Racism or Cultural Insensitivity?

As a Haitian-American woman, a four-year member of the Dartmouth women's crew team and a passionate ally of the Native and Latino communities, my commitment to all three groups compels me to be that "vox clamantis in deserto." I am not here to absolve my teammates (men and women) of guilt for their lack of cultural sensitivity and forethought in light of the "Cowboys and Indians"-themed formal, but I do want to make one thing clear: The decision by members of the crew teams to dress up as Indians does not equate them with being racist. The teams should be accountable for their actions and they were.