Can we all just please CHILL!

According to Reuters, CBS has just apologized for the fact that a musical number at the Grammys had an American Indian motif. Let's hear that again. They apologized for a motif. This motif was not, in fact lethal. No one was beaten mercilessly about the head and neck with this motif. No one was stabbed in the leg by this motif. There was not even any apparent ill-will behind this motif. The quite talented band behind the number, Outkast, just thought it would be cool.

The Reuters article states that:

"It was the most disgusting set of racial stereotypes aimed at American Indians that I have ever seen on TV," NACC board member Sean Freitas said in the online statement. "It was on par with white people dancing sexually in black face, or yarmulkes ... I am shocked and outraged."
NACC Chair Andrew Brother Elk said he has lodged a formal complaint with the Federal Communications Commission over the telecast, which he branded as "racist TV programing.

What is wrong with people that they can get their underpants in such a vicious knot over a three minute musical number?!? It's a bleedin' musical number people!!! It does not have to be an historically accurate docudrama! What do these people want, footnotes?

Let's all just agree to chill out. Somebody makes fun of your country, ethnic group, height, weight, or the color of your pantaloons, deal with it! The combination of a thin skin with the lack of any sense of humor is responsible for more death and misery than pretty much anything else.

So remember kids: sticks and stones may break my bones but musical motifs will never hurt me.

Posted by Andrew Coulson at February 15, 2004 09:19 AM | TrackBack