I am an alumnus of North Dakota State University living in the Twin Cities. Today is not a proud day for me.
From the Fargo Forum (sub. req.):
A skit with a black-faced white student portraying Barack Obama receiving a lap dance has sparked claims of racial insensitivity and an investigation at North Dakota State University.
Blackface. That's so early 20th Century. Now, a little context.
The NDSU Saddle and Sirloin Club and sorority Alpha Gamma Delta are at the center of the controversy for a lip-sync act performed for 500 people at the Mr. NDSU Pageant.
The skit was performed at the "Mr. NDSU" Pageant. I've been out of college for 20 years and I'll confess that I never attended this event when I was there. But, apparently, it's open to the public. So, we have someone portraying Sen. Obama in blackface and receiving a lap dance. That's fairly offensive. Here's the details of what happened.
A pageant contestant from Saddle and Sirloin [club] dressed as the woman from the popular Internet video "I Got a Crush on Obama" and performed for another student who was wearing dark makeup and an afro wig.
In the background, two male students dressed as cowboys simulated anal sex while holding an Obama sign that one student ripped at the conclusion of the 30-second performance.
So, the "woman" was contestant for Mr. NDSU, and thus, a man. And they had a simulated anal sex act being performed by someone holding an "Obama" sign.
The sorority and the president of the Saddle and Sirloin club apologized. The S/S Club president said that the students were trying to re-enact the YouTube video and did not mean to be offensive. Sure they didn't.
What about the club's advisor?
Russell Danielson, the club’s adviser, said the students involved are from rural North Dakota communities with little diversity. He plans to talk to NDSU’s diversity officer about arranging sensitivity training for the members.
"It wasn’t malicious and it wasn’t racist in any way," Danielson said. "They’re very apologetic and they realize the mistake that they made."
These students are in college, not grade school. Unless they were complete morons, they had to know what they did displayed incredible bigotry.