Apple Celebrates Black History Month With Limited-Edition Watch, Featured Apps and Books, and More

[TuffLuffJimmy]

This the same Apple being sued for sourcing minerals and precious metals from black child slavery in Africa?

 

[Rojaaemon]

Could this be Dan Riccio’s new secret project, developing race-specific ‘unity’ merchandise?

 

[mrmister]

Just because you believe otherwise doesn't make someone racist for looking at the data.

You don't seem to understand the difference between talking about racist activities, and calling someone a racist. If you don't have enough of a grounding to understand that, you aren't equipped to have this conversation in good faith.

And again, it has nothing to do with "believing" anything—the toxic effects of racism on communities all over America is overwhelmingly documented. You denying this is racist, and it's counterfactual, and if you can't do that in good faith, you can't be argued with.

 

[Osamede]

Apple would be better served by first demonstrating its own commitment to UnityTM within the composition of its management and board....before heading off externally to commercially exploit the wallets and sentiments of underprivileged people.

 

[svanstrom]

Apple would be better served by first demonstrating its own commitment to UnityTM within the composition of its management and board....before heading off externally to commercially exploit the wallets and sentiments of underprivileged people.

No one can do anything before everyone does everything…?

 

[SisterBlue22]

we are all children of g-d

Says people who believe in g-d. Which is not even close to everyone.

 

[SisterBlue22]

See, there’s the thing. I love the band. And if this were back in the 80s and 90s, I’d buy it Day 1. But today, if I were to wear it, I’d constantly worry about getting called out for cultural appropriation.

It’s sad. Back in the day, Unity was Unity. Now, not so much.

I'm not gay, but I wear Pride bands. I can wear this band in support of unity, which is a goal I believe in, just like I wear my Pride bands in support of the LGBTQ+ community.

 

[ronntaylor]

This thread has more snowflakes than today's storm. Maybe MR needs to post a Trigger Warning for sensitive souls:

WARNING: The following post does not center the White, male, heteronormative, able-bodied American gaze. Prolonged reading may cause bouts of crying, hair-pulling, teeth gnashing, and spouting whataboutisms nonstop. Look elsewhere or else you'll suffer verbal diarrhea and tremendous leaps of "logic" with a propensity to pull nonsense from your nether regions. Should you feel triggered, simply move on to topics more of your liking and understanding, and try to have a good day.​

BTW: I may buy the watch band 👍

 

[icanhazmac]

Do you honestly think people are bold enough to come up to you and hurl an insult about what you're wearing? If anyone were to do that they've got real personal problems and are willing to take a risk at getting smacked in the head.
It's just a wrist band. You'd have to be pretty close up to someone to even pay attention to it. You're cheating yourself out on something you like because you're worried about something someone would say to your face about it? You're giving people way too much power in your life. SMH.

Have you been watching the news over the past 5 years or so?

Burrito shop shuts after being accused of stealing Mexican culture

Two white women, Kali Wilgus and Liz 'LC' Connelly, who opened a taco truck in Portland after taking a trip to Mexico, have been forced to close it amid accusations of cultural appropriation.

www.dailymail.co.uk

tl;dr White women's burrito shop forced to close, accused of cultrual appropriation

White woman accused of cultural appropriation for buying a didgeridoo

Social media influencer Sarah Stevenson, gave her partner Kurt Tilse the wind instrument as a gift from their one-year-old son Fox at their Sydney home on Sunday.

www.dailymail.co.uk

tl;dr Aussie fitness influencer accused of cultrual appropriation over musical instrument and hair style

‘Don’t wear them if you're white’: Animal Crossing gamers accused of CULTURAL APPROPRIATION over virtual afro puff hairstyles

Animal Crossing: New Horizons players found themselves at the center of social justice scorn after being accused of cultural appropriation for wearing an in-game hairstyle some say was only for black people.

www.rt.com

tl;dr Non-black gamers accused of cultrual appropration for hair style of in game characters

Black student filmed harassing white student over his dreadlocks

47-second clip viewed more than one million times in just 24 hours

www.independent.co.uk

tl;dr White student accused of cultrual appropriation over hair style (dreadlocks) by a black female student, interesting side argument about the actual cultural origins could be Egyptian.

