National Post…The topic of campus racism has been much on my mind lately, ever since the latest eye-roller from Queen’s University. I’ve given Queen’s a rough time before, but I swear it’s not personal. I have nothing against the school, no grudge or axe to grind. But this is the third time in the last eighteen months that I’ve found myself writing about some politically correct insanity there.
The first was about the case of a female cabaret dancer being told she was oppressing women after appearing, dressed appropriately for the part, at a campus event. The next told the story of a young woman at an on-campus Halloween party being thrown out of the event because her feathered headdress was insulting to natives. The slutty nun holding a Pope on a dog’s leash and the priest with the enormous erection, however, were completely acceptable costumes.
The newest one takes the proverbial cake. Queen’s Alma Mater Society (AMS) last week cancelled a food-bank fundraiser that was going to include “sumo wrestler suits.” These rubber costumes turn even the slimmest, fittest wearer into a clumsy, waddling laughing stock — precisely the sort of thing that makes for good, harmless entertainment at fundraisers. Not so fast, says the AMS. Those suits are racist!
Mortified at their unintended cultural imperialism, they issued a two-page letter of apology, which included this passage: “… [The] suits… appropriates an aspect of Japanese culture. This … turns a racial identity into a costume; the process of putting-on and taking-off a racial identity … dehumanizes those who share that identity … The event also devalues an ancient and respected Japanese sport, which is rich in history and cultural tradition.”
Oy vey. (Wait…I’m not Jewish. Can I still say that? Oh, no! I’ve appropriated another culture! I’m an anti-Semite and I never even knew it!)
The AMS, having taken this brave stand against rubber costumes, will no doubt be taking this to its logical conclusion. So much for St. Patrick’s Day at Queen’s. Can’t offend the Irish. And scratch Santa Claus costumes at any party — it’s offensive to Greeks, because it fails to fully contextualize the life and times of the Greek bishop of Myra. Likewise, I trust the AMS will be calling for a banning of all Halloween events until every Queen’s student has brushed up on their Celtic and can fully appreciate the true meaning of the summer-ending festival of Samhuinn. And I won’t even bother pointing out that the entire school is named for an unelected hereditary ruler (albeit a woman, so I suppose that’s a cancel-out).
Where will this insanity end? Every single thing known to us, every last one, came from somewhere, be it an invention, a cultural practice or tradition, a saying, everything. A Mr. Brandon Sloan, of the AMS, said that they would never want to hold an event that might offend someone. Sir…as evidenced by your own society’s actions, the bar for what constitutes offence is now set so pathetically low that holding an event that can’t possibly offend anyone is an impossibility. Unless Queen’s is planning on inventing an entirely new culture from scratch (Which I wouldn’t put past them), it’s just going to have to reconcile itself to the fact that it will be appropriating something from someone.
But, in fact, there is something in this story that Queen’s should feel ashamed over. In their haste to look progressive and show their PC bona fides, a food-bank fundraiser was cancelled. Feeding the needy, of any faith, colour or kin, now apparently ranks below self-flagellation in the name of diversity at Queen’s University. Oh, I’m sure they’ll reschedule the event . But they’ll never be able to deny that when forced to choose between helping the needy and feeding their own of self-aggrandizing sense of progressivism, the poor and the hungry drew the short straw.
National Post
Anyone who’s read about how wrestlers are beaten up, burned with cigarette butts, hit in the head with glass bottles and subject to a whole lot more abuse from their fellow wrestlers and masters (which can even cause wrestlers to die) at sumo STABLES in Japan (yup, they call the facilities where they train and live STABLES) knows that, if there’s anything that deserves criticism, it’s not the contest between folks wearing the suits featured in the photo above, but the prep for real sumo wrestling.
YOU BASTIDS!
YOU UTTER UTTER BASTIDS!
You’ve killed my dream of becoming a sumo wrestler! And it just because I’m not Japanese. Damn!
I don’t suppose I can play Santa Claus in the off season now either?
You know, a person couldn’t possibly be that stupid on their own. The only way you could get that stupid is to attend a university. Isn’t that wild? And I’m not being sarcastic or humorous. Appropriating Japanese culture! Some professor thought that up and layed it on his subjects as objective truth. Cut university spending in half!
Would these pests consider the Subaru adds featuring Sumo wrestlers doing the glamour car model shtick to be offensive to the Japanese public?
These academic types don’t consider anything-they don’t know how. They are so convinced of their own intellectual superiority that they will not even allow themselves to hear an opposing viewpoint, choosing instead to dismiss such views without consideration, with a well-practiced little shrug and a glib little joke. “I thought we were here to have a serious discussion”, they shrug, and all the lefty students laugh, the argument is over.