OutKast has CBS apologizing again

A performance at the Grammy's by the popular recording artists OutKast led to yet another public apology from the CBS network. OutKast's performance was not sexually offensive, as the one that led to the first public apology was, but it was racially offensive to Native Americans. OutKast's Andre 3000 came out to perform the song "Hey Ya!" in what looked like a mockery of Native American clothing.  Andre's attire was just one of Native Americans concerns; the University of Southern California's marching band wore headdresses, braided wigs and war paint. There was a teepee in the background and some similarly dressed female dancers that they found insulting.  According to www.eonline.com, the Native American Cultural Center of San Francisco, California, "... called for a boycott of the network for airing OutKast's 'racist' 'Hey Ya!' production number during the Grammys." The website also stated that the group's chairman, Andrew Brother Elk, said, "We're not attacking OutKast as artists...they can go out and make fools of themselves if they want to, but we are going to question the commercialization of our symbols."  Native American groups everywhere stood up and voiced their opinions about the attire worn in the performance. The Oneida Indian Nation, based out of Oneida, New York, was one of the very expressive groups that took great offense to the performance.  A press release found on msnbc.msn.com quoted Chuck Fougnier, chairman of the Oneida Indian Nation's charitable foundation. He said, "Performances like OutKast's during Sunday's Grammy broadcast undermine the entertainment industry's dedication to diversity and use racial stereotypes in a hurtful way ... one would hope that OutKast would be sensitive to the racial concerns of others, but we absolutely expect CBS to be aware and to act to ensure such hurtful images are not broadcast."  Should the Native Americans been as slighted as they were? Some students felt that Native Americans are right to have feelings of insult and even went as far to say that OutKast should be sensitive to cultures, including their own. Junior MIS major Montrisha Bethea said, "I feel as though they should stop picking on cultures and their histories. The first issue they had with Rosa Parks should have been a warning. They should direct their clothing style and music in another direction."  Others felt that OutKast was just trying to be different as they usually are. Denise Barnes, a sophomore Nursing major said, " I don't think they (Native Americans) should have taken OutKast's actions seriously. They were not up there singing about the Native American culture, they were just trying to be different with their clothing."  What do you think?  Log onto www.theNewsArgus.com and speak your mind.