Arizona State University Professor Dr. Neal A. Lester joined the “Dr. Phil” show to discuss the hot-button issue of cultural appropriation, which some perceive as one culture “stealing” another’s fashions, customs, music, language, art, literature, cuisine, traditions, or other cultural identity markers.
According to Lester, cultural appropriation is about how “white supremacy is embedded in everything,” and anyone guilty of appropriating someone else’s culture, intentionally or not, is “on the same level as white supremacy” — and he says that “everybody on some level may have flirted with it.”
Amala Ekpunobi, PragerU personality and host of the podcast “Unapologetic LIVE,” disagreed with Lester, calling concern about cultural appropriation “a waste of time.”
“Not only is it somewhat a waste of time, but it’s nearly impossible [not to culturally appropriate]. You just mentioned there are nearly hundreds of ways that one could appropriate somebody else’s culture or their livelihood,” Ekpunobi said to Lester. “To … expect any one human being to keep on top of that throughout their entire life, I think, is an unrealistic ask. And I think imitation is a form of flattery. … Every single item around us in this room could probably be attributed to a certain culture. Do we have to constantly worry about what culture we gain things from?”
“Well, I guess I didn’t hear anything about anybody ‘worrying’ about it,” Lester responded. “What I hear about, when I think about and talk about cultural appropriation, is people becoming more aware. We could say the same thing about racism, sexism, homophobia.”
“Wow! Do you really put those on the same level? Racism and sexism are on the same level as cultural appropriation?” asked Dr. Phil.
“Absolutely,” Lester affirmed, adding, “I put that on the same level as white supremacy.”
He went on to assert, “White supremacy is embedded in everything, in everything, and cultural appropriation is about that.”
On “The Rubin Report” Wednesday, BlazeTV host Dave Rubin shared a clip of Dr. Phil’s priceless reaction when he learns that everyone is apparently guilty of both cultural appropriation and “white supremacy” because we’ve all been raised in this multicultural yet “systemically racist” nation.
Watch the full episode of “The Rubin Report” below. Can’t watch? Download the podcast here.
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