thanks for the thoughtful reply. I guess I am reading “cultural appropriation” as a specific type of cultural taking (that is exploitative by nature and/or intent). And there is plenty of that, but there’s plenty of other cultural exchange that has gone out throughout history. I brought up El Paso because it’s not an American city changing due to an influx of new people, but rather part of a binational/multicultaral metro where I am pretty sure that a kid with a Mexican nickname who is not of Mexican heritage does not really bother people. It certainly doesn’t seem to have been an issue for O’Rourke during his political career there. (Someone there may have other things to say of course). Anyway, really the nickname thing I think is just a dumb criticism of him (the other items brought up in the article are not).
Your advice about “ask the people” is spot on. Thanks.
