Showing posts with label Fighting Sioux Nickname. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fighting Sioux Nickname. Show all posts

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Badgers hockey: North Dakota in future scheduling mix — if it drops 'Fighting Sioux' nickname

This is an article that I found on Madison.com that was written by Andy Baggot. Baggot is the beat writer that covers the Wisconsin Badgers hockey team and in my opinion is one of the better beat writers in college hockey.
Andy Baggot, Madison.com --- The schools have a tentative four-year scheduling agreement that could begin as early as 2014-15. It's all predicated on the status of North Dakota's nickname and if complies with a UW policy that prohibits scheduling non-conference opponents with Native American monikers deemed offensive by the NCAA.

The North Dakota Board of Education ordered the "Fighting Sioux'' nickname dropped last summer after eight years of wrangling with the NCAA over its determination that the moniker and its imagery were offensive. The NCAA requires unanimous support of local tribal leaders to approve a Native American nickname and that was not the case here.

North Dakota has been ordered by the state Legislature not to adopt a new nickname for three years.

As long as North Dakota is deemed compliant with the UW policy on Native American nicknames the teams will start playing in 2014-15.
So when I see this article, I am a little disappointed – the Fighting Sioux nickname issue is over. The Fighting Sioux nickname is gone; the University of North Dakota no longer refers to itself as the Fighting Sioux. Unless I missed something, I personally don’t see the Fighting Sioux nickname coming back. The University of North Dakota has moved on. I don’t see any reason that UND wouldn’t be compliant during the 2014-15 season.

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Home of UND Hockey; REA removes signage



As we found out yesterday, workers began removing “Home of the Fighting Sioux” from the sides of Ralph Englestad Arena. In its place it will not read “Home of North Dakota Hockey”…
Removal of the outside signage will take most of this week, according to REA spokesman Chris Semrau. It will be replaced by “Home of North Dakota Hockey” in late November when the new letters and signage are ready, he said. [Grand Forks Herald]

Friday, August 24, 2012

Is the NCAA’s Nickname policy ‘anti-Sioux’

I never thought I would see this happen but I actually think we have come full circle in this debate – first we had the NCAA telling UND that they’re hostile and abusive because the University of North Dakota used Native American imagery for their logo – now we have the Native American’s from two of North Dakota’s Tribes suing the NCAA because they say that they are discriminating against Sioux Indians. In a nut shell the Spirit Lake Tribe is basically saying that the NCAA’s policy against Native American imagery is ‘anti-Sioux’ – I think my head is spinning now.
Chuck Haga, Grand Forks Herald --- While the 1969 ceremony has been central to the nickname defenders’ campaign, the discrimination claim had not been made before, the NCAA responded in its filing Wednesday. But “even if plaintiffs had pled and preserved this claim, it has no support in fact or law” and no further oral argument is warranted.

“However sincere plaintiffs’ antipathy toward the NCAA or the policy, as the district court correctly held, they lack standing to sue,” NCAA attorney Jonathan Duncan wrote. Their appeal, he added, “is as procedurally improper as it is futile.”

Nothing in law or in the case record supports the Spirit Lake committee’s “fanciful argument that the NCAA intentionally adopted the policy as an ‘anti-Sioux’ measure designed to cause UND to repudiate its obligation under a 40-year-old oral agreement,” a claim “never asserted before now.”

Spirit Lake’s committee and Fool Bear have until Sept. 5 to respond.

Even if their appeal fails, the pro-nickname forces have said they intend to continue collecting signatures on petitions to force an initiated measure on the issue, likely in June 2014. An effort to restore the nickname through referendum failed in June.
My question to you, is the NCAA policy banning the use of Native American images and nicknames by sports teams during postseason discriminatory against Native Americans?

In conclusion, I don’t know how you would prove in a court of law that the NCAA’s Policy is discriminatory against Native Americans? Most likely the evidence would be anecdotal evidence and hard to prove. It will be interesting to see how this plays out, however, I can see this lawsuit being thrown out as well.

