Hah

I stole this from https://www.facebook.com/sadanduseless
I just couldn't help myself.

LOL that's kind of cute but you ever notice how people that scream about cultural appropriation do it all the time yep you're not supposed to notice that it. In this country where a mixture of cultures so why is is it such a crime or shameful thing do enjoy somebody else's culture?

I don't understand why it bothers some people so much. I see it as a compliment to those cultures who you borrow from. I wouldn't wear Mexican style clothing or use their sayings, for instance, if I didn't find them appealing and interesting. Didn't people used to say that imitation is the most sincere form of flattery? I just understand those people who find it objectionable these days.

It kind of goes in hand with the social justice morons. I enjoy Indian food and I enjoy a lot of Mexican food and yet you're if you're white you're not supposed to do that. But it's okay for everybody else to enjoy things like New England clam chowder or a lot of American dishes that's fine. But if you are white and all kinds of ethnic food, well that's a problem for them.

This world seems to be full of angry fools these days. That's what I think. A sign of the times. An unfortunate sign of the times!

Sad and very true

Before it became overused as everything does it was meant to call out those who profit from a culture they're not part of. The idea was not that enjoying another culture was bad but that pretending to be a part of culture you're not just so people would like you or give you money was bad.

Such as when a politician or pundit claims to be black or native american when it turns out to be no such thing.

Yes I know how it started, I mean we have white guys rapping trying to be blacker than the blocks and making millions at it but that's only one example

Eh, I don't even think people object to THAT, I mean Eminem isn't really known for (that kind of) controversy. I think what really got people was the 'Look at me I'm special and deserve special treatment' by people claiming to be what they're not.

But the internet is good at nothing if it's not allowing people who take things too far to find a community.

True

Very Well Put! That is Exactly the Truth.

Yeah, been seeing it on a couple writing sites I watch. Got one of them really mad at me when I pointed out that they were themselves appropriating the cultures of others.

Which is why I love the internet. No one knows who or what you really are unless you tell them - and how can they tell/prove you told them the truth or a lie? What was that old joke? On the internet no one knows you're a dog - or a god.

"On the internet no one knows you're a dog - or a god."
Or even a rabbit, as in my case.
>:3

LOL!

Zebra fun!

I've always been on of those bleeding heart liberal sorts who's all about cultural sensitivity and fostering cross-cultural communication and understanding. But I certainly agree that some folks take those ideas way too far. I don't see any harm in appreciating things from other cultures, especially in the United States where we have so many folks from so many different backgrounds thrown together. I have a great interest in traditional Jewish food, for example, even though I'm not Jewish in the slightest. And I think that trying out different things from different cultures, like fashion or food or music is a great way to foster further understanding.

There has been something of a discussion lately in one of my writing groups about whether or not it's acceptable to write for protagonists who do not belong to your own cultural background, or who do not fit within the scope of your own experience. While opinions have not been unanimous, there have been those who have asserted that, for example, if you are a white, heterosexual man, you're only allowed to write for protagonists who are white, heterosexual men. I will admit that I can somewhat understand the concern. As I might have mentioned, one of my character concepts that eventually led me to create Jessamine was of a mixed-raced human woman. I chickened out and made her a furry character because I wasn't sure that I could get away with writing a mixed race character, especially one who was a slave. While I adore Jessie just as she is and wouldn't change her now for the world, I do sometimes wish I'd gone with my original idea because I ultimately decided that there's nothing wrong with exploring ideas outside of the scope of your own experience, provided you are earnest in your desire to understand them.

I think I've gone off on a huge tangent, for which I apologize. But the short and sweet version is, I'm with you a hundred percent! People need to lighten up a little.

One of the biggest problems with the 'appropriating the cultures' whining is that they assume that there has never been and will never be any mixing of those cultures.

Why do they think the Japanese girl who lived her early life in the land down under can't speak like an Aussie?

Or that white boy that speaks ghetto better than most of those in the hood because that's where he grew up?

Children are born colorblind, as well as lifestyle blind - they will learn whatever is in their environment. And then they have older/bigger people telling them they can't/shouldn't be doing this/that because they are/aren't male/female black/red/white/yellow.

A sad sad world we live in, here's hoping it can be saved before it totally crashes.

Keep writing what feels right and damn the naysayers!

ALL Great Points!!

I mean, I can understand people wanting others to be sensitive about their culture and to try to understand it rather than engaging in the equivalent of blackface. But I think it goes rather too far these days, since, as you say, there is a lot of mingling these days. And hell, I don't think there's anything wrong with enjoying things from other cultures. Better to enjoy it than condemn it after all.

And thanks. I respect most of the folks in my writing group, but I don't intend to change my writing for anyone.

Many times I've heard the saying 'write what you know', and I think that applies to a certain extent. But not totally. I wrote a lot of role play as a female before I made it clear to anyone here that I am a male. And those that I RP'd with believed I was a girl. Were surprised when I told them I wasn't. A couple or three even got angry because they were straight males and homophobic. They thought I'd fooled them on purpose, so I guess I can't blame them. But I'd never claimed to be one or the other. Just allowed people to assume what they wanted. But that's beside the point that we're talking about. Sorry!

