Commentary: Halloween and the Perils of Cultural Appropriation

by Thaddeaus G. McCotter   Cultural appropriation, the Cambridge Dictionary helpfully informs us, is “the act of taking or using things from a culture that is not your own, especially without showing that you understand or respect this culture.” This, of course, should not be a problem in America, a constitutional republic imbued with the concept of pluralism—that is, the ability of numerous cultures to live peaceably while unified by an overarching set of core principles that form an American civic consensus. These include an allegiance to the Constitution and an adherence to a general principle of tolerance, among other essential, mutually shared civic virtues and responsibilities. For a succinct example, when someone describes himself as Irish-American, over time the emphasis is ultimately on the American. Until recently, pluralism has served the nation well, both in terms of assimilating individuals and their respective cultures. It has done so by allowing those subcultures to continue; and, in conjunction with the doctrine of subsidiarity , as a means of respecting a preserving the powers of voluntary, non-governmental organizations collectively operated by private citizens to address and solve problems, including families and civic groups. Unfortunately, the Left’s diversity dogma subverts pluralism by demanding…

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