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Letter: Reader questions priorities of OutKast critics
Posted: February 12, 2004 - 9:55am EST
Dear Editor,
I find it simultaneously encouraging and disturbing that so many Natives are paying so much attention to the Outkast Grammy performance. I am refreshed that Natives feel so strongly about something that they would spend their time,
energy and resources to make their opinion felt on such a weird and inaccurate image. I find it disturbing because one would think that there would be other, more pertinent matters to address for Indian country.
Although nobody contends that pop culture does not matter, or that the performance was in any way tasteful, there seems to be a cornucopia of concerns that might merit just as much passion. For example, I would think that the efforts to cut funding for United Tribes Technical College should receive at least as much attention and letters to the editor as a rap
performance. I would hope that the recent 9th Circuit Court decision that somehow circumvents the Native American Grave Repatriation Act and allows for inspection of the so called "Kennewick Man" would receive at least
ten times the amount of attention as a pop music group. I would pray that all of the people that are writing the letters about OutKast’s performance are also spending their valuable time writing their Congressmen and Congresswomen
about all the Native children left behind in the "No Child Left Behind" initiative.
It is beautiful to be zealous and passionate about something. I think, however, that it is irresponsible to think that this is the only "hot issue" to be passionate about; there are too many Natives with much more pressing needs -
healthcare, food, supervision and education. I think that we Natives that do not have such immediate needs look for bourgeois causes to serve as euphemisms for the work that really needs to be done.
- Gyasi Ross (Blackfeet Nation) Columbia Law School Graduate, Washington,
D.C.
Posted: February 12, 2004 - 9:55am EST
Dear Editor,
I find it simultaneously encouraging and disturbing that so many Natives are paying so much attention to the Outkast Grammy performance. I am refreshed that Natives feel so strongly about something that they would spend their time,
energy and resources to make their opinion felt on such a weird and inaccurate image. I find it disturbing because one would think that there would be other, more pertinent matters to address for Indian country.
Although nobody contends that pop culture does not matter, or that the performance was in any way tasteful, there seems to be a cornucopia of concerns that might merit just as much passion. For example, I would think that the efforts to cut funding for United Tribes Technical College should receive at least as much attention and letters to the editor as a rap
performance. I would hope that the recent 9th Circuit Court decision that somehow circumvents the Native American Grave Repatriation Act and allows for inspection of the so called "Kennewick Man" would receive at least
ten times the amount of attention as a pop music group. I would pray that all of the people that are writing the letters about OutKast’s performance are also spending their valuable time writing their Congressmen and Congresswomen
about all the Native children left behind in the "No Child Left Behind" initiative.
It is beautiful to be zealous and passionate about something. I think, however, that it is irresponsible to think that this is the only "hot issue" to be passionate about; there are too many Natives with much more pressing needs -
healthcare, food, supervision and education. I think that we Natives that do not have such immediate needs look for bourgeois causes to serve as euphemisms for the work that really needs to be done.
- Gyasi Ross (Blackfeet Nation) Columbia Law School Graduate, Washington,
D.C.
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