Tuesday, August 07, 2012

Judge Throws Out Lawsuit Over Fighting Sioux Nickname

Last summer, Six (6) Native American students from the University of North Dakota filed a lawsuit in US Federal Court demanding that UND discontinue the use of the Fighting Sioux nickname and logo by August 15. Since UND has discontinued using the Fighting Sioux nickname this law suit is no longer relevant.
Associated Press (AP) --- A federal judge says it appears the political fight over the University of North Dakota's Fighting Sioux nickname is over and has thrown out a lawsuit by six American Indian students at UND.

The suit was filed last year after the state Legislature passed a law requiring the school to keep the nickname. The law was later repealed, but retirement of the logo was put on hold when a group of nickname supporters put the issue to a statewide vote.

U.S. District Judge Ralph Erickson says the overwhelming vote against the nickname and the state Board of Higher Education's clear intent to retire the moniker renders many points in the lawsuit meaningless.

Erickson says the lawsuit does not prove direct discrimination by the state or "deliberate indifference" to rights violations.

Thursday, August 02, 2012

Fighting Sioux nickname news

Here is the latest from the Fighting Sioux nickname. While the vote this summer during the primary allowed UND to retire the Fighting Sioux nickname – there is still a petition driving currently taking place - the Fighting Sioux nickname supporters have until the 8th of August to turn in their petitions. They need to have at least 26,904 signatures to get the measure on the November ballot.
University of North Dakota to keep its Fighting Sioux nickname. The deadline for turning in petitions to Secretary of State Al Jaeger's office is midnight Aug. 8.

--------(snip)----------------

The sixth proposed measure would change the North Dakota Constitution to require that the University of North Dakota's sports teams be known as the Fighting Sioux.

In June, 67 percent of North Dakota voters approved an initiative that allows UND to retire the nickname, which the NCAA considers demeaning to American Indians.

Sean Johnson, a nickname supporter, said the constitutional amendment would prevent UND from permanently severing the link to its nickname.

"This is a different ballot measure ... It doesn't require the sports teams at UND to do anything. They don't have to wear the logo, they don't have to use the name," Johnson said Wednesday.

No decision has been made about whether to submit the Fighting Sioux amendment in time for the November election, or target the June 2014 primary, which is the next scheduled statewide election. Amendment supporters have until Dec. 12 to turn in their petitions.

"We haven't decided which election we want to have the initiated measure to be a part of," Johnson said. "We're still weighing the options, and keeping those options open
Also - according to SAB- the Spirit lake Tribe has filed their Appeal in the Lawsuit against the NCAA...

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Ramsey; Please let the Fighting Sioux nickname end

s/t to Joe Paisley. I know it’s a little old but I have yet to see it posted anywhere else – David Ramsey from the Colorado Springs Gazette has a piece on UND retiring the Fighting Sioux nickname, if you’re not familiar with Ramsey he’s a self-professed anti-Fighting Sioux nickname person – but he is also a pretty good guy as well.
David Ramsey, The Gazette --- Those who cling to the Fighting Sioux moniker have misdirected their devotion. The moniker supporters I’ve talked with are fiercely devoted to UND’s hockey team. And I must say this: UND hockey fans are among the best in college sports, right up there with Kentucky basketball fans and Alabama football fans.

But a change in the images of UND sports will do nothing, really, to alter the hockey program.

I’m a graduate of Syracuse. For decades, white guys dressed up as the Saltine Warrior, a repulsive Native American caricature. These white guys whooped and danced on the sidelines of football games while embarrassing themselves and the university.

The Saltine Warrior was dismissed in 1977, when a brave and wise chancellor named Melvin Eggers listened to the protests of local Native Americans. There was, as you might expect, a massive outcry. Longtime fans promised to boycott games. Old-timers vowed to embrace the Warrior forever.

Forever did not last long.

When I arrived in Syracuse in 1985, the Saltine Warrior was a distant memory of less-enlightened times, a symbol that did not belong in modern-day reality. And Syracuse, where Stephen Crane, William Safire, Frank Langella, Lou Reed and Vanessa Williams studied, is doing just fine without him, thank you.
Here is a perfect link on how to write a gamer/article without mentioning the Fighting Sioux nick name.
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Spirt Lake Tribe’s Committee for Understanding and Respect files appeal

Here is the latest from the Fighting Sioux nickname story – the Spirit Lake Tribe’s Committee for Understanding and Respect has appealed their lawsuit that was thrown out of by U.S. District Court Judge Raph Erickson to 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
Chuck Haga, Grand Forks Herald --- Three days after their effort to keep the Fighting Sioux nickname at UND was roundly rebuffed by state voters, nickname supporters at Spirit Lake filed documents outlining issues they want to address at the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

The tribe’s Committee for Understanding and Respect has appealed last month’s decision by U.S. District Judge Ralph Erickson to dismiss its lawsuit against the NCAA, in which the tribe argued that Sioux people were inappropriately denied “a seat at the table” in negotiations over use of the name, among other issues.

