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URL: http://www.collegian.com/index.php/article/2010/02/cowboys_v_indians_eventsparks_tense_race_talks
Current Date: Wed, 16 May 2012 21:39:38 -0600
'Cowboys v. Indians' event sparks tense race talks
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Ty Smith, director of Native American Studies, and a group of students speak out to spread awareness about racism toward American Indian cultures Wednesday afternoon on the Lory Student Center Plaza.
Film: “In Whose Honor”
Where: Lory Student Center, Rm 228
When: today, 3:30 to 5:30 p.m.
Subject: Documentary that focuses on American Indian mascots in sports
After the film: A discussion for viewers to give perspectives about issues presented
Film: “Canary Effect”
Where: LSC Theatre
When: Feb. 9, 6 to 8 p.m.
Subject: takes an in-depth look at the devastating effect that United States policies have had on the indigenous people of America
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Ben Margolit’s profile photo on Facebook shows him wearing American Indian garb with his arm around a young woman with similar attire. It was taken about a year ago at a cowboys and Indians party.
In most crowds, it’s probably acceptable attire for such an event.
But last weekend, the sophomore civil engineering major encouraged the entire CSU community to dress the same and show up to a basketball game.
And much of that community is ticked.
In what might be the biggest social networking faux pas in recent CSU history, Margolit created a Facebook event to rally students to attend one of CSU’s biggest sports rivalries in full headdress, sparking an intense racial ignorance debate that lasted about two hours on the Lory Student Center Plaza and all day on Internet comment boards.
Margolit claims he had purely innocent intentions to strengthen Ram pride, but the event, which he posted over the weekend, immediately garnered pushback as Facebook users inundated the comment board with statements decrying the theme of his page.
When he realized that many students and faculty were offended, he immediately changed it to ask students to show up in all orange, a traditional color of old-time Aggie fans.
“I didn’t intend to hurt anyone’s feelings,” Margolit said in a phone interview Wednesday.
Members of the American Indian Science and Engineering Society and the Native American Cultural Center, who view the incident as an indicator of strong undertones of racial ignorance at CSU, organized an open forum on the Plaza Wednesday to discuss the issue with passersby.
Impromptu speakers stood on top the stump in the middle of the square and told the crowd that filtered in and out of classes from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. that racism is still a problem at CSU.
“You don’t play dress-up with people’s ethnicities,” said Tiffani Kelly, president of AISES.
But the community didn’t just react negatively to the Facebook group. Some students commented on Margolit’s Facebook event blatantly disparaging the American Indian race.
“I don’t think native american people understand how hurtful it is for me to see them wearing hollister or abercrombie,” wrote a CSU student identified as Brock Hornung. “Obviously when people get ‘enlightened’ in college it makes them bitter and unable to detect sarcasm.”
Hornung in a phone conversation with the Collegian late Wednesday that his statement was simply meant to satirize the controversy.
“I don’t want my quote to be taken in the context that I’m a racist,” he said. “I really don’t think that at all.”
Another student identified on the event’s wall as Chris Barnes wrote:
“To all ‘offended’ morons, go cry to the American sports teams still named after Native Americans like the Redskins, Reds, Indians, etc. As for the Native Americans vs. Cowboys theme and considering this race to have been hurt, was the expanding and far more advanced European people supposed to leave the entire continent alone because some primitive race wanted to worship the hallucinations they had while smoking peyote? Of course not.
Only the hippies today would sacrifice the well being of the rest of their countrymen for the sake of a culture who prided itself in their ability to conquer each other just like we did to them yet still respect nature so much that they were unable to become socially, economically and technologically advanced like our peoples. So don’t even try to draw sympathy from such pathetic events in history back when hippies like you were put in their place. If it weren’t for our annihilation of that piss poor culture you wouldn’t even have this basketball game.”
When the Collegian called him for further comment Wednesday night, Barnes declined.
Kelly read Barnes’ statement during the Plaza discussion.
“I’m really shocked by” the comments, said Elizabeth Cornish, a junior American studies major during the Plaza discussion.
“People are still writing really racist comments,” Kelly said.
