…..will also be co-opted into corporate logos and branding, as will the phrase "BLM".
Citibank is already doing that in emails to customers.

Not being comfortable with giving or receiving a high-five? Always thought it belonged to the Black community.

In an ideal world could share our cultures in a positive atmosphere without abuse and rip-off.

Does that mean white people around the world aren’t to recognize the importance of those achievements? People of all colors around the globe have adopted the high five as a means of expression, because it conveys their feeling at the time. It’s perfection.

That doesn’t feel like a rip off, to me. It feels like a gift to the world. And black people have given the world many, many gifts, huge gifts, which I will not even attempt to list here.

Do we still get to listen to Aretha, and Keb’ Mo? Because I can’t live in a world where that’s not allowed.

something on the floor, and have to kneel down to get it, I STAY DOWN for a while, searching, to see if there's anything else I can grab while I'm down there...

Teaching children the underlying history of American culture might address your concerns, but my favorite aspect of America is the stew of everyday acts, sayings, garbs and, of course, foods that are the outcroppings of our shared history and culture. Frankly, the idea of policing whether white women may wear corn rows or whether black women may sport a bottle-blonde do, seems not only exhausting but wholly un-American.

Marian Anderson and Elvis were entertainers, not cultural appropriators. In America, a Mexican family can open a Moroccan restaurant, a black woman can teach ballet, a white guy can rap to his hearts content, and to the horror of Megan Kelly, a black man can play Santa Clause.

Surely we can enjoy freedom of expression while calling out exploitation and mockery when we see it.

I’d bet dollars to donuts that 90% of whites who do it haven’t a clue about its meaning or origin

But I think the positive remedy is to get it addressed through education, i.e. textbooks and social media. The NYT recently did a great story on how textbooks vary by region in how they approach teaching American history. Not surprisingly, red states take a Fox News approach, such as teaching that slavery was pretty much just indentured servitude with free meals, shelter and clothing in exchange for ((cough)) work. Yea, they say, there were some abuses, but for the most part slave owners were Jesus-type Christians who saved Africans from being eaten by their neighbors.

Sorry, I got into my feelings for a sec. Anyway, consider taking the helm (yes, YOU) to get funding for the research on the varied sources of what becomes “American” culture. Get people involved in the highly political committees that approve/disapprove text books, and get publishers to commit to incorporating the results of your research.

Perhaps even turn your research results into an original Netflix documentary? Yes! (Just don’t forget my fifteen percent plus various travel and incidental expenses. ((Ahem))

Whew, my coffee just kicked in. I’d better log off for a bit. 😁