Racism and the End of Yoga?

Nothing is sacred, when it comes to Liberals’ cries of racism, and this latest dog whistle has me baffled.

Yoga is under attack as racist.

As the Washington Post reported:

In studios across the nation, as many as 20 million Americans practice yoga every day. Few worry that their downward dogs or warrior poses disrespect other cultures.

But yoga comes from India, once a British colony. And now, at one Canadian university, a yoga class designed to include disabled students has been canceled after concerns the practice was taken from a culture that “experienced oppression, cultural genocide and diasporas due to colonialism and western supremacy,” according to the group that once sponsored it.

So what yoga has improved the lives of countless heretofore fatties, and given existential meaning to many…it’s RACIST!

In a telephone interview with The Washington Post, Jennifer Scharf, who taught the class for up to 60 people at the University of Ottawa, said she was unhappy about the decision, but accepted it.

“This particular class was intro to beginners’ yoga because I’m very sensitive to this issue,” she said. “I would never want anyone to think I was making some sort of spiritual claim other than the pure joy of being human that belongs to everyone free of religion.”

Religion?! I get the spirituality of yoga, but in the end it’s about stretching out muscles and strengthening the mind, body, and repeat, the spirit.

According to the article, money was not a concern; culture was. Here is the response to an inquiry about why yoga was being stopped:

“I think that our centre agreed … that while yoga is a really great idea, accessible and great for students, that there are cultural issues of implication involved in the practice,” the response read. “I have heard from a couple students and volunteers that feel uncomfortable with how we are doing yoga while we claim to be inclusive at the same time.”

“Yoga has been under a lot of controversy lately due to how it is being practiced and what practices from what cultures (which are often sacred spiritual practices) they are being taken from,” the e-mail read. “Many of these cultures are cultures that have experienced oppression, cultural genocide and diasporas due to colonialism and western supremacy, and we need to be mindful of this and how we express ourselves and while practicing yoga.”

I have said repeatedly that Liberals see racism wherever they choose, and they have set their sites on yoga. I’m curious as to what culture they don’t deem racist, at this point. If the university were to have a craft class that teaches how to make African tribal spears, that would be deemed racist, though it would be a tribute to the history of Africa.

There is simply no way to win, when it comes to the “logic” of Liberalism, so say goodbye to “warrior pose.” And put away that spear.

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