Deborah Lombard, a CSU staff member who lived in South Africa during the squalid age of apartheid, the country’s legalization of racial segregation, said she saw parallels between the comment board and her previous experiences with racism.
“I’ve seen the far extent those words can go,” Lombard said.
While the campus has yet to see what will happen at the game, some forum organizers said the number of people who showed up on the Plaza to hear the speakers was encouraging.
“There’s really power in numbers,” said Asuka Nosaka, the treasurer for Shades of CSU, a group committed to university diversity, which helped organize the discussion.
Kelly and others sent several e-mails to faculty and staff to promote the open mic session to gain attention.
Jason Downing, a professor who teaches an ethnic studies course, allowed his students to leave the classroom for the discussion.
Kelly said that, although the turnout for the talk was heartening, more must be done to improve race relations at CSU.
“It’s definitely not over,” Kelly said. “Racism will never die, unfortunately.”
Regarding the new garb for the basketball game, 617 people are planning to attend in orange clothing, which Margolit is calling the “Orange Out.”
_
Staff writer Rachel Childs and Projects Editor Aaron Hedge can be reached at news@collegian.com._
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28 comments
I don’t think dressing up makes a mockery of their culture. What about the Notre Dame “Fighting Irish” mascott…clearly a caricature of my culture, yet you don’t see me up in arms. It’s not like these kids were suggesting we all wear blackface to the game.
But if these people are really that offended, I’ll leave my feathers at home for the basketball game.
I think it’s a matter of…people getting to college and thinking they’re supposed to find something to protest and be upset about. Sometimes innocent intentions are just that…it has nothing to do with racial ignorance.
Hi Duder,
The ‘fighting irish’ mascott is, laughably, nowhere near the same situation as this. Perhaps you need a re-fresher on your history.
American culture eradicated and assimilated Native American culture. We sterilized their women so they could not make Native babies. We forced their children to speak English and forget their heritage. We’ve glossed over their entire culture by glorifying the “diversity” of their ways without acknowledging the atrocious stifling of it happening simultaneously.
Might as well have Klan vs. Spooks right? Where brave “knights” chase down and lynch dirty african americans!
Does that sound racist? How is it any different from Cowboys vs. Indians? Oh wait, we were raised by TV culture that made it O.K.
Also, look up the history of Ireland. At one time the British held mockery type events where the Irish were depicted as undeveloped, basic, crude, and far “lesser” than the superior English. 1830s-Current.
You want to read perspective without malice, see Melissa Schindler’s comments on the other article from yesterday.
http://www.collegian.com/index.php/article/2010/02/020310_indians
Beautifully said, Melissa.
My brother attends this college and I have been following this very closely. We are from a biracial (Half Indian and White)back ground and I am also a professional. Being an outsider in this I see that it is a very racially geared situation. I have read the blogs, and I am telling you at this time it is not a matter of the “Indians” overreacting. The comments being said are blatantly raciest.
Because the Native and other minority students have chosen to speak out about this they are being belittled. I am disgusted by the way the non minority students are reacting to this, instead of seeing their own faults they are making more by this full on hate war. It is disgusting, and the sad thing to me is this is the next generation of professionals that are coming into the real world.
Good for all of you who are standing up to this, be careful with this situation.
“I think it’s a matter of…people getting to college and thinking they’re supposed to find something to protest and be upset about. Sometimes innocent intentions are just that…it has nothing to do with racial ignorance.”
I think it has gone far beyond that to other native american communities who are equally just as disgusted that non-natives find it humorous to play dress up in something that our ancestors were killed for wearing at one time and then forced to assimilate to another way of living. I think it is nothing less of racial ignorance. Ignorance meaning ‘lack of knowledge’, I think you should consider taking a class in Federal Indian Policy and learn what us as native people had to endure to be able to practice our culture again. We are proud of our culture and don’t find it the least bit funny when people make a mockery of us. In regards to one of the comments in the article about “I don’t think native american people understand how hurtful it is for me to see them wearing hollister or abercrombie,” wrote a CSU student identified as Brock Hornung. “ Brand names do not portray a culture or nationality.
