A poster for the All American Rejects concert upset the Native American Students Association (NASA) because of an offensive image depicted in promotional material for the concert.
One of the band members is pictured wearing a headdress on the poster for the Northern Arts and Entertainment (NAE)-sponsored event.
The depiction of a white male wearing a headdress is a simplistic view of the Native American culture. The other band members are all wearing some form of costume: a headdress, a mustachioed mask, a naval cap and a crown.
Reducing the importance of the headdress, to the same level as that of a mustachioed mask or naval cap, debases an entire culture while simultaneously promoting a university-funded event.
It is unnerving, then, that funds derived from the Student Activity Fee (SAF), which is comprised of a fee of $31.72 collected from every student as part of their tuition were used to create this poster.
Money from the SAF should not be used for the purposes of creating content that offends ethnic groups of any kind.
Northern Michigan University is a place which encourages diversity and acceptance of other cultures. The atmosphere on this campus should promote equality while encouraging students to roll back the tides of racial and cultural ignorance.
In the future, student organizations should review materials before widely publicizing offensive images of other cultures.
