"Cornrows and Cultural Appropriation: The Truth About Racial Identity Theft"

     This article was written by TIME columnist Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.  Abdul-Jabbar is one of the NBA's greatest players.  He has won the NBA championship six times.  However, he is also a celebrated author and filmmaker and educates people about racism.  This article points out that there is a difference between honoring a culture and stealing from it. 
     Abdul-Jabbar starts the article by bringing up the current cornrow controversy.  This controversy is the argument that when celebrities who are not black wear cornrows, they are not honoring black culture, but rather hurting it.  Abdul-Jabbar claims this is stealing from black culture.  It also includes music, art, clothes and language.  Abdul-Jabbar claims that all this is cultural appropriation.  When Kendall and Kylie Jenner where cornrows they are hurting black culture.  They are not honoring black culture by wearing it, but instead, taking advantage of it.  As Abdul-Jabbar writes in his article it is, "Kind of like wearing the teeth of your pillaged enemy as a necklace."
     The influence black culture has had on America is very significant.  White Americans have adopted many things from black culture and used it for their own (for example: rock 'n' roll).  The problem is that white Americans have been exploiting black culture by doing this.  Abdul-Jabbar even goes as far as to say, "it feels an awful lot like slavery."  He does point out some consolation, though, saying that most of the NBA and NFL today are mostly made up of black athletes.  This is a big deal because both leagues started out as white only sports leagues. 
     I do agree that is it wrong for white people to profit off something that black culture created and has rights to.  I think cultural appropriation is a lot more serious than people think.  I believe that everyone should really start to focus about honoring a culture instead of exploiting it.  However, I feel like all cultures, not just white Americans, are guilty of doing this.  I feel like there needs to be some consensus on what is acceptable and use this when borrowing from another culture.  We should be honoring people and not stealing from them.