I am not in favor of bans, but sometimes people need to realize that they are subject to folks electing to "vote with their feet," and if one starts to hear that a large number of people are contemplating doing just that-- this might be a piece of information one might want to consider in choosing material.

It's very complicated when one culture borrows a piece of another culture, and makes it its own. The process of this occurring is subtle.... and not about blame, IMO.

But I would ask people to think about this-- if someone takes an icon you hold dear, and bastardizes it-- how do you feel about that, yourself?

Is it so hard to understand why people might not appreciate folks popularizing an item without regard for its original setting and sense? Assume for a moment that the objections have nothing to do with your motive.... How many of the singers of this song, in today's world, are actually familiar with picking a bale of cotton? Is the song really going to be used to make the job easier, as might have been the case in the original setting of the song?

It's this atmosphere of blame/defensiveness that precludes harmony. I might not mean to run over you with my car; but if I do it, don't you think people might think it only natural if you yelp?

Why do we say "This isn't what I meant" instead of hearing that someone has first said to us, "This hurts me really, really deeply"?

~Susan