And in regards to the ignorant Chris Barnes response, this kind of attitude toward the whole problem is what makes the situation elevate to violence. Calling us cry babies because of your lack of care or concern of another human being and telling us we should feel lucky that you annihilated us of our piss poor culture so we could have a basketball game makes my blood boil. Absolutely disgusting.
To all other natives reading this, I support your cause and hope you find justice in the midst of this.
Leslie Louie
Blackfeet Tribal Member
People just want to complain about something.
This isn’t a big deal.
Oh, please, people! Give your victim status a rest. Stop your pathetic whining. Stop pointing at the “non-minorities” as the source of all your problems. Dear God, if hurt feelings were gold you would be wealthy beyond belief. I’ve never seen skin so thin as I have in this pathetic display of political correctness. And “hate war” … oh my, shut the hell up. I hate whining and politically correct b.s. like the reaction this ridiculous story is getting. There are people dying around the world, oppressed, abused, raped, killed, slaughtered… and you are crying because someone played dress-up. “They put on feathers and war paint! Those hate-filled racist bastards!” Are YOU ashamed of YOUR heritage? Dear God, how pathetic!
In response to the above statement from “Oh, Please!” that “There are people dying around the world, oppressed, abused, raped, killed, slaughtered… “
You are right. And, if you consider your own word carefully, you should have much compassion and understanding why such activities as playing dress-up like Indians is offensive. Your words describe precisely the history of Native Americans, in that they were oppressed, abused, raped, killed, slaughtered…
The bottom line is, we are RAMS. You are going to a sporting event to support your team, not some party. Wear YOUR colors loud and proud. Dress up like RAMS.
We will never agree which side is right and which is wrong. The best thing is for everyone is to be educated on the issue. No, it wasn’t asked that we dress as blackface but dressing as indians is the equivelent in the native american culture. Yes, there are other schools that have indian themed mascots but if you did your research, the NCAA is trying to rid those schools of those mascots. Just because you, individually, are not offended doesn’t mean someone else, or an entire culture isn’t.
You are representing Colorado State University at this event, not your political beliefs. GREEN and GOLD, or apparently Aggie Orange. Support your team.
SERIOUSLY! “The irony”…. “consider your own word carefully”…. “the history”….
The “irony” is that you believe dressing up as an “Indian” is in ANY way a mockery of the history of the native American people, and that it is being done to offend or hurt anyone in a racist or hateful way. Bring me a living native American that was alive and “oppressed, abused, raped, killed, slaughtered…” back in the day when this DID happen and I will give you my next paycheck. We can trace abuse and oppression back through just about anyone’s lineage, but in most, if not all cases, we can find instances where we ALL have abused and oppressed others as well. We are human. It is in our nature to be bastards when we get the chance.
It’s the whining and living the victim mentality every time we get the chance that is offensive. DO something with your life other than complain about how someone is hurting your feelings. Do something extraordinary with your life other than play a victim! Take responsibility for YOU.
It’s “astounding” to me how innocence is turned into guilt… how apologies are demanded when no wrong doing has been done, nor was it ever intended. It is astounding how weak and vulnerable we have become as Americans, unwilling to cease the agonism, and have meaningful, rational conversation about realities, not mere perceptions of such, nor knee-jerk reactions on behalf of an entire people.
The native American people, as a whole, have a great history that predates any wrong that was committed against them. They are greater than the victims they are painted as. They have suffered much but have also accomplished much, and are not, themselves, without blemish, as are any of us. Why then are we, non-native-Americans painted with a brush from the past and yet to do the same, without any malice, of these great people is somehow offensive? I find that those who dress as these people once dressed honor the memory of their greatness rather than mock whatever weakness or victim status we would disgracefully place upon their current generation.
I hope that the native peoples of this land will stand up and be great once again, not victims seeking excuses, nor a “once great” people brought down by injustice, but a living, thriving people, proud of their heritage, emerging stronger through adversity.
I will honor them through the imitation, the best I can, of the wardrobe and adornments of a people I know to be a great people. To not do so, out of kowtowing to ignorance of true motive, would itself be offensive.
