White student assaulted for having dreadlocks

[JoeyT]

22. Nope, it's nothing like blackface.

Even if we ignore the history of dreadlocks, and the many many many cultures that wore them throughout history, it's still nothing like blackface.

Blackface was worn to insult and belittle black people. That's why wearing it now, even if your intent isn't to belittle or insult black people, is still offensive: Because it was traditionally used for that purpose. It's the same reason racial slurs are offensive. It's not because when you combine certain syllables it somehow becomes offensive. It's because there's a history of racism and hate behind the words. Dreadlocks carry no such history.

The woman's objection to dreadlocks was cultural appropriation, not racism, which is why people keep going into history lessons.

Edit: The reason the history is important is because it's not really cultural appropriation when that many cultures have done it in the past. The Celts were described as "Having hair like snakes". Ancient Greeks, Vikings, and Native Americans were apparently fans of them too.