You Racist Yoga Practitioners!!!
By Four Walls
@FourWalls (68132)
United States
January 29, 2018 7:38pm CST
You have got to be excrementing me.
I saw this headline: “Professor claims practicing yoga contributes to white supremacy.” If you’re like me, the first thing you thought is, “Oh, that wacky spoof site “The Onion” is at it again.”
Nope. It’s real.
Dr. Shreena Gandhi co-wrote an article (linked below) where she explains that “westerners” who practice yoga are racists.
To quote the article, “Yoga contributes to our economic system, but never forget this system is one built upon exploitation and commodification of labor, often the labor of black people and people of the global south.”
I’ll leave it at that. I’m laughing too hard right now to comment about this insanity.
Here’s the article:
By Shreena Gandhi and Lillie Wolff To the so many white people who practice yoga, please don’t stop, but please do take a moment to look outside of yourself and understand how the history of yoga practice in the United States is intimately linked to some o
16 people like this
17 responses
@JohnRoberts (109846)
• Los Angeles, California
30 Jan 18
Yogi Bear and Yogi Berra are smarter than the average Dr. Shreena Gandhi.
4 people like this
@JamesHxstatic (29413)
• Eugene, Oregon
30 Jan 18
What a crock of the well-known substance that is! What kind of a "doc" is this fool?
3 people like this
@FourWalls (68132)
• United States
30 Jan 18
I’ve always heard it said the college degrees of BS, MS, and PhD were “bull(stuff), more (stuff), and piled highest and deepest.”
Makes me glad I have a B.A.! 
3 people like this
@TheHorse (218957)
• Walnut Creek, California
9 Jul 18
@FourWalls Maybe it depends on the field.
2 people like this
@JamesHxstatic (29413)
• Eugene, Oregon
30 Jan 18
@FourWalls Ohhh never thought of that, mine is in literature (no surprise).
2 people like this
? That's just too "out there". Although I kinda get what they're getting at, I wouldn't call that being "racist" @much2say (55674)
• Los Angeles, California
7 Jul 19
@rebelann Although I understand the historical perspective on the intent behind popularizing yoga at the time (according to this professor anyway), in this day and age, yoga is supposed to be a good thing for health and wellness. Instead of moving forward with the goodness yoga has evolved into with the western world, she has moved us backward by pointing out race and turning it into a negative thing.
2 people like this
@NJChicaa (119660)
• United States
30 Jan 18
@FourWalls Yeah they are really reaching on this one. You could make their arguments for just about anything not just yoga. You could say that you are supporting racism, white culture, etc by buying a Starbucks or an iPhone or by doing CrossFit
4 people like this
@FourWalls (68132)
• United States
30 Jan 18
@NJChicaa -- or listening to rock and roll (which the whites stole from R&B music), or eating at Taco Bell. You're absolutely right.
The worst thing about this is that it cheapens the meaning of the word racist (or racism), and gives a "boy who cried 'wolf'" approach to any claims.
4 people like this
@JamesHxstatic (29413)
• Eugene, Oregon
30 Jan 18
@NJChicaa Even eating asparagus maybe!
2 people like this
@scarlet_woman (23463)
• United States
31 Jan 18
*sigh* we're all doomed with this finger pointing business.
it's funny.native masters of yoga and karate related will say themselves it benefits everyone..race is never mentioned.maybe she should actually talk to them before saying that..
2 people like this
@TheHorse (218957)
• Walnut Creek, California
9 Jul 18
I'd probably get nauseous if I read the article. Does "cultural appropriation" mean that excellent black musicians, like the Marsalis brothers, should not play Bach or Mozart, and that non-Jews can't enjoy a bagel with lox now and then?
2 people like this
@FourWalls (68132)
• United States
9 Jul 18
Exactly. And look at the diversity of people featured in My countdown of Allen Toussaint Songs! This person isn’t getting my Stevie Wonder records because she thinks it’s “wrong,” that’s for dang sure!