Overall point:

Your statement is... oddly dismissive of the numerous claims of cultural appropraition in the media over the last few years. If, as you claim, no one would bother with coming up to you and hurl insults over something you are wearing then why any of the above and why the many, many more instances easily found via a web search that involve clothing, hair styles, jewelry, etc? I would imagine that most people do not wear hair styles, clothing, jewelry items, etc in a derogatory or mocking way, they do it because they felt the item was attractive and they feel the item would make them more attractive. I acknowledge that some may unknowingly cause offense to a culture because something was worn inappropriately but simply being not of that culture shouldn't be a reason to be offended.

I believe that @decypher44 expressing concern about how someone could be treated for wearing the watchband in question is valid. I would like to think it would create more positive interractions than negative but it only takes one negative interraction at work or in public that gets filmed an posted to social media to wreck ones life in these cancel culture times and that is reason to think twice.

 

[decypher44]

You seriously need to get over that. Do you honestly think people are bold enough to come up to you and hurl an insult about what you're wearing? If anyone were to do that they've got real personal problems and are willing to take a risk at getting smacked in the head.
It's just a wrist band. You'd have to be pretty close up to someone to even pay attention to it. You're cheating yourself out on something you like because you're worried about something someone would say to your face about it? You're giving people way too much power in your life. SMH.

Yes, people do hurl insults and threaten over cultural appropriation. It’s not like I made it up out of whole cloth just because.

Google it. You’ll see a LOT of examples of it. And it even gets down to kids in their teens. My daughter told me of a few incidents at her HS.

Sad but true.

 

[Maconplasma]

Have you been watching the news over the past 5 years or so?

Burrito shop shuts after being accused of stealing Mexican culture

Two white women, Kali Wilgus and Liz 'LC' Connelly, who opened a taco truck in Portland after taking a trip to Mexico, have been forced to close it amid accusations of cultural appropriation.

www.dailymail.co.uk

tl;dr White women's burrito shop forced to close, accused of cultrual appropriation

White woman accused of cultural appropriation for buying a didgeridoo

Social media influencer Sarah Stevenson, gave her partner Kurt Tilse the wind instrument as a gift from their one-year-old son Fox at their Sydney home on Sunday.

www.dailymail.co.uk

tl;dr Aussie fitness influencer accused of cultrual appropriation over musical instrument and hair style

‘Don’t wear them if you're white’: Animal Crossing gamers accused of CULTURAL APPROPRIATION over virtual afro puff hairstyles

Animal Crossing: New Horizons players found themselves at the center of social justice scorn after being accused of cultural appropriation for wearing an in-game hairstyle some say was only for black people.

www.rt.com

tl;dr Non-black gamers accused of cultrual appropration for hair style of in game characters

Black student filmed harassing white student over his dreadlocks

47-second clip viewed more than one million times in just 24 hours

www.independent.co.uk

tl;dr White student accused of cultrual appropriation over hair style (dreadlocks) by a black female student, interesting side argument about the actual cultural origins could be Egyptian.

Overall point:

Your statement is... oddly dismissive of the numerous claims of cultural appropraition in the media over the last few years. If, as you claim, no one would bother with coming up to you and hurl insults over something you are wearing then why any of the above and why the many, many more instances easily found via a web search that involve clothing, hair styles, jewelry, etc? I would imagine that most people do not wear hair styles, clothing, jewelry items, etc in a derogatory or mocking way, they do it because they felt the item was attractive and they feel the item would make them more attractive. I acknowledge that some may unknowingly cause offense to a culture because something was worn inappropriately but simply being not of that culture shouldn't be a reason to be offended.

