That’s what the 18-year-old Canadian pop star has told Rolling Stone magazine. The trouble is: our over-produced, over-exposed, man-made spoiled brat claims to have Aboriginal roots.
But you know who’s to blame for Bieber’s ignorance? Girls. That’s right. Rolling Stone believes Bieber is “ready to be a grown-up superstar, if only those millions of screaming girls would let him think.” Seriously?
Betty Ann Lavallée, national chief of the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples, was quick to set the record straight:
These kinds of remarks are another example of what Aboriginal peoples in Canada struggle with every day. It promotes the misconception that we are somehow getting a free ride. This simply is not the case and we are concerned that many people may believe what he said.
Bieber’s utterances reflect our collective ignorance and prejudice against Aboriginal peoples. A prejudice we collectively deny. For example 600+ Aboriginal women and girls are missing or murdered in Canada and we’ve yet to express our collective outrage.
@justinbieberWhen r u going 2 Apologize 2 Aboriginal ppls n Canada 4 disrespectful comment re: “Free Gas” U R promoting racist stereotypes— Ellen Gabriel (@EllenGabriel1) July 28, 2012
From the mainstream media, no outrage whatsoever. Some headlines:
- Toronto Star: Justin Bieber gets offer of help tracing native ancestry after free gas comment
- National Post: Justin Bieber gets a lesson in native history after singer’s ‘free gas’ remarks
Photo credits: Rolling Stone
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