Erickson ordered the lawsuit dismissed on May 1, saying that none of the several counts brought by the pro-nickname committee stated a sufficient legal claim under federal law.

The Spirit Lake committee filed its notice of appeal on June 1 and then turned its attention to the statewide referendum it had placed on the primary election ballot through a petition drive. Last Tuesday, North Dakota voters overwhelmingly rejected that effort and voted to allow UND to retire the nickname.
So is this a losing cause or does the Spirit Lake tribe’s Committee for Understanding and Respect have a chance to have their appeal heard? Personally, I think this lawsuit will be thrown out of court. I would love nothing more than to have the NCAA lose a lawsuit in court but I don’t think this lawsuit has a chance of moving forward.
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Thursday, June 14, 2012

AP - Tribe quiet as ND voters scrap Fighting Sioux name

I have been reading the articles relating to the Fighting Sioux nickname this morning and this article jumped out at me, written by James MacPherson and Dave Kolpack of the Fargo Forum, this article has been all over the internet today and made the Miami Herald as well.
Miami Herald - Walter Twinn, 69, who still speaks his native Dakota language, said there are only a handful of people on the reservation strongly opposed to the name. He cited a 1969 pipe ceremony held on the UND campus when a delegation from Standing Rock and at least one representative from Spirit Lake reportedly bestowed to the university permanent rights to use the nickname.

"UND has helped a lot of Indian students," Twinn said. "It should stay." The Standing Rock reservation straddles the North and South Dakota border and is home to about 9,000 people, more than half of whom live in North Dakota. Elections for tribal chairman typically draw up to 2,000 voters.

Lawrence Miller, an employee at the tribe's casino, said it makes little sense to change the name. However, he acknowledges that he didn't vote. "What are they going to call themselves, the Holsteins? Or the Cow Milkers?" Miller said.

Bubba Standing Bear, who spent Wednesday herding cows on horseback, said he would have approved the measure had he been old enough to vote. "To me it really doesn't matter. It's just a name," he said. "I didn't think it was disrespectful. I know a lot of the old people might not like it but I think it is respectful."

Erich Longie, an enrolled member of the Spirit Lake tribe who has been an outspoken critic against the nickname, said UND T-shirts and other giveaways encouraged about two-thirds of 1,100 members of that tribe to endorse the name in 2009. He said only 70 people on the Spirit Lake reservation voted Tuesday.

"They didn't have all the free stuff to pass out," Longie said. "It shows you how much people cared about the vote."
This article brings up an issue – first what is the new nickname and what is it going to be – second, who is going to decide what the new nickname is going to be?

The name is in the process of eventually being changed, however, the road to finding an acceptable replacement for the Fighting Sioux nickname is going to be the next fight – we need to get out front and make sure that the school isn’t stuck with an unacceptable and downright stupid replacement nickname. We don’t need to think very hard to imagine some of the unacceptable replacement names that some have already suggested.

I am of the belief that nothing we select is ever going to be as good as the Fighting Sioux nickname that is the brutal reality. I have always said that if UND can’t be the Fighting Sioux than it should simply be “North Dakota” I know there are some that don’t like that idea. There are many UND fans that like that idea as well.

For the sake of the Alumni and school – the powers that be better tread lightly in selecting the next nickname for the University of North Dakota, there needs to be a cooling off period and the law that the state reverted back to says that no name will be selected until 2015.

There should be no hurry to select a new nickname – there are going to be some; especially the ones that wanted UND to lose the Fighting Sioux nickname in the first place, these people will try and push UND into selecting a new nickname immediately and they are going to push the issue. Those people need to have the brakes put on them. Any nickname going forward should have the input of the UND Alumni, current students and Faculty and Staff.