I believe that @decypher44 expressing concern about how someone could be treated for wearing the watchband in question is valid. I would like to think it would create more positive interractions than negative but it only takes one negative interraction at work or in public that gets filmed an posted to social media to wreck ones life in these cancel culture times and that is reason to think twice.

Oh the irony in your post. You're being dismissive of what I was saying. I was telling the member to enjoy their product if they want to wear it and don't worry what MIGHT happen. It's just a watchband. Calm down. 🙄

 

[Maconplasma]

Yes, people do hurl insults and threaten over cultural appropriation. It’s not like I made it up out of whole cloth just because.

Google it. You’ll see a LOT of examples of it. And it even gets down to kids in their teens. My daughter told me of a few incidents at her HS.

Sad but true.

And when did I say this never happens? I asked was if you truly felt someone would do this to YOU. It's just a watchband. If you have personal issues about it I can't help that.

 

[DeepIn2U]

my man, my question was to the person asking for american unity, the 'black lives matter' never made me want to say 'all lives matter', they obviously do, but i get where the first is coming from. however if we're asking for american unity, why not raise to to global unity

honestly I still think you’re missing the point that I was making it wasn’t whether or not you were applying to a specific person, doesn’t matter your statement is still the same. The whole global unity as you mention it has never been and never was I wish it will be but if the current process of thought was so many people that are of an oppressed race throughout the USA and the rest of the world history has led us to believe and by facts even on global monuments that oppression will never stop is considering those are in power and those who think the global unity is already been reached and that’s just my privilege and by those who are in power to maintain it.

 

[DeepIn2U]

Your bias is showing. Stop trying to explain to me what my truth should be. The fact you feel the need to do this is proof of your privilage.

I think you should just return what you stated to yourself because you’ve done exactly that. I wasn’t trying explain what your truth should be as explaining what the universal truth should have been equality for all. The fact you have a problem with that really shows where you stand.

And for the record my face is always showing no matter what, have look look at my avatar 😉

 

[DeepIn2U]

you also can't really be muslim and atheist at the same time)))

Very true I never said otherwise

 

[Osamede]

No one can do anything before everyone does everything…?

I said they need to first do, then talk or ask for money.

As the old saying goes: “...You need to walk the talk, otherwise it don’t mean nothin’...."

But you are certianly free to mid-summarise and mis-paraphrase as much as you wish. Anything to avoid the actual point that was made...

 

[B4U]

Sarcasm refers to the use of words that mean the opposite of what you really want to say, especially in order to insult someone, or to show irritation, or just to be funny. For example, saying "they're really on top of things" to describe a group of people who are very disorganized is using sarcasm.

But beyond that, I was also mocking the concept of leaving “Asians” out of it, as if “Asian” is a valid thing at all, as well as the concept of “Pan African Unity” when the mere idea of it is like saying “I can’t tell Asians apart.”

Africa is a pretty diverse continent, with multiple races and cultures. While a company that doesn’t have too many actual African employees might see this promotion as woke, well, it is not. It is PANDERING. And pandering to black Americans of a particular militancy level at the expense of unity while claiming to promote it.

Sort of like Nancy Pelosi and friends kneeling and wearing woke African garb that they didn’t really understand.

There has not been one black friend, colleague or teacher I have had in my life who has ever worn “African” garb or unity symbols in public. It is not so much a cultural thing as much as a subcultural thing. Which only goes to reinforce the truth that black people are not homogeneous and shouldn’t be treated as such, just as “Asian-American” isn’t a real thing as Asia is so diverse, and “white” isn’t a culture either.

And what is untenable as a non-black person is the modern expectation that I should both NOT see differences AND be aware of all differences. I am racist if I can’t tell a Jamaican accent from a Bahamian one, for example, yet I am also supposed to say our current Vice President is “African American” even though her parents are Indian and “East Indian” and she is more “Asian-American” than anything, and more Canadian than American.

This is why identity politics in America is destroying itself. Fatigue sets in, and in the end, things don’t change the way they are supposed to.

