All of those whose comments were deleted got the same response from Kate Clinton. Here it is:
(It was more than several, and many of them had some very good things to say)
"Several Native Americans have told me that they find the plan to Sage the White House a co-optation of a sacred ritual. My intention was not to co-opt but to embrace the optimistic, cleansing spirit of the ritual. I apologize for my white insensitivity.
Since I have often saged a new writing space, or a new office to get rid of the prior occupants vibe and begin anew, I thought saging would be a good beginning of the huge clean-up effort necessary after eight long years of George Bush.
Mindful of the rich traditions of the people who were here first, we are recalibrating our action and will encourage people to bring more secular symbols of clean-up: brooms, Lysol spray, Shout-it-Out.
Again, my apologies and an invitation to join us all in the clean-up effort."
She says she's "recalibrating" her action to include secular cleaning products, but she hasn't answered anyone's question as to whether she will eliminate the use of sage. She put the video back up after it was removed by YouTube as innapropriate and racist.
Pensmoke posted a pretty funny reply:
"Spontaneous chants? Are you serious? Why don't we all just do some spontaneous white lesbian things? How about we get some ladies to dress in some authentic butch lesbian regalia and play Melissa Etheridge and burn some bras too. If you are going to put on some sideshow you should leave other peoples' culture and practices out of it. "
Aaaaaaaayyyyyeeeeeeeeeee!
She tried to invite her strongest critics to come to D.C. to teach the woo-woos how to do it right.
If you look at Kate's YouTube site, you can see that most of her friends and subscribers are white woman. Very little color.
Lots of cat lovers, though
reddrumroad posted this
Kate! Please do not mistake a few "entitled" white people's complaints - i.e. queen [redacted], as being anything but their own bossy bigotry. They do not speak at the bequest of ANY traditional Native Spiritual leaders - who, last time I listened, have clear voices of their own. Until you hear from someone actually directed by a Native Spiritual Elder (who will then tell you by name who that Elder is, compete with contact information for verification) please take the rantings and ravings of the newly-offended- by-everything-they-themselves-used-to-do with a grain of salt.
She just recently re-posted several comments blaming the censorship on the YouTube technicians -- it could be that YouTube shut down the video because of all the complaints, but let her put it back up again?
?
She'll probably loose face big time if she backs out of the event because it's advertised everywhere:
http://www.progressive.org/mag/wxclinton111908.html?disqus_reply=4579587#comment-4579587http://current.com/items/89645795/saging_the_white_house.htmhttp://www.syracuse.com/today/index.ssf/2008/11/cny_teacherturned_humorist_hea.htmlhttp://digest.fanasylum.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=1644She's been advertising this full throttle since early November, so I don't see how she can bow out of it gracefully.
I got this from the Iktome crowd today:
UPDATE:
Over this weekend, when Native people on YouTube pointed out how offensive this video was, Ms. Clinton’s response was to immediately censor their responses. She then tried to blame it on the YouTube “technical team??? and went on vacation until January 7, 2009.
Please go to this video and flag it as inappropriate and send comments directly to Ms. Clinton.
She will probably delete all the comments you post on YouTube, so you need to send her a personal message or send a message to:
askk8t@kateclinton.com
or
kate@kateclinton.com
Even though numerous Native YouTube subscribers requested an apology, Ms. Clinton ignored their request.
You can visit her website to see if she apologizes in the coming weeks at:
http://www.kateclinton.comSeveral other Native YouTube posters have written to us and asked that fellow activist post this info to as many other newsletters and boards as possible and organize an action to STOP this minstrel show.
To add insult to injury, Ms. Clinton plans to stage her updated secular spectacle on Martin Luther King Junior day.
Perhaps the Obama White House should know how Native America really feels
about cultural misappropriation.
Remember, hand written letters are the most effective, then phone calls, then email.
Mailing Address
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500
Phone Numbers
Comments: 202-456-1111
Switchboard: 202-456-1414
FAX: 202-456-2461
TTY/TDD
Comments: 202-456-6213
Visitors Office: 202-456-2121
E-Mail
Please send your comments to comments@whitehouse.gov
These are general numbers to the White House.
Obama's website says that the Presidential Transition Team is now
accepting comments at
www.change.govThere's an email contact form here:
http://change.gov/page/content/contactHe still has an email at his senate address
http://www.senate.gov/You can write Barack Obama a letter to any of his five senate offices
for issues related to the state of Illinois, or to his campaign
headquarters for issues related to his presidential candidacy.
SENATE OFFICES
Washington D.C. Office
713 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
Chicago Office
John C. Kluczynski Federal Office Building
230 South Dearborn St. Suite 3900 (39th floor)
Chicago, Illinois 60604
Springfield Office
607 East Adams Street
Springfield, Illinois 62701
Marion Office
701 North Court Street
Marion, Illinois 62959
Moline Office
1911 52nd Avenue
Moline, Illinois 61265
PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN HEADQUARTERS
Obama for America
P.O. Box 8102
Chicago, IL 60680
Finally, you can pick up the phone and reach any of Barack Obama's
five senate offices or his campaign headquarters in an instant.
SENATE OFFICES
Washington D.C. Office (202) 224-2854
(202) 228-4260 fax
(202) 228-1404 TDD
Chicago Office (312) 886-3506
(312) 886-3514 fax
Toll free: (866) 445-2520 (for IL residents only)
Springfield Office (217) 492-5089
217) 492-5099 fax
Marion Office(618) 997-2402
618) 997-2850 fax
Moline Office (309)736-1217
(309)736-1233 fax
PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN HEADQUARTERS(866) 675-2008
Thanks"
They're looking for people in the D.C. area to stage a counter-protest and I think someone said they were working on a rebuttal video. Creative ideas are appreciated: iktome.returns@gmail.com
For a comedian, Clinton doesn't seem to have much of a sense of humor.
Rose