If not we are going to end up with a stupid nickname like “Sundogs” and we can’t let that happen.
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ND SBoHE directs UND to retire Fighting Sioux nickname

So it begins again, the retirement of the Fighting Sioux nickname is back on after the Measure four vote revealed that a majority of voters in North Dakota voted 1113,684 (Yes) to 55,114 (No) to allow UND to retire the Fighting Sioux nickname again.
Associated Press, FARGO — The state Board of Higher Education has directed the University of North Dakota to retire its Fighting Sioux nickname.

State residents voted overwhelmingly earlier this week to uphold the Legislature's repeal of a state law requiring the school to use the nickname. The moniker that the NCAA finds offensive had been brought out of retirement for a second time while the measure was decided.

Board President Grant Shaft, of Grand Forks, says there's not much more that can be said about the issue that hasn't been said already.

UND will be asked to report its progress at a later date.
As we found out before, when the Fighting Sioux nickname was first retired from January 1st until about February 7th 2012 – when 17,000 petitions were handed in at the State Capital in Bismarck, ND forcing UND to become the Fighting Sioux again – that’s it’s going to take some time getting used to not being the Fighting Sioux anymore. After Tuesday's vote, UND once again becomes the school formally known as the Fighting Sioux. Don’t expect fans to just change overnight, UND has been the Fighting Sioux for 80+ years.

That being said, you’re also going to hear and the home of the Sioux at the end of the national anthem, and you’re going to see Fighting Sioux jersey’s and gear for a very long time. The reality is that UND isn’t going to have a new nickname until 2015.
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Wednesday, June 13, 2012

A look at the numbers - Measure 4

This morning I have been looking at the numbers from last night’s and there really isn’t much to glean from them other than this voted ended up being “less” close than I thought it would. I don't think that I was the only one that was expecting a closer vote. I personally was expecting more like a 54-46 split than a vote of yes (67.35%) – No 55,114 (32.65%).
Fargo, ND (WDAY TV) - It has been a hot-button issue for years. The much talked about, much debated Fighting Sioux nickname debate. Voters are trying to decide, once and for all, whether to retire it or keep it and risk sanction by the NCAA.

Yes: 113,684 (67.35%)

No: 55,114 (32.65%)

426/426 Precincts reporting

A "Yes" vote retires the nickname. A "No" vote requires U-N-D to keep it.
I was only able to find one county Billings that voted for the Fighting Sioux nickname No 150 - Yes 148.  Another head scratcher was the low turnout at the Spirit Lake Tribe’s voting stations yesterday. According to WDAZ there were only 50 ballots counted by early yesterday afternoon – my question is where were the voters from the Spirit Lake Tribe yesterday?
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Friday, June 01, 2012

Tim O’Keefe, Grand Forks, letter: Facts explain Alumni Association’s choice

Former Fighting Hockey player Tim O’Keefe and current executive vice president and CEO of the UND Alumni Association and Foundation had this to say today in the Grand Forks, Herald.
GRAND FORKS — There has been conjecture and criticism of the unanimous decision by the management and board of the UND Alumni Association and Foundation to lead the effort to educate North Dakota voters about the importance of voting “yes” on Measure 4, which would let UND to retire the Fighting Sioux name.

The decision came after considerable discussion and due process and was based on these factors:
** Election laws prevent UND personnel from advocating a position in a political vote, rendering the university defenseless in a situation threatening the future for its students.

** Student Senate, Staff Senate, Faculty Senate, UND administration, the Athletic Department and all 17 head coaches, along with the UND Alumni Association and Foundation, are unanimous in their support of “Yes” on Measure 4.

The strength of unanimity in our group is a powerful answer to those who have questioned our integrity and credibility.

