A UN Committee Is Considering Making Cultural Appropriation Illegal Worldwide

[Dashinka 25,876]

by Katherine Timpf June 14, 2017 8:38 PM @KatTimpf Should we really be placing blanket criminal restrictions on innovation? Indigenous activists from all around the world are calling on a United Nations committee to make cultural appropriation a criminal offense. The 189-delegate committee, which is a subset of the UN’s World Intellectual Property Organization, has been in Geneva this week working on a task that it began in 2001: Creating international regulations would ban people from “stealing” indigenous art, dance, and medicine.

 

Now, it’s important to emphasize that these advocates are not simply asking the UN to issue a statement calling out cultural appropriation as harmful; they actually want to implement laws and institute enforcement mechanisms to punish it as a criminal offense. As reported by CBC News, James Anaya, the dean of law at the University Colorado, spoke to the committee on Monday and demanded that the final document “obligate states to create effective criminal and civil enforcement procedures to recognize and prevent the non-consensual taking and illegitimate possession, sale and export of traditional cultural expressions.”

 

This is, of course, incredibly stupid. Almost everything in the world has been called “cultural appropriation” by now, and it would be hard to think of a single person who might not end up inadvertently violating one of these laws. Yes, to be fair, the people advocating for them likely just want to penalize the big business who “steal” other culture’s traditions to make money — for example, Anaya pointed out Urban Outfitters selling “Navajo hipster panties” — but everything from being a white girl who wears hoop earrings to styling your eyebrows in a certain way has been deemed “cultural appropriation” at this point. I’m a white girl wearing hoop earrings right now. Should I get a ticket? Maybe go to jail? Or would the laws only apply to sales? What if my life got a little tough, and I sold my hoop earrings online for a little extra cash? Then would I be a violator? And who would get to decide?

Read more at: http://www.nationalreview.com/article/448657/united-nations-cultural-appropriation-committee

Edited June 16, 2017 by Bill & Katya

[IAMX 3,055]

Useless Ninnys

 

Not like they have any real authority in the countries that matter.

[jg121783 3,921]

1 hour ago, IAMX said:

Useless Ninnys

 

Not like they have any real authority in the countries that matter.

And things like this are the reason we should keep it that way. We don't need a bunch of social justice warriors running a global government.

[Boiler 47,487]

Pizza?

[OriZ 3,165]

The UN are now global legislators? 

[Cyberfx1024 7,980]

2 hours ago, IAMX said:

Useless Ninnys

 

Not like they have any real authority in the countries that matter.

They don't have authority unless those countries grant them the the authority that they want. 

[Cyberfx1024 7,980]

3 hours ago, Bill & Katya said:

by Katherine Timpf June 14, 2017 8:38 PM @KatTimpf Should we really be placing blanket criminal restrictions on innovation? Indigenous activists from all around the world are calling on a United Nations committee to make cultural appropriation a criminal offense. The 189-delegate committee, which is a subset of the UN’s World Intellectual Property Organization, has been in Geneva this week working on a task that it began in 2001: Creating international regulations would ban people from “stealing” indigenous art, dance, and medicine.

 

Now, it’s important to emphasize that these advocates are not simply asking the UN to issue a statement calling out cultural appropriation as harmful; they actually want to implement laws and institute enforcement mechanisms to punish it as a criminal offense. As reported by CBC News, James Anaya, the dean of law at the University Colorado, spoke to the committee on Monday and demanded that the final document “obligate states to create effective criminal and civil enforcement procedures to recognize and prevent the non-consensual taking and illegitimate possession, sale and export of traditional cultural expressions.”

 

This is, of course, incredibly stupid. Almost everything in the world has been called “cultural appropriation” by now, and it would be hard to think of a single person who might not end up inadvertently violating one of these laws. Yes, to be fair, the people advocating for them likely just want to penalize the big business who “steal” other culture’s traditions to make money — for example, Anaya pointed out Urban Outfitters selling “Navajo hipster panties” — but everything from being a white girl who wears hoop earrings to styling your eyebrows in a certain way has been deemed “cultural appropriation” at this point. I’m a white girl wearing hoop earrings right now. Should I get a ticket? Maybe go to jail? Or would the laws only apply to sales? What if my life got a little tough, and I sold my hoop earrings online for a little extra cash? Then would I be a violator? And who would get to decide?

Read more at: http://www.nationalreview.com/article/448657/united-nations-cultural-appropriation-committee

A very liberal friend of mine who I served with in the Marines sent me this article today as well. Mainly he just wanted to see what I thought about it. We don't see eye to eye on alot of things politically but we both think that this is ###### stupid and this whole PC nonsense has gotten way out of control. This is why mainstream people like myself voted for Trump to try and help curb this nonsense.

Edited June 16, 2017 by cyberfx1024

[Dashinka 25,876]

I completely agree.  Besides creating something that is almost impossible to actually police, they want the member countries to give up sovereignty for enforcement purposes.

 

The UN just exudes progress!

 

 

Edited June 16, 2017 by Bill & Katya

[8bit_Theatre 64]

I guess the whole idea of a "melting pot" has now gone out the window.

[Cyberfx1024 7,980]

1 hour ago, 8bit_Theatre said:

I guess the whole idea of a "melting pot" has now gone out the window.

That's racist, a melting pot would construe that people of other races/ethnicities have to conform with other people. That is racist making people conform to the country where they immigrated and now live in.

[Boiler 47,487]

4 hours ago, cyberfx1024 said:

That's racist, a melting pot would construe that people of other races/ethnicities have to conform with other people. That is racist making people conform to the country where they immigrated and now live in.

Horribly racist

 

We need to enjoy the multi culturalismm.

[8bit_Theatre 64]

I thought the melting pot was enjoying and embracing multi-culturalism. America was made great by taking the best from all cultures.

[OriZ 3,165]

So I guess the pot part is gone, but the melting stays

[Crazy Cat 44,502]

Just another instance of the UN trying to be relevant. 

[Cyberfx1024 7,980]

1 hour ago, Boiler said:

Horribly racist

 

We need to enjoy the multi culturalismm.

You know I was being sarcastic right?