I recognize how some people do not understand how dressing up as Indians is offensive. I do not blame them. The educational system teaches us virtually nothing about the history of Native Americans post-contact. So, if you do not understand why this was offensive to us, why not TRY to understand? We are at an institute of HIGHER education. We are here to learn. The awful reactions to the mere fact that the Native community was offended are the worst part of this. My ancestors fought VERY HARD, often sacrificing their lives, so that my culture would not be erased. I would have to be void of human emotion to not find comments that my fellow students wrote offensive, “was the expanding and far more advanced European people supposed to leave the entire continent alone because some primitive race wanted to worship the hallucinations they had while smoking peyote? Of course not. Only the hippies today would sacrifice the well being of the rest of their countrymen for the sake of a culture who prided itself in their ability to conquer each other just like we did to them yet still respect nature so much that they were unable to become socially, economically and technologically advanced like our peoples. […]If it weren’t for our annihilation of that piss poor culture you wouldn’t even have this basketball game.” Thank you to all of those in the community who have supported the Native Americans on campus it means a lot.
Bring me a living native American that was alive and “oppressed, abused, raped, killed, slaughtered…” back in the day when this DID happen and I will give you my next paycheck.
Well pay up then because alot of our grandparents alive TODAY were just that group! They were oppressed, forced into boarding schools, raped by priests, and when they didnt reform to their ways some were killed. They were beaten for speaking there own language! Now imagine being thrown into another country and being forced to speak a language you didnt know otherwise be beaten for it.
To CSU ALUM- THANK YOU for having an open mind to what others may percieve this to be and stating the facts that YES YOU ARE Rams – NOT INDIANS and to be proud of what you are bottom line.
OH PLEASE….I would be glad to discuss this matter with you over the phone if you think you want to battle with your words.
Wow. All I can say is wow. This is the future of our country. Leslie, it amazes me, the ability of some victim groups that miraculously stay alive for centuries, well beyond any other living people, to remain victims. And somehow that victim-hood is transferred to the current generation so that they can claim it too. On top of it all, I love the idea that somehow, dressing up in honor of these people, an imitation of a time when they were still great and glorious, is offensive! This is ridiculous and unwarranted. This embracing of wounds from the past, by people who didn’t suffer them, is outrageous and intolerable. Native Americans should be offended by this attempt to summarize them as victims and outcasts only! Shame on those that would perpetuate wrongs on a people who need to move forward, leading their children into greatness, before they die old, seeking vengeance.
Shame, are you kidding me? You think that the loss of our language doesn’t affect the younger generation? You think the loss of our lands doesn’t affect our generation? Were getting way off subject but no one was dressing up as indians ‘in honor’ here. We are still great and glorious and this whole issue isn’t over pity. It is over complete disrespect of a complete culture and nationality. The reason I personally am offended over it is because all the person who started this mess had to do was apologize and state that it wasn’t intentional and he was sorry for upsetting the Natives on that campus. But PRIDE got in the way of that….‘i did nothing wrong…i dont need to apologize’ . So basically as long as we didn’t intentionally do anything we don’t have to be sorry anymore?
We aren’t ‘victims’ either. As far as I have seen they are expressing WHY it offends us to play dress up with what is our life.
anyway, i don’t care to carry on the arguments over what has never been resolved and may not ever fully be resolved because of peoples lack of educating themselves or due to just complete jerks who want to demean our culture more.
My main reason for coming here and voicing my thoughts and opinions is to let the Natives at CSU know that you are supported, even from afar. Wish I could be there helping you make your message clear. My prayers are with you all that this ignorance will not turn to rage.
Why do they have to be supported? No one has wronged them in this situation.
I have learned a lot about the Native American community, culture and volunteered to rebuild houses on the reservation in Wakpala, South Dakota. I respect everything there is to learn about the true original North American culture. I also know when something was done out of pure accident. Margolit meant nothing bad by creating that event. He was trying to be creative and think of what the whole student body could do to combat the cowboys. The fact that his picture is of him at a party over a year ago is irrelevant and shouldn’t even be considered because clearly the kid isn’t a racist.
I attended the discussion for a short time in the plaza and heard one of the opening speakers as saying the event said “to get drunk because that’s what our culture does.” In no way was that ever said on the event. Every basketball event says to party, and rage. It’s not like it was specifically because it was Native American that Margolit proposed everyone should drink.
