Ah, so I was asked to write this post on the IV Dialogue Series Tumblr, about the brouhaha that has erupted over the Chronicle article dealing with the PiKap party with a Thanksgiving theme of “Pilgrims and Indians”. Which if you haven’t read yet is http://dukechronicle.com/article/pi-kapp-party-fuels-anger here.
It was picked up on Jezebel soon afterwards.
http://jezebel.com/5865169/duke-brodudes-invite-pochahotness-to-attend-pilgrims-and-indians-themed-party
This also seems to be the first post post that anyone has actually written on the blog so no pressure. If the end product ends up lacking I’m apologize in advance. Usually I don’t like these sorts of posts, because it’s difficult for a static position such as this post, to completely cover and respond to a dynamic one, ie comments, but I will do my best.
So just as a brief debrief, the party had a Pilgrims and Indians theme, where the participants were advised to dress as one or the other along, and has caused quite a lot of controversy and anger from Duke’s Native American population due to the stereotyping and caricaturization of Native American culture and society which occurred at the party. And if you were to read the comments on the topic they seem pretty harshly split between a group of people who feel that the party was an offensive affront to everything Duke should stand for, “This would not be allowed with any group, and it’s terrible and racist, and tolerating it is terrible and racist.” and another group who believes that the article and the reaction against the party is an overreaction, political correctness gone mad, and really not a big deal. “Why should every frat have to be completely in touch with historical accuracy, it was just for fun, loosen up.”
I sympathize more with the first group of people, mainly because I think their point is true. It is racist and very insensitive to kind of play off for laughs an event and an encounter where a few decades later the native population who had eaten with The Pilgrims were wiped out. And I can sympathize why the Native American population here at Duke would feel very hurt to have their culture and history reduced to a sort of game, or joke, especially after 200 or so years of oppression and caracturization already.
But allow me a moment to perhaps stand up for the people in the other group. I don’t believe they’re hateful people, or that most of them probably aren’t racist. The problem I dont’ think is hatred. The problem is apathy.
Which is what I’d actually like to focus my reflection on. Since I could go on and on about how I think the sexualization of the Native American culture was inappropriate, or how the Algonquin tribes didn’t live in tepees, or why we dont’ call it indian style anymore and why we shouldn’t and on and on but I dont’ think I’d ever be able to cover all the bases I’d need to nor would I be able to change the minds of anyone or even get to what I think is the root of the problem.
Apathy.
In that I don’t think most or even a sizable portion of the people who defend the party are racists. I don’t think any of them would say they hate Native Americans. But what I read from all the comments was the feeling that it doesn’t matter. That the culture and heritage of people we spend time on campus with, our fellow Dukies, is not something to be terribly concerned about. It’s happened before, it’s nothing crazy, move along nothing to see here. And that’s terrifying. That we could share this space, with people we claim to share a bond with, yet so casually disregard their interests or concerns, and label them as trite niceties. (This goes both ways by the way. Frats are often stereotyped and beaten down without a second thought by many of us.)
We are often told when we’re young to “love our neighbors”. But this is only half the picture. We are not called to “love our neighbors AS OURSELVES” What is missing is respect, concern for when other groups on campus bring up concerns and hurts we give them barely a fraction of the weight we would our own complaints and problems.
And to be clear I don’t think that PiKap, or any of the parties defenders should be bullied into having to say they’re bad people for holding this party. The point is not to place the offended party in a place of power over the offender. I’m calling for a deeper understanding. That we seek out and love and know our fellow Dukies as we ourselves know and care about ourselves and our own pasts ambitions, lives cultures, history, and families. And that’s not to say we won’t do something to offend someone, but we shouldn’t be quick to hang those who do. We should reach across to them, and forgive them as easily as we are wont to do with our own mistakes. And love them as we so often narcissistically and easily love ourselves.
And that isn’t to say we aren’t to speak out when we see injustice, or when we’re hurt. But the hand we reach out should not be one to heap out scorn. It should be a hand of one flawed person to another.
So to sum up, I believe that a greater dialogue and visibility of the Native American population here at Duke. But unless we change our mindsets, and unless we chose and try to love others as ourselves, it will be nothing more than a poor salve on a gaping wound. In the article the president of the Native American Student Alliance speaks of about preventing future outbreaks, but without changing something fundamental with how we deal with each other, she will not have real success. Contrary to popular belief getting a horse to water it would avoid is rather difficult, let alone getting it to drink.
Apathy, must first become respect, and finally followed by true love for our classmates before any real change will happen. Not just in regard to this issue, but many issues on campus, would be improved and healed. (perhaps this is a bit sweeping. But I do sort of believe it.)
And to Duke IV’ers who are reading this that’s my call. I know lots of you feel very strongly about this. I know many of you have expressed anger and outrage. But I would encourage you to always extend love and understanding, especially to those who disagree with you.
-Ruiji
