and yes, I know dreads have a religious significance but ….. when I see someone of European descent wear them I tend approach with caution……”While most Rastafari sects welcome all ethnicities and the history of locks attributes the hairstyle to almost all ethnic groups, some blacks who attach strong ethnic meaning to locks disapprove of the wearing of locks by white people viewing such practice as a form of cultural appropriation.
In white counterculture, locks have become popular among groups such as the “anti-globalization” movement and environmental activists (such as Swampy, well-known in the 1990s). One issue of SchNEWS, an English anarchist newsletter, described the coming together of striking dockworkers and green protesters as “Docks and dreadlocks come together”. [4] Some people also describe them as “neo-hippies.”

but those are my own prejudices…..

for a history, or at least a little something on dreads go to…

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dreads