Now, I know that this event was made out of purely fun and games and that it was in no way supposed to negatively reflect the culture of the Native Americans. I agree that it might have been too far as it’s usually such a sensitive topic. But seriously, stop calling people racist for doing something like this. Stop accusing people of something they are not, because you feel so passionately for something. It’s not right. He took the event down and changed it when there was an out cry. END OF STORY. CSU isn’t filled with racist people. Get over the lack of judgement when trying to call for school spirit. Mistake was made, lesson was quickly learned, it’s over.
Ben Margolit is not a racist. This article is clearly biased, especially when making generalizations like “And much of that community is ticked.” Perhaps you should reconsider who the real villain is in this situation, people like Ben who made an innocent mistake? Or people who will crucify him even when he didn’t mean to hurt anyone.
The point isn’t whether or not Mr. Margolit is a racist. The point is that his rally for students to “dress up as Indians” was misinformed—or probably uninformed. The fallout was all of this discussion and debate. During the discussion over the past few days there have been comments made that continue to be ignorant, disrespectful, and even hostile. So, unfortunately, this is not the END OF STORY, as “Doesn’t Matter” states above.
It’ll be the end of the story when people stop finger pointing at who was wrong and go back to how things were. The public is better informed about this sensitive topic and this issue will clearly be avoided in the future. Special education is being advertised around CSU, it’s time everyone gets over what happened and move on. Sure, there are people continuing to try to be “cool” behind a keyboard and say ignorant, disrespectful, and hostile things but I think we can all determine them as being immature, ill informed and that they shouldn’t be taken seriously like “Community Member” does. Mistakes were made, corrected, some people are too ignorant. END OF STORY
Now I can partially understand where everyone is coming from. We have to however reach an area of mutual respect, in an environment where free speech (even in the form of dressing up) is respected. The Native American culture, in my mind, is one of the most respectable cultures that exist. Their spirituality, and the richness of their culture has always astounded me, and I have always been very interested in the culture. Now we must also look at Western culture, the area we live in used to be home to “Cowboys.” I also respect that way of life, the freeness, and openness of the west, with the conflicts that inevitably ensued. Yes the Native American people have suffered great atrocities over the years, but they are not innocent in their own standing. Even before Europeans set foot in America there were wars between Indian tribes. Now when looking into the past no actions are excusable, but with the issue that has arisen I think drama and political correctness may have taken over facts and intentions. As I have stated I respect the Native American culture, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to throw away all my old John Wayne movies. I think there have been overreactions, as well as a very malicious response. Both sides need to be respectful and calm down. This event was intended to be fun, in the same harmless way that 5 year olds will always play cowboys and Indians. Let’s all just take a deep breath, calm down, and then have a rational two sided discussion.
to Thomas Anderson: perhaps it is you who needs a history lesson. the Irish were systematically tortured, starved and raped by the English for hundreds of years, and then upon emigration were relegated to underclass status and denied employment in the US. many of the men were forced into brutal street fighting events to feed themselves, due to their oppression.
This is where the mascot name comes from. It’s not what the Native Americans experienced, but the Irish WERE one of the most oppressed people of all time, so don’t try to minimalize that.
Doesn’t Matter:
I’m wondering why you think that because it is the end of the story for you, it means the end of the story for all those impacted this week. I don’t think you understand that when ignorant, disrespectful, and hostile things are said, people often take them seriously. Attacks on a persons very being is not so easy to disregard. Yes, you can chalk the comments up to the fact that people are unaware. But, those comments create an environment that is not so welcoming or hospitable. It’s unfortunate that students, in a place of advanced learning, would have to be targeted with statements from their peers that take direct aim at harming them. And then, when these targeted students respond negatively to the derogatory statements, they are criticized for being overly sensitive and overreacting.
Modern society worries way too much about “political correctness” and not enough bout “being correct”. As Americans we are all encouraged to fully embrace our heritage and respective cultures. However, playing the “victim” card towards something so obviously innocent is not going to help your cause. In fact, if anything, it is detrimental to your cause (whatever that cause may be).
Now you have a good portion of this community looking at you (and probably your heritage) in a darker light, all because you had to make a big deal out of nothing.
Congratulations on that!
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duder
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