** Student-athlete recruiting is a cutthroat business, and negative recruiting is a reality. [Read the rest of the letter]
Since Tim O’keefe has kicked off his campaign to retire the Fighting Sioux nickname, Okeefe has taken a beating from some. O’keefe has been called a sell out and others have said that he was forced to come out against the nickname by the University of North Dakota administration.  
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Spirit Lake nickname supporters to appeal

Here is the latest in the Fighting Sioux nickname – A notice of intent to appeal was filed with the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals this week by lawyer Reed Soderstrom – I am not a lawyer by any stretch of the imagination, nor did I stay in a Holiday Inn Express last night, but I cant see an appeals courting taking this case. I am going to predict that the appeal will be thrown out as well. Maybe one of our resident lawyers can give us some free legal advice...
Chuck Haga, Grand Forks Herald --- Fighting Sioux nickname supporters at the Spirit Lake Sioux Tribe have signaled they intend to appeal U.S. District Judge Ralph Erickson’s dismissal of their lawsuit against the National Collegiate Athletic Association. A notice of intent to appeal was filed with the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals this week by Reed Soderstrom, a Minot attorney who represents the pro-nickname Committee for Understanding and Respect, which sued the NCAA over its efforts to have UND drop the nickname and related Indian-head logo. The committee, authorized by Tribal Council action to speak for the tribe on matters relating to the nickname and logo, had sought at least $10 million in damages from the NCAA. It also sought reversal of the 2005 NCAA policy discouraging use of American Indian names and imagery by member schools.
I love the Fighting Sioux nickname, and there is no way that the school will ever be able to replace the Fighting Sioux nickname with anything that I consider to be acceptable, but I don’t see any way UND can keep the name “unless” the Spirit Lake Tribe wins it’s appeal against the NCAA, the cards are stacked against them this time as well. I also would love nothing more than to see the NCAA lose their law suit – I think they deserved to have that happen to them because I think they are a bunch of hypocrites. I am not holding my breath but I hope the Tribe wins.
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Sunday, May 27, 2012

Advertisement in the Fargo Forum

This is a screen shot of an advertisement that was on the Fargo Forum website, just a few minutes ago. It's an advertisement for measure four voting no on the Fighting Sioux nickname.

Just for the Record I am not advising anyone how to vote on this ballot measure, that's up to you.  I just included this to show you what was on the Fargo Forum website.
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Friday, May 11, 2012

You can wear your Sioux jersey to the polls

Here is a question that some have asked – there is no problem with people wearing their Fighting Sioux gear to the polls if they want.
Chuck Haga, Grand Forks Herald --- So the question came up: When you go to the polls on June 12 to vote in the North Dakota primary election, does it matter what you wear?

More specifically, can you wear your favorite UND Fighting Sioux hockey jersey or sweatshirt when you go to vote on Measure 4, the Fighting Sioux nickname question?

The answer is a slightly qualified yes, at least in Grand Forks County.

Debbie Nelson, the county auditor, said that she heard people wondering whether such attire could lead to their being turned away from the polls, so she checked with Grand Forks County State’s Attorney Peter Welte.

“He said it’s OK,” Nelson said. “It’s not going to be an issue.”
Here is an interesting exchange between North Dakota House Majority leader Al Carlson and John Strand who is a Fighting Sioux nickname opponent. [click to view]

Wednesday, May 02, 2012

Twisting the words to fit an agenda - the Nickname cost

Yesterday it was revealed that South Dakota State University said that it would honor it’s existing contracts but wouldn’t schedule any more games until the nickname issue at UND was settled. The SID of SDSU even went on KFGO and talked about this issue.
Nick Smith, Bismarck Tribune --- O’Keefe said keeping the nickname would have a major financial impact on UND’s athletic programs. He said it also would have an economic impact on both the university and the city of Grand Forks.

He said UND is unable to play against several universities due to the nickname. Teams that won’t play UND so far are Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa and Minnesota-Morris.

O’Keefe said South Dakota State University won’t be playing UND’s football team following the teams’ next scheduled game. A cross country meet and a volleyball tournament at SDSU also have been pulled.

Justin Sell, the SDSU athletic director, told The Associated Press that the school doesn’t have a written nickname policy. He expressed surprise that the UND Foundation had brought up the issue on Tuesday. Sell said he’d spoken with UND officials a year ago about putting a hold on scheduling further games.

