice, legal I should add, in states led by Democrats. Of course, slavery is still alive and well in many nations on the African Continent and throughout the Muslim Mid East. But who pays attention?

While this article's initial premise is a bit tong-in-cheek (obviously) it is something worth mentioning. This is becoming an era in which staples like Christianity and the values that formed this country are being tossed out of the window... tossed "under the bus" as they like to say these days. While not everyone will make the connection here that I have made, it is all somehow related.

Many of whom we hear speak out "against racism," against President Trump's travel ban, claim they are "Christians." But they really have no clue. I do not believe they would pass what Maxine Waters calls "the smell test." They can say it but they do not really believe it or know it. If they did they could not have the stances they take. They, as a result, do not comprehend what is the real danger when it comes to Muslim immigration, "Sharia Law," "Jihad," etc because they do not understand commitment to a belief.

To these folks, I believe, it is all a bit of a joke. They just don't get it. It is not real to them. How many times do you hear people attribute anything to God these days? No, it is all about "you." But, believe me, it is real. These people are enamored by some romantic notion of head-scarfs. They put people like Dzhokhar Tsarnaev on the cover of the "Rolling Stone," and support Hillary Clinton. And "Free Everything!"

It all reminds me of the scene in the movie "Natural Born Killers" where these naive, idol worshiping young girls were all hollering out "Kill me Mickey, Kill me!" It is all pretend to these people, no real consequences, no view of the long term.

Folks, we need to stand up for the long held traditions of hard work, respect, and knowing from where our "rights" really originate, and health care is not one of them. Tell me, how do you guarantee that? Force folks into becoming caring medical professionals? I doubt it.

You know, I just heard "Senator Pocahontas," AKA "Princess Lieawatha," (Elizabeth Warren) giving her commencement speech at U Mass. She spoke about how there should be nobody above the law. Didn't she falsely claim minority status as a Native-American to get where she is? Is that legal? Fraud I believe. What about Hillary's secret server? Warren speaks with negative passion about the "wealthy" when she herself has brought her net worth (as have most other liberal socialists in government) to over $8.5 million in recent years. Wake up my conservative friends wake up.

I also listened to President Donald Trump's Commencement Speech at Liberty University. There was an audience of" trouble makers" if I ever saw one! His hate filled speech, overflowing with rhetoric expounding the virtues of hard work, not giving up and living one's Christian Values surely got my neck hairs to stand up. What a contrast, on one hand we have President Donald Trump speaking to students on the need for us to return to a Godly Nation rooted in common values... one truth. Oprah Winfrey, on the other hand, at Agnus Scott University instructing these graduates "You're nothing if you're not the truth," following this with how we need to find our own "truth" and so on. Oprah, there is one truth. Multiple "truths" do not exist. These are called "opinions."

Meantime, Rep. John Lewis (at the MA College of Liberal Arts) was instructing these graduates to "get in the way" and "get in trouble." Please politicians, don't mislead this nation's youth any longer. What is your infatuation with socialism? Ever wonder what is wrong with this nation... with the world, today? You maybe?

Yep, make trouble and get a "fidget spinner" while you're at it to mesmerize yourself, learn to spend hours staring at a spinning object while you listen to this garbage. Ever heard of brainwashing, wasting your life?

At least, gone (for now) is the Johnson Amendment (Thank you President Trump), baring free speech from the interior of a church. Hopefully now the former lesbian mayor of Houston, Annise Parker's policy of Subpoenaing sermons from pastors within the Houston City Limits will now be recognized for the Fascist principle it was. Religious liberty anyone?

Funny how this all works. Fascism has always been defined as "extreme right-wing." However, in this era wherein "right seems wrong and wrong seems right" (Isaiah 5:20) it is all reversed. Fascism belongs to the extreme-left this time around folks.

We have a constitutional right to practice, to live our faith, not just "worship." What good is faith without acts (James 2:14-26)? It is high time we begin to recognize our great nation's basic principles and respect our own laws. Give me my culture back, and pray.

© Frank Louis