1 person likes this
@Morleyhunt (21744)
• Canada
19 Apr 18
Sounds as ridiculous as a study I heard about that the word man was about to be abolished.
1 person likes this
@dgobucks226 (35621)
•
20 Apr 18
OMG really!!!!!! Not only is yoga excellent for flexibility, but it is also a great tool for longevity and injury prevention, as it allows for internal body awareness.- Kyle Shewfelt
I see nothing about racism here???? 
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (68132)
• United States
20 Apr 18
Privileged white people can afford the classes, apparently. Or we're making it a "white sport." There's no telling what goes through these people's minds (if anything at all) when they say garbage like this.
1 person likes this
What a stretch that is 
Interesting post 
@AJRementer (26)
•
30 Jan 18
When I read this article, I could not help but making comparisons to the ancient Chinese martial arts. Here can be found another form of self-exploration that involves mind, body and spirit and you could also say it has been exploited in western civilization for capitalistic gains. Many people who partake in martial arts studies are also like yoga, not taught or aware of the deeper values found in this art form. But to make the leap into ideas of racism being promoted by the teaching of martial arts is ludicrous. I am not sure if anyone is aware of a fairly new exercise routine that is gaining momentum in the mid-west states and has been approved by the CDC in fact who have granted the founder nearly $2 million to develop this routine. It is called "Pow Wow Sweat" ... based on traditional Native American dance and anyone interested in losing weight, toning up, gaining insight into Native American beliefs and so on; is welcomed to join. If and when this routine turns into a craze, I am sure the capitalistic seeking entrepreneurs will be ready to profit from this. Will this also be considered a form of racism or promoting some racist agenda? The writer states ... We must ask in what ways we are complicit in harming people of color, queer, trans people ... despite our best values and intentions, our actions or inaction are inherently connected with a system of privilege and oppression. ..... I would suggest that articles like this do more harm in the ideas of bringing about solutions to racism than yoga, martial arts or any other form of cultural dance, exercise or spiritual belief. The more people like this promote falsehoods of supposed oppression, racism and hate; the more the other side gets sick and tired of hearing this kind of nonsense and tires of listening.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (68132)
• United States
30 Jan 18
And this is why we need the ability to like something more than once here. 
You raise the interesting point of how many non-western cultures' practices have become commonplace in American life. The martial arts were rarely explored until Bruce Lee came along on The Green Hornet. And, of course, cuisines -- many for health reasons -- of other countries are touted (with a hefty price tag attached.
I took an introduction to tai chi a few years ago. It was taught by the Taoist organization in town. Was I "racist" for taking it? Or was it "okay" for a "person of color" (I loathe that expression: the only "white" people are people who have albinism) to be there but not me? And, if the latter is the case, isn't that in and of itself a racist position to take?
Thank you, sir, for such an articulate and thoughtful response.
You raise the interesting point of how many non-western cultures' practices have become commonplace in American life. The martial arts were rarely explored until Bruce Lee came along on The Green Hornet. And, of course, cuisines -- many for health reasons -- of other countries are touted (with a hefty price tag attached.
I took an introduction to tai chi a few years ago. It was taught by the Taoist organization in town. Was I "racist" for taking it? Or was it "okay" for a "person of color" (I loathe that expression: the only "white" people are people who have albinism) to be there but not me? And, if the latter is the case, isn't that in and of itself a racist position to take?
Thank you, sir, for such an articulate and thoughtful response.1 person likes this
@FourWalls (68132)
• United States
19 Apr 18
It's funny -- in a sad way -- how people recoil in horror at the notion of something that doesn't require a prescription helping someone. A lot of fundamentalist preachers don't like yoga, either, claiming it's going to make you a Buddhist. Oy.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (160713)
• United States
2 Feb 18
There has to be something to moan about, I guess.
1 person likes this