“To be honest with you, this kind of came out of the blue for us,” he said about the UND group publicizing the issue. “We’re just taking a wait-and-see approach until we get more information on where things sit. It’s as simple as that for us.”
Some bloggers have tried to twist the words and put out misinformation and have gone so far to say that respected UND Alumni are liars… Those are pretty big charges, but hey lets not let facts get in the way of a good argument. The words are right there in black and white and I underlined them. This is the same person that has been dead wrong or at least missing the mark through most of the nickname issue.
If you read the screen shot about and then read the paragraph that was pulled from the Bismarck Tribune article you will see that the message is pretty consistent, they are saying the same thing. I am not sure how this proves that anyone is not being forth coming. I also read where someone said that this is an old issue, it has been common knowledge that SDSU wasn’t going to play UND if they kept the Fighting Sioux nickname.


Thursday, April 19, 2012

Today is the day - Spirit Lake vs. NCAA

Today is the big day for the Spirit Lake Sioux tribe and Standing Rock Sioux member Archie Fool Bear as they will get their day in court to find out if the law suit should move forward or be thrown out of court.
FARGO (AP) — The ongoing dispute over the University of North Dakota's Fighting Sioux nickname has shifted venues from the state Supreme Court to federal court.

Attorneys are scheduled to meet in Fargo Thursday afternoon to argue whether a lawsuit by the Spirit Lake Sioux tribe and Standing Rock Sioux member Archie Fool Bear should move forward.

The suit claims several rights violations. It seeks at least $10 million from the NCAA and a reversal of its policy banning use of American Indian imagery.

The NCAA says the complaint has no legal basis and should be dismissed.

I like many other Sioux fans are interested in seeing how this law suit plays out in court. Although I am not a lawyer, I see this court case as basically the last chance for the University of North Dakota keeping the Fighting Sioux nickname.

Some legal minds have also claimed that even if the law suit is successful against the NCAA, the NCAA could turn around and tell the litigants to shove off because they already have a surrender settlement agreement that was signed by the state of North Dakota.

Wednesday, March 07, 2012

Fighting Sioux nickname supporters tell ND Supreme Court that 1969 ceremony precludes ‘civil interference’

Here is the latest news in the on-going nickname debate. Here is the link to the brief that the Committee for Understanding and Respect file in court. [Click to view]
Chuck Haga, Grand Forks Herald ---The issue before the North Dakota Supreme Court “involves more than choosing between the Legislature and the State Board of Higher Education and its powers to keep or retire the ‘Fighting Sioux’ name,” defenders of the nickname argue in a brief filed with the court late Tuesday.

Because elders of the Standing Rock and Spirit Lake Sioux tribes “gave the name ‘Fighting Sioux’ to UND in 1969 in the context of a Sioux religious ceremony,” the two tribes “must be joined as indispensable parties” under state rules of civil procedure, according to the brief filed late Tuesday by attorneys representing Spirit Lake’s pro-nickname Committee for Understanding and Respect.

They argue that “the 1969 sacred Sioux ceremony giving the Fighting Sioux name to the University of North Dakota constitutes a religious function preventing civil interference,” and that it — along with Spirit Lake’s 2009 vote and council action favoring the nickname’s use — meets the NCAA’s requirement that UND obtain authorization from the two namesake tribes. The filing is in response to Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem’s request to the court for a declaration that the nickname law adopted by the Legislature last spring is unconstitutional and that a prospective referral of the November repeal of that law be kept off the June primary election ballot.

Friday, April 15, 2011

NCAA Cancels Meeting With North Dakota Officials About Fighting Sioux Nickname & Logo

Fighting Sioux forever...
Looks like the NCAA doesn't like transparency; I still want the NCAA to look they Spirit Lake Tribe members that voted 67% in favor of UND keeping the Fighting Sioux nickname in the eye and then tell them that the Fighting Sioux nickname is hostile and abusive and that UND can’t keep the name.
Victor Meza, WDAZ --- The NCAA has canceled a meeting with UND and state officials regarding the Fighting Sioux Nickname and Logo.

The NCAA declined to attend because state officials wanted to host an open meeting according to Grant Shaft, a State Board of Higher Education member.

Shaft said just shortly after University of North Dakota's President Robert Kelly informed the NCAA of the changes to the meeting, the NCAA decided to decline the invitation to the April 22 meeting in Bismarck.

Sunday, January 23, 2011

There Are Few Consequences to UND For Keeping Sioux Identity



There never was:

Three bills are coming up for legislative hearings to save the name but Harmeson says that the argument has been over inflated and the solution is simple “There is nothing and probably never will be anything in the NCAA Constitution about rousting a team for their mascot”.

