Tuesday, April 17, 2018

Should We Stop Wearing Pajamas?


By Walter Block


The social justice warriors at Loyola University are having an International Soirée to promote their Center for International Education. They promise jazz music, Mexican food and “international cultural items.” This was my (slightly edited) response to their invitation to the entire university community:
Dear Folks:
Isn’t it “cultural appropriation” to offer “Mexican-inspired specialties” for dinner. Ditto for “Latin” jazz. Come to think of it, “jazz” too! I hope and trust no one on this list wears pajamas, on that ground (they were first used in India). Hey, this is only the tip of the iceberg. There’s so much more cultural appropriation out there, just waiting to ensnare us unawar PC people. Wait, is “iceberg” also cultural appropriation? Maybe, it belongs to the Norwegians? I’m not sure. Inquiring minds want to know.
Should we all boycott this event on the ground that it engages in cultural appropriation?
Yours truly, 
Prof. Walter Block
Not a one of them answered me. I’m shocked. I honestly thought they’d want to dialogue with me about this matter (I sometimes lie about things like this). Here I am, trying to save them from violating their own principles, and all I get is the cold shoulder. Shocking.
The above originally appeared at LewRockwell.com.

6 comments:

  1. Well! for your information, Mr. Block, the appropriate ethnic people will be providing the Mexican-inspired specialties, and Desi Arnaz, Jr. will provide Jazz Cubano, so there! Olé!

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  2. And how dare Airbus sell airplanes, an American invention they appropriated from the Wright brothers. (Or do they count as British because Wright is a British name appropriated by American rebels?)

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    Replies
    1. Richard Pearse (NZ) flew before the Wrights.

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    2. Those overzealous bastards!

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  3. How dare Americans use secret ballots in elections. Cultural appropriation from Australia. http://ohiohistorycentral.org/w/Australian_Ballot

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