My thoughts on Appropriationgate*

[major_clanger]

*Since all major LJ kerfuffles acquire a hackneyed name, let's at least assign it now.

As I mentioned I'm very busy, too busy to wade into this debate (if it can even be dignified by that term now) and too put off by a prior foray into it and the treatment of many of my friends to want to do so in any depth. But I will offer up one thought it has given me:

"One way in which a liberal may be disillusioned or driven to conservatism is criticism that his or her view is not liberal enough from people more concerned with enhancing their liberal credentials than meaningfully discussing the issue at hand."

Discuss.

Comments

[papersky.livejournal.com]

When someone thinks they own an issue, it makes them a very bad person to have on a panel on that issue.

[annafdd.livejournal.com]

Maybe, yes. I did see Tempest on a couple of panels and she was the soul of moderation, but it's a vague hazy memory and it was a Wiscon and she's my friend. I was thinking of a British con, were, alas, the overwhelming majority of the audience would be white as pure snow. This frames the debate in certain terms. But you've got waaaaaay more experience than me about panels and how to avoid fisticuffs among the public during same.

But, apart from that, I remember one incident during Clarion in which Gabe and Tempest were discussing racism. Gabe is a smart boy, and very proud of his 1/4 Native American blood, but he is also... eh, a bit dogmatic (during a very similar discussion following The Last Samurai, he physically threw a volume by Hobsbawm at me. He missed though - I think on purpose.) Also white as milk. (He took Morgan as his surname after he married because his grandmother was Welsh and was called Morgan).

Anyway, at the peak of the discussion Gabe was yelling: "Just because you're black doesn't mean you can tell me what racism is!"

To which Tempest yelled back, hands on hips: "YES, Gabe, the fact that I am black is EXACTLY the reason I get to tell you what racism is!"

I thought she did have a point.

Gabe also had - despite being a goth - dreadlocks. He looked horrible in them. Tempest used to accuse him of cultural appropriation.

They didn't kill each other, though. I am reasonably convinced that if they met now they'd have lots of fun arguing with each other, after the ritual insults of course.