Drink's "Sexy Pilgrim & Indian Party"

Another day, another offensive Thanksgiving-themed party posted on Facebook:

Okay people here we go again...here is another nightclub that thinks it's alright to insult and disrespect Native culture and tradition! Go to their page and let them know that this will NOT be tolerated! please share and repost this so that we can get the word out... http://www.facebook.com/drinknightclub.This posting earned the usual scathing comments:Ugh...it's a sick epidemic...perhaps we should call the CDC and let them know that all these jerks have lost there minds and possibly need a vaccine??

Geez...this shit gets old...shoulda either had tuffer immigration laws or killed them off or let them all starve n freeze to begin with.

I know. This has bothered me since I was a child. Not the sexy ladies, but all references to a people and a culture as if they were a cartoon.

Their WHOLE page is insulting...but I can only concern myself with the part that is disrespective to Native people...I don't have time to educate the ignorant on manners and disrespect...

I have seen lots of these posters for Thanksgiving parties on Facebook these days. I wouldn't have thought so many people were that racist, stupid, and VULGAR. These posters are such a bad taste! It is both shameful and pitiful! :(

Besides the disrespect for Native people I would like to know, what Thanksgiving has to do with only drinking and partying, the deeper meaning is completely lost...Sex object is "flattering"?

But one woman named Denise tried to defend the posting:I'm not sure I understand why you find it insulting? Are you insulted by my profile picture, Gray? I am part Cherokee on my father's side (his grandmother), but I didn't realize that cutting and pasting my face onto a Native American girl costume background was being disrespectful. Please correct me if I'm wrong, but I did it more as an honor to be part Cherokee and think it is kind of flattering that women dress up in whatever costume they chose, and portraying Native American women as being very beautiful and sexy. I suppose the Pilgrims, if there were any alive, would be upset that they're dressing up in traditional costumes and being insulting as well. I'm sorry if I have offended you, but I guess maybe I'm being ignorant, too.My response:

You're wrong, Denise. Neither the Cherokee nor any other tribe dressed like sexy Indian princesses. You're stereotyping Native women as sex objects and setting them up to be victims of sexual crimes.

After deleting critical comments on their Facebook page, the Drink people soon backed down and posted an apology:We apologize to anyone who was offended by our Thanksgiving Eve promotion. We respect every culture and value all of our guests. We will absolutely be more sensitive to any future events and promotions.Commenters are clueless

Nevertheless, people kept making naive and ignorant comments:Okay before I make a comment...why exactly are people offended??

It doesn't make sense why ppl are offended? If u are Native American why wouldn't u be proud a club is honoring u? That is what Thanksgiving is right? If they had a St. Patrick's day event should Irish ppl be offended?If Drink portrayed the Irish as drunkards...yes, I'd say they should be offended.

I asked Drink a question:

Are you canceling the event? It's not clear.

To which they responded:We are still throwing a huge Thanksgiving Eve party, just not themed!My response to all of the above:

The club was "honoring" a false and stereotypical version of Native Americans, not real Native Americans.

Have a great party without the offensive theme!

For more on the subject, see Paul Frank's Racist "Powwow" and University of Denver's Cowboys and Indians Party.