Univ. of North Dakota students mock Native Americans with ‘Siouxper Drunk’ T-shirts

[caraher]

3. This is a great example of the distinction between privilege and what most recognize as racism

I don't think any of these dimwits for one second had any intention of mocking Native Americans. All they were doing, in their own minds, was making a pun using the name of their former mascot (which I'm sure they'd also tell you was, if anything, an tribute to Native Americans). I think they'd mostly be sincere about all this, and equally sincere in denying any racist motivations behind any of this.

Yet somehow they managed to do something stupendously offensive, in the name of celebrating their own drunkenness. Their privilege lies in being able to take the Sioux name as representing nothing more than a beloved, recently-lost mascot, with nary a second thought. Certainly with no thought that there were actual human beings out there who might find appropriation of their heritage to celebrate college debauchery unacceptable.