Think about it. That's a poem about struggling against adversity, not being given more free shit. The poem mentions slaves and huts - but dig back far enough, and that's all of us. Is there anyone who can say there was never any enslavement of their people in history? Ever?
And since there's so many 'diversity' classes, and we are reworking historical figures into caricatures of themselves (if not dismissing them entirely) in order to be more 'diverse', eventually no one will remember that Maya Angelou was black. Or, if they do, it won't matter because no one will see skin color. (Right? Isn't that the end goal of these BS diversity planners?)
That means the beauty of the poem itself will have nothing to do with skin color, and everything to do with struggling against a majority that would see you trampled.
Statistically, there will be young, white, males who can relate to this poem as more and more of their rights are dismissed due to their gender and skin color. They will be the minority working against a hateful mass. And this will speak to them, because it's beautiful and true.
And people are gonna lose their shit.
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[–] lemon11 0 points 2 points 2 points (+2|-0) ago
Link to a copy of the poem: https://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poem/still-i-rise
It would be called "cultural appropriation," for obvious reasons, and "white supremecy," for daring to suggest that a "group in power" has any legitimate claim to pride or grievance. "Diversity" today isn't used for the ends of tolerance, mixing, or assimilation. It's used for power. Unfortunately, from what I remember her saying when she was alive, I don't think Angelou disagreed with that end.
[–] Sikozen [S] 0 points 1 point 1 point (+1|-0) ago
Aw. you're right and it made me sad.
[–] dingomeat ago
We have our own culture, we don't need to borrow anything.
[–] Sikozen [S] 1 point -1 points 0 points (+0|-1) ago
Do we? Anymore? Are we allowed to teach it without blackwashing it, or diminishing the people involved?
Poetry is a free expression. No one group of people can own it because it is meant to be spread and taught and enjoyed. I'm a white woman and I find this particular poem very uplifting and inspiring. It's become part of my particular culture because it's now something I use to guide myself. Boom. Mine.
[–] dingomeat ago
"allowed"
What do you need, a fucking permission slip?
[–] flarflar ago
They will get stabbed and blew up
[–] InfidelAl ago
They'll be thrown in the gulag for their racist cultural appropriation, clearly.