Cultural Appropriation and The Great Taco Controversy

Maybe American universities should be referred to as the Alps. Both are areas where a great number of snowflakes gather in one place and when something disturbs them, it causes an avalanche. Such an avalanche occurred via Twitter at BYU recently and it was caused by a harmless event promising free tacos for all. But since a picture promoting the even featured two white guys in sombreros, the cultural appropriation trigger was pulled and a great debate about cultural insensitivity and tacos ensued.

Campus Reform Reports

BYU buckles to ‘Taco Tuesday’ criticism: ‘We are very sorry

Brigham Young University apologized and deleted an Instagram post that depicted two students dressed in sombreros and taco costumes amid cultural appropriation criticism.

The Melvin J. Ballard Center for Economic Self-Reliance at BYU removed an Instagram post of students dressed in Latin American attire and issued its “sincere apologies” on the website.

Two students in the original photo wore sombreros, dressed as tacos, and held flags from Bolivia, the United States, and Argentina to promote “Taco Tuesday.” The post advertised free tacos for students.

However, comments deemed the display to be “insensitive” to Latin American culture.

BYU’s Ballard Center deleted the photo and posted an apology stating “earlier today, the Ballard Center shared a social media post that was insensitive. We are very sorry and regret creating the post. Thank you to all who have taken the time to reach out. Your comments highlight the compassion you have for others. We appreciate your insights, feedback, and the learning opportunity.”

“They don’t eat tacos in Argentina or Bolivia,” one Twitter user said. “Hispanic/Latino cultures aren’t interchangeable. Y’all should know better than to be this insensitive and dumb.”

Is that so, Miss Information? Then how did Taco Loco in Bolivia earn it’s five star Tripadvisor rating? The same site gives Cafe del Mundo in Bolivia four stars, and Abis Cafe in the same nation, another five. They all serve tacos. Then there’s La Fabrica del Taco Comida Mexican, Che Taco, and Taco Box all located in, you guessed it, Argentina! All have tacos on the menu.

As for cultures not being interchangeable, take a look in the mirror if that’s really what you believe.

See, judging by her Twitter handle, which is Oliva and part of the address to her Twitter site “livvidiaz” we can deduce that her name is Olivia Diaz. That’s Diaz, as in she is at least partially Hispanic. So why does she refer to herself as “a pale white girl” on Twitter?

THAT is offensive! How DARE you appropriate my race! Our cultures are NOT interchangeable! Hey you said it, dumbass, not me.

Another comment read “I hope Ballard Center and BYU will examine their actions and issue an apology for being culturally insensitive”, and after it was deleted, more remarks were made such as “thank you for taking accountability and apologizing.”

Despite some students and other individuals deeming the incident insensitive, there were others who thought it was “funny” and did not see it as offensive.

Because it’s not offensive! It could have been offensive, but this was harmless. I’ll show you the difference. Here’s how it could have been made offensive. “Join us today in Brigham Square for free tacos at 11:50 until the tacos are gone! All you can eat! Let’s all go on a great TACO BENDER!” Now that’s offensive. What they did was nothing.

On these threads, there were also people from several Latin American countries who commented that they were not offended by the actions of the students. BYU alumnus Elias Flores, a Mexican, said that it was not “demeaning or threatening in any way.”

“In the words of Brigham Young, the person from which our beloved university gets [its name], ‘He who takes offense when no offense is intended is a fool, and he who takes offense when offense is intended is a greater fool,’” a BYU student who asked to remain anonymous told Campus Reform.

The student believes that no offense was intended and that the photo was a fun, lighthearted way to celebrate Taco Tuesday. The student added that BYU respects all people and cultures, and stands firmly against discrimination, but this is not one of those cases.

“While this apology is a good way of diffusing the tension and keeping the peace, I believe it was superfluous,” the student said.

It was unnecessary and they shouldn’t have apologized. Those who complained should have just stuffed their whiny gaping maws with free tacos and shut the hell up.

BYU schools are owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, for which many of the students at the school go on missions around the world. Many of them learn other languages and learn about other cultures on these missions. Women spend eighteen months and men spend two years away from home, having minimal contact with friends and family back home.

A former BYU-Idaho student, Andrew Wolfe, who served his mission in Argentina, told Campus Reform that tacos are not part of Argentinian culture, but he wonders how people would have reacted if the photo depicted empanadas, which are part of Argentinian culture.

But you can certainly find them there so doesn’t that now make them “part of the culture?” Maybe Andrew didn’t like my previous list of places to grab tacos in Argentina. Maybe try Planet Taco in Buenos Aires, Andrew. I hear they’re pretty good, four stars. And maybe Olivia Diaz and her ilk should start a campaign against all those serving tacos in Bolivia and Argentina and every other location in the world that isn’t Mexico. Get busy, morons. They’re appropriating your culture.