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No Doubt Pulls Racist Video After Protests

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If Gap’s recent “Manifest Destiny” t-shirtUrban Outfitter’s Navajo panties, and the hipster fetish of wearing headdresses weren’t enough, check out ska-rock group No Doubt’s video for their song “Looking Hot”. The video premiered yesterday replete with nearly every stereotype of Native people in the book. Although the group pulled the video after protests, you can still view it here: http://www.slack-time.com/music-video-15474-No-Doubt-Looking-Hot.

No Doubt’s apology is hollow. They state that their intention “was never to offend, hurt or trivialize Native American people, their culture or their history.” Let’s be clear: No Doubt is a commercial rock group promoting a single and their intentions were to profit from a concept they found no objection to throughout the entire production process. No Doubt also state, “we consulted with Native American friends and Native American studies experts at the University of California.” Was the consultation meaningful? Evidently their friends and the scholars at UC need a bit more than a cultural sensitivity lesson.
Regardless of their apology, No Doubt’s actions feed into the growing trend of racist hyper-fetishism of Indigenous culture.
This trend of cultural appropriation and callous disregard for Indigenous cultures is no aberration. The fight to address racist stereotypes of Native peoples has been raging for years, from addressing the Cleveland Indian’s mascot “Chief Wahoo” to the Washington Redskins, our struggle is far from over.

If you really want to honor us, support our struggles to protect our lands and culture. No doubt.

~ Klee Benally

 

 

 

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Comments (8)

They whole incident just reeks of “accidentally on purpose” PR stunt. 🙁

You misspelled fetishism, but otherwise it was good. Keep raging!

Thanks John. Change made.

Clisby Cummings Locklear

I am Native, and I love Gwen, and the boys. Which is why when I saw the video, I felt the full weight of its meaning, inference and outright message of the subjection of an entire people, without consequence, censure, or common sense. They made a mockery of my people, in every way that seems possible, and then some. I am not angry or mad, just disappointed that a media wise,savvy group would make an opportunity to offend, hurt and trivialize a people who have been here for well over 11,000 years, and still survive. As a UC Berkeley Alumni, I am also bothered by the fact that anyone in LA or Hollywood, would justify such actions on such felonious grounds as talking to Native Americans and the people in the NA Studies Department at UC. I beg clarification on this and hope that it does not include our department at Cal. They left me with No Doubt, that I will never buy or listen to their music (my jams) again. Sad.

history is still being made… but just on another fools face… “No Doubt” about that…

[…] the video may not go as far as No Doubt’s recent “Looking Hot” debacle, it still perpetuates a trend that is best addressed at NativeAppropriations.com. Follow the link […]

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