"Cultural Appropriation" Works Both Ways

Just when I think nothing else I read will surprise me or make scratch my head in wonder, along comes something that elicits that very reaction.

It seems some students from the Phi Delta Alpha fraternity and the Alpha Phi sorority at Dartmouth University had jointly planned a fundraiser for cardiac care to be held this past Saturday. The problem began when the students decided to call the event a "Phiesta," a Greek play on the Spanish word "fiesta."

The students were going to have a live band as well as virgin piña coladas and strawberry daiquiris, burritos, chips and salsa, and guacamole.

Enter Daniela Hernandez, a junior and a “Mexican-born, United-States-raised, first-generation woman of color.” Apparently she was offended by the word "Phiesta" (which isn't even a real word) and complained. The presidents of both organizations decided to cancel the event in the name of political correctness.

Ms. Hernandez spoke out about “the Americanization of Cinco de Mayo and its construction as a drinking holiday in the United States, cultural appropriation and the inappropriate usage of cultural clothing, and the exploitation of groups of people and cultures for the sake of business opportunities.”

Wait...  huh? Is this woman for real? I'll not worry about "the Americanization of Cinco de Mayo" because regardless of her feelings, no one owns a holiday nor can they decree how it can or will be celebrated - at least not in this country... yet. Let's get to "cultural appropriation." Ms. Hernandez seems to feel that Americans should not hold events, dress, or even create a word that in any way alludes to her birthplace of Mexico. She apparently believes only Mexican can eat, dress, dance, or speak the language of her native country.

I wonder how Ms. Hernandez goes through her daily life. She is a self professed “Mexican-born, United-States-raised, first-generation woman of color.” Does she live her daily life as a Mexican? Does she eat only Mexican food, speak only Mexican Spanish, wear only Mexican clothing, etc? If not, according to her own philosophy, isn't she appropriating the American culture? If she is living in America, taking advantage of everything it has to offer, speaking "our" language, wearing clothes she bought here... isn't she guilty of doing exactly what she has accused the student organizations of?

"Cultural appropriation" is one of the most stupid ideas yet to come out of political correctness. In today's world, at least in the United States, it is inappropriate to do anything that alludes to another culture lest someone be offended - even as people of other cultures are allowed to "appropriate" the American culture without fear or reprimand. Some schools even allow students of Mexican descent to celebrate Cinco de Mayo by wearing Mexican garb and/or Mexican flag emblems while telling American students they are not allowed to wear the emblem of the American flag on that day lest they offend the Mexican students.

Progressivism is slowly and deliberately destroying the rights and freedoms we in this nation have had for so long. Some lawmakers in Congress, in coordination with Muslim leaders, are now attempting to outlaw speech that in any way criticizes or degrades Muslims, calling it "hate speech." (I have yet to see anyone offer the same opinion or legislation for Christians or Jews.)

What's more sad than this young woman being offended by something that was meant to be a good thing is the fact that the two organizations bowed down to one student's complaint and cancelled their fund raiser. Absurd political correctness only works if people allow it to work. And we as a nation allow more and more of it every day.

Stand up for your rights. Elect people who will support our Constitution and Bill of Rights instead of those who ignore it or those who would "fundamentally change America." They tried that. It's not working out well.