"Cultural Appropriation"

[Neo-Scholastic]

Now what is sometimes is objectionable is trivializing, disrespecting, or desacralizing symbols that are important to others. With respect to dream catchers, I went on made-in-china.com and saw that one could buy all kinds of dream catcher merchandise. Dream catcher ear rings for $0.80 each with a minimum 1000 piece order. Dream catcher temporary tattoos for $.10 each with a minimum 3,000 piece order. And my personal favorite for this discussion…a yoga matt with a dream catcher image printed on it ($9.89 each for a minimum 50 piece order)…a Chinese product for practicing Hindu rituals decorated with a Native American symbol! Do these trivialize the ceremonial aspect of dream catchers? Yes. (btw I don’t think uber-liberal Minimalist worries too much about the meaning his avatar had to ancient Egyptians.)

Hmn, trivializing a sacred object is a real problem, but stealing and exploiting sacred objects of other cultures...the very essence of cultural appropriation......isn't?  Something seems amiss.

You are trading on multiple connotations of the words stealing and exploiting. If Ghuongzhou Trading Company makes dream catcher earrings in no way does it impoverish any Native American. Even if Ghuongzhou took advantage of the opportunity to make a ton of money selling dream catcher trinkets it doesn't mean Native Americans cannot keep for themselves the meaning they assigned to dream catchers. Nor are Native Americans prevented from continuing to use dream catchers in traditional ways. They have lost nothing and no one can take anything away from them.

That is how symbols work in a free society. People get to decide for themselves what things mean to them and express themselves however they choose. It is only in totalitarian societies where people are told what they must think things signify and what types of expressions are permitted.