Americans who practice yoga contribute to white supremacy, Michigan State University professor claims

[techbeck 6,941]

White people who do a downward-facing dog are contributing to a “system of power, privilege, and oppression,” according to a Michigan State University professor.

 

Shreena Gandhi, a religious studies professor at Michigan State, claims in an article she recently co-authored that Americans who practice yoga are contributing to white supremacy and promote the “yoga industrial complex.”

 

White Americans should learn yoga’s history, acknowledge the cultural appropriation they engage in and possibly reduce the cost of yoga classes for poor people, a group that often includes people of color and “recent immigrants, such as Indian women to whom this practice rightfully belongs,” Gandhi argued.

 

She co-authored the piece titled “Yoga and the Roots of Cultural Appropriation,” with Lillie Wolff, a self-described “anti-racist white Jewish organizer, facilitator, and healer,” who has called for “decolonizing” yoga, the College Fix reported.

 

The two argued “the explosion of yoga studios, yoga video, apps, yoga pants, and other yoga swag over the last two decades is evidence” of the “(mis)appropriation of yoga” that “is part of systemic racism” built on “the labor of black people and people of the global south.”

 

More.....

https://www.neowin.net/forum/forum/58-real-world-news/?do=add

 

 

[DocM 16,618]

Reminds me of the gals in Portland who started a burrito stand but were hounded out of business for "cultural appropriation."

 

We're told to respect Academia, but the scores of academics spouting ridiculous stuff like her cause the opposite effect. 

[BoondockSaint 522]

That's because everything is racist. I wonder what will happen once they run out of things to call racist, what then?

 

This is the problem with people actually holding degrees in useless shite like "religious studies".

[Louisifer 760]

I'm starting to think Stupidity is a course offered by many Universities.

[DocM 16,618]

3 minutes ago, Louisifer said:

I'm starting to think Stupidity is a course offered by many Universities.

My dad used to call them "college educated idiots." On starting college myself and being exposed to these types, I realized how wise that old farmer was.

[FloatingFatMan 18,846]

Sometimes, you just really really want to let loose with the old "clue by four..."  

[Slugsie 1,060]

So Yoga Pants are racist?

 

I'm not sure I get what 'Cultural Appropriation' is, or why it's necessarily a problem. So a particular culture develops something, other cultures find it of use/value so use/promote it. Original culture objects because it's diluting their brand/they're not profiting from it enough??? (Or something) I don't get it.

 

*EDIT*

The 'More' link in the OP doesn't work.

[techbeck 6,941]

8 minutes ago, Slugsie said:

*EDIT*

The 'More' link in the OP doesn't work.

MY mistake. Should be

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2018/01/29/americans-who-practice-yoga-contribute-to-white-supremacy-michigan-state-university-professor-claims.html

[+Eternal Tempest 806]

 

Quote

"White Americans should learn yoga’s history, acknowledge the cultural appropriation they engage in and possibly reduce the cost of yoga classes for poor people, a group that often includes people of color and “recent immigrants, such as Indian women to whom this practice rightfully belongs,” Gandhi argued."

So it's not "white people practicing yoga" but the transformation of making yoga expensive and exclusive (primarily affluent white Americans) and the people feeding in to this. 
By this logic, you're fine if you use the Nintendo Wii / Wii U with Nintendo Fit / Fit Plus & Balance Board.
 

[DConnell 6,583]

If you refuse to see the value of other cultures, you're racist. Fair enough. That makes sense.

 

But you're also considered racist if you see the value in other culture's offerings and adopt them? Seriously? I'd call that the opposite of racist!

[+jamwheat 201]

Seems like here in the USA that if you are White, you are automatically Racist, have "white privilege" (still have no idea what that is), and are the cause of every problem and issue on the planet.   I would love it if Self Responsibility would make a comeback.

[FloatingFatMan 18,846]

50 minutes ago, jamwheat said:

Seems like here in the USA that if you are White, you are automatically Racist, have "white privilege" (still have no idea what that is), and are the cause of every problem and issue on the planet.   I would love it if Self Responsibility would make a comeback.

All the idiots that spout this kind of nonsense are not only racists themselves, but also completely and utterly jealous. They just can't stand that some folks have more than they do, so have to fling horrible names at them to make themselves feel better.

 

It's pathetic.

[Brys 2,117]

As an half-italian, half-swiss, I just want to say, take a number and wait, we're still fighting against pineapple on pizzas or whatever aberration they call "swiss cheese". Oh and don't get me started on "coffee". Which we stole too, but they stole it worse.

 

( /s, if that wasn't obvious )

[Buttus 1,212]

what about karate, judo, etc...?

[DocM 16,618]

So far Swedes have been fairly immune to the appropriation of surströmming by other cultures 

 

 

[FloatingFatMan 18,846]

17 minutes ago, DocM said:

So far Swedes have been fairly immune to the appropriation of surströmming by other cultures 

 

 

I think they're going to be pretty safe with that one...

[DocM 16,618]

2 minutes ago, FloatingFatMan said:

I think they're going to be pretty safe with that one...

It's not too bad, you just have to get past the minute after opening the can. 

[+ncoday 432]

4 hours ago, jamwheat said:

Seems like here in the USA that if you are White, you are automatically Racist, have "white privilege" (still have no idea what that is), and are the cause of every problem and issue on the planet.   I would love it if Self Responsibility would make a comeback.

Seriously, I wish I could figure out what this "white privilege" is because I did not grow up with more advantages than anyone else. I worked damn hard for everything I have.

[dead.cell 4,394]

This whole "movement" which consists of a bunch of people angry about the most asinine things is imploding. Personally, I find it despicable... disgusting... horrendous... that these jackasses equate crap like this to "racism" and white supremacy.

 

There are real people out there who have suffered REAL violence, REAL acts of hatred, experiencing anywhere from the spectrum of death, torture, humiliation, or even being denied/deprived various things just by the color of the skin they were born with. Yet, these college professors will sit from their ivory towers telling us how the world should be, and how people are "oppressed" by things THEY didn't even know they were oppressed by. That HARDLY equates to any of the stuff I mentioned. You also think a bunch of people are going to sit up and start saying, "Man, I had no idea I was racist. Better stop doing yoga!"

 

This is the same idiocracy I've seen by churches. I remember once reading a sheet from Trinity church (I believe) talking about how yoga was evil... I'm like... what? Guess that church was right though! Everybody quit helping yourself and whatever ails you, you're racist! /s

 

Honestly . . .

[DocM 16,618]

1 hour ago, dead.cell said:

This whole "movement" which consists of a bunch of people angry about the most asinine things is imploding. Personally, I find it despicable... disgusting... horrendous... that these jackasses equate crap like this to "racism" and white supremacy.

>

This is the same idiocracy I've seen by churches. I remember once reading a sheet from Trinity church (I believe) talking about how yoga was evil... I'm like... what? Guess that church was right though! Everybody quit helping yourself and whatever ails you, you're racist! /s

 

Honestly . . .

It really isn't the institutions where we see this so much as perpetually offended folks rising to levels of authority they don't deserve, for obvious reasons.