Justin Bieber may have finally finished high school, but it turns out he might not be very knowledgeable about the First Nations heritage.
In an interview with Rolling Stone magazine, the pop singer has caused outrage and mockery online after he made a comment about Aboriginal rights and the ways of life in Canada.
“I’m actually part Indian,” he tells the magazine. “I think Inuit or something. I’m enough percent that in Canada I can get free gas.”
Since the claim, a national group has corrected his misconception.
“Mr. Bieber’s comment that Aboriginal people are entitled to free gas is simply not true,” said Betty Ann Lavallée, national chief of the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples, in a statement.
“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.”
In addition to this, the Museum of Inuit Art in Toronto has responded by offering free admission to Bieber fans for the month of August. The museum as also invited the singer for a tour the next time he’s in town.
And while the congress can’t confirm whether or not Bieber is part Aboriginal, Vice-Chief Dwight Dorey doesn’t think the 18-year-old should be harshly criticized for his comment and has offered to help him trace his ancestry.
“Given that Mr. Bieber is still a young man, and unaware of the facts here, I personally don’t think he should be beat up over this comment. We don’t think he was trying to be malicious, or making a joke of Aboriginal issues.”
Oh Biebs…if you don’t know something for sure, it really would be best to not say it at all. You wouldn’t want to come off as an ignorant person, do you?
(SOURCE)