I don't recall you telling me that information about how you came to create Jessamine. It's interesting though, and I'll be ever grateful that you did create her just as you did! I do think that it would be difficult for you or I to write convincingly about a mixed or different race person than ourselves. We don't know the feeling, so how could we do so without inadvertently making mistakes about their feelings and other things? So I wouldn't even be tempted to try. But a fur person is a whole different shot. There we can invent our own version of things and it doesn't need to conform to any fact or reality.

I'm getting a little tangential here too, but it's late at night, I'm tired and dopey and that's my excuse. I'm gonna quit now while I might still be ahead.

"Write what you know" is generally good advice, but I don't think it should mean you put blinkers on and never try to expand or explore new ideas. There is room for exercising your imagination in fiction, especially when it comes to genres such as fantasy or sci-fi which allow you to explore whole new worlds in the bargain. Being sensitive of other people and other cultures is good, but that shouldn't extend to censorship.

Huh, I thought I had before. Yeah, I toyed with the idea of writing my second novel using all human characters. But I like it better the way it is and I certainly Jessie better the way she is. But it's an example of how my stories can shift and evolve even as I write and play with them. Ciara started out as a human girl, too, before she evolved into her foxy self.

*Snugs* It's your journal, hon, you can go off on whatever tangents you please. Besides, I enjoy reading your thoughts on things.

I for one Fully agree with you!
And you Should have written what you started out to, however i do love the character you have created in their place. Still it would have been interesting to have seen where that original idea had went.
Many people fear the word "Slavery" because they mistakenly think it only relates to One Race of people. When in fact, it relates to ALL Races of people because at one point or another in history, Everyone was Concord, Killed and Enslaved. Even African Tribes made slaves of the tribes they Concord. So That by itself should never be made a deterrent for expressing one's self. Just as Bunny said "Write what you Feel."

I sometimes think it would have been interesting to keep on with the original idea, but to be honest I like Jessie better the way she is. She has the value of being somewhat more unique, too, since I don't remember ever having seen another mouse/least weasel hybrid around the place.

And yes, slavery was rampant throughout so much of history. Just about everyone engaged in it, or suffered from it, at one time or another. Still, even though Jessie was a slave in a brothel and not in a cotton field, I thought that the visuals of a white chick from, more or less, the South writing about that kind of thing might not sit too well with people, no matter how I handled it.

Very True! I have Yet to see or meet another Hybrid like Jesse to this day. She is Very Unique and Original in that way.

I could really dispute this....for there have been Many "White Southern Chick's" who have written Very successfully about slavery. The fact that Jesse was in a brothel and not a cotton field makes no difference my friend, a slave is a slave no matter their forced position. The Very successful author of the novel "Gone with the Wind" happened to be a Southern White Chick who wrote that story back in the 20's. There are many more that i could name, but I'm sure you get my point.
All I'm trying to say is Be Yourself and Write what you Feel. Don't worry about what someone else might think of your writings, you'll Never please All of the People All of the Time my friend.
Just as I don't worry about what people will say when I'm drawing something, Art and literature are Both up to Personal interpretation. People will only see what they want to see, and nothing more my friend.

ROFL...

V.

LOL!! You tell her Lauren!!

Actually, I've been hoping Lauren would see this and comment. But maybe she's still busy in New York with her family.

Probably....it sounded pretty serious at the time....i Truly hope I'm wrong though.

I got the feeling she was just going to visit her family, and for a change of scenery. She's been known to do that before with no special reason.

Perhaps, but New York City?!! That's one Hell of a change of scenery!

It's where she is from originally.

Ahhh, well that makes sense. Could explain why she's such a Sweetheart too!

I think you were talking to Megan here,but it's posted to me. She may or may not read it down here. You might want to try again and make sure it's posted under her comment.

...... Bunny's reading my mail? And you say I'm stalking You!
Sorry about that.... I'm not sure what i did wrong....but you're right!
Fat Fingered draggy being Fat Fingered!

Some of us read all the comments on certain pictures. I do sometimes, but this time it came directed to me.

I know, I do it all the time.... That's how draggy stays in the know about Bunny!

I thought as much!

Well Someone has to keep an eye on Liane... might as well be draggy.

I reckon.

Hehehe......*Eyes the Bunny Closely*

Now they're getting violent!

https://www.wvlt.tv/content/news/BC.....512228591.html

Were-zebras everywhere....

Zebras can be mean all right. There's a wild herd of them near me on the ranch surrounding Hearst Castle and they've been known to jump the fence and harrass the neighbor's cattle and horses. I wouldn't get close enough to one for it to be able to bite me. They aren't like horses, and even horses that don't know you sometimes bite seemingly without reason. I've found that out personally.

HAHAHAHA