You see, mate, it helps if you can kindly let us know you were being sarcastic in the original comment.
Some of us clearly read it differently than what you meant in the first place, be it because of our personal experience or anything.

 

[Complex757]

As a White Cis-gendered male, am I allowed to purchase this band as reparations or is it appropriating a culture that I cannot identify with?

See, there’s the thing. I love the band. And if this were back in the 80s and 90s, I’d buy it Day 1. But today, if I were to wear it, I’d constantly worry about getting called out for cultural appropriation.

It’s sad. Back in the day, Unity was Unity. Now, not so much.

I saw a white male with a BLM face mask on at my gym. I thought of him as an ally and not a capitol rioter. I can't speak for everyone, but I doubt anyone at least on my side would feel anyway about it.

It's a little different than everyone who buys BHM sneakers who could care less about their meaning.

It would be no different than wearing something product red or live strong when it was a thing IMO.

 

[Lucky736]

It would be awesome if Apple expanded this to a Unity or Equality series of accessories.

Not going to happen. Apple is as one sided as any company these days. Smoke and Mirrors friends.

 

[icanhazmac]

Oh the irony in your post. You're being dismissive of what I was saying. I was telling the member to enjoy their product if they want to wear it and don't worry what MIGHT happen.

I did not dismiss your opinion, what I said was that I feel @decypher44 concern was justified given the prevelance of equally silly things to confront someone over that I listed. Most rational people would find it silly to harrass a food truck owner because they were not of the same birth country as the food they were making etc.

I also stated that "I would like to think wearing the band would create more positive interractions than negative", which would be supporting of your opinion but I'm not willing to take the chance in todays climate where one moment gets you "canceled".

 

[MJ22]

This discussion is so tiresome.

Back in the 90’s we wore all kinds of “culturally appropriated” clothing and symbols. No one cared. We all liked rap. Cross Colors was widely popular among all races and we wore it without a care. No one needed permission to wear a certain color. Sheesh. No one had to go berserko on a message board over a rubber strap.

And I totally agree with the person who said they’d buy it solely because it reminds them of Tribe Called Quest.

 

[redcaptrickster]

How cute. The "all image, no action" crowd will love it.

 

[decypher44]

This discussion is so tiresome.

Back in the 90’s we wore all kinds of “culturally appropriated” clothing and symbols. No one cared. We all liked rap. Cross Colors was widely popular among all races and we wore it without a care. No one needed permission to wear a certain color. Sheesh. No one had to go berserko on a message board over a rubber strap.

And I totally agree with the person who said they’d buy it solely because it reminds them of Tribe Called Quest.

Not sure if the "berserk" was directed at me. I was just voicing my feelings about the culture of today vs that of the 90s. It's what we all wore back then. And the rap scene was on fire. So many great artists. I'll most likely order the band when it's released on 2/1.

I just hope I can find my wallet. I think I Left My Wallet in El Segundo.

 

[techwhiz]

As a Black man.
There is nothing wrong with being an ally or solidarity.
Cultural appropriation is when you you use or monetize the culture with no respect for it.
I wear breast cancer awareness bands. I wear pink shirts for the month of October.
I don't have breast cancer.

Lots of snowflakes around here.

 

[Karma*Police]

Yes, encouraging all people to unite around a group of historically marginalized people. It doesn’t diminish the need for unity for all, but there is no unity for all if all aren’t seen in equal standing. It’s also close to Black History Month for context.

1. By constantly reminding people that they aren't seen in equal standing is the reason why they're not seen in equal standing. We need to stop focusing/talking about race and just treat everyone as individuals. It's the only way to make everyone colorblind.

2. The system is in place for any Black American to be successful. Many examples abound. But by continually talking about them being marginalized or victimized, it creates a mindset for failure and resentment.

3. Relegating black history to one month is a slap in the face to Black Americans. As Morgan Freeman said, Black history is American history. Which month is white history? This is yet another example of some white narcissistic liberals throwing a bone to Black Americans and thinking they've done some good.