Harmeson’s simple solution is to keep the name. He says that there will be some concessions that have to be made “During any NCAA-owned event the school could not make reference to the nickname and logo”...

Harmeson during a call to the Scott Hennen Show said that the decision to keep the name during home games is one that could be made by the administration “In a minute”.


Of course the University administration and the Board of Higher education are hostile to the Sioux name.

If you remember right the prior administration, of which Harmeson was an important member, was fighting to keep the name. The Hoeven appointed Board of Higher adminstration forced an awful settlement. The North Dakota Attorney General, Wayne Stenejhem said that there would be high level meetings including Hoeven and himself with tribal leadership to keep the name.

Those meetings NEVER happened because of the elitist attitude of the State's administration. They'd rather create a sense of hostility between the members of the Indian tribes and the people of the Grand Forks and Sioux fans.

When the Spirit Lake tribe said Hell yes we want UND to be known as the Sioux the Board of Higher Education made up an issue and said that they couldn't wait for the Standing Rock Tribe to have their say.

Their manufactured reason was that we needed to drop the name to get into the Summit league. Of course that wasn't an issue, it was just an excuse to drop the name supported by Tribal Members and UND Alumni 2 to 1.

We dropped our application to the Summit, it wasn't important.

This entire thing has been about hostility by the elites on the Board of Higher Education and the University Administration to the Tribal Members and the People of Grand Forks.

The Fighting Sioux name is worth saving. The jerks on the Higher Education Board and the University Administration should shut and start working for us rather than working against us.

Cross posted from SayAnythingBlog.com

Thursday, June 03, 2010

Good news for the Fighting Sioux nickname

This seems like good news. Let hope the members of the Spirit Lake Tribe get a chance to have a vote on the issue.
FORT YATES, N.D. — The chairman of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe said today that he will present a resolution to the tribal council Wednesday to arrange a referendum on UND’s continued use of the Fighting Sioux nickname and logo.

Chairman Charles Murphy told a group of nickname supporters that his resolution would be put to the council for an up or down vote, pending certification of signatures on a petition they had presented earlier this year calling for a popular vote on the issue.

Murphy also said he would direct the tribe’s election supervisor to assist tribal secretary Adele White in certifying the more than 1,000 signatures on the petition.

Results of a referendum “shall be advisory and shall not be in derogation of the authority of the tribal council,” according to the resolution.

It further states that “any prior inconsistent action by the tribal council regarding the holding of a referendum on this matter” would be repealed.

Jesse Taken Alive, a tribal council member and a leading critic of UND’s nickname and logo, said he thought continued maneuvering by supporters was “disrespectful” to UND, the tribe and other entities who believed the matter had been resolved.

“I don’t think it will pass the council,” he said of the resolution. “Everyone is so tired of it.”

Archie Fool Bear, Tom Iron and other nickname supporters had thought the resolution would be submitted to the council today, and they waited outside Murphy’s office for four-and-a-half hours to find out why no council meeting was scheduled.

Murphy told them he had been unable to arrange a quorum for today and his schedule had filled with meetings.

“It makes my day when I can see my leader,” a smiling Iron said as he shook Murphy’s hand. “But we need some action.”

Murphy also indicated that he was eager to have the controversial issue settled.

Fool Bear told Murphy that he was “hoping this would go forward today” but he was pleased that Murphy has agreed to bring the resolution forward next week.

There still is time for the people of Standing Rock to speak, Fool Bear said, and he remains confident that a significant majority of Standing Rock voters will approve retention of the nickname and logo.

Once that happens, he said, he is confident the State Board of Higher Education will reverse its directive to UND to retire the longtime symbols.

Acting on the board’s directive, UND has begun a detailed and lengthy transition that is scheduled to have the 80-year-old nickname and the Indian head logo fade into history by fall 2011.

The draft resolution, if approved by the council, would require that “a referendum election shall be held within 60 days of the election supervisor’s notifying the tribal council of the certification.”

UND’s use of the nickname and logo was challenged by the NCAA, which deems such usage as hostile and abusive to American Indians, an opinion shared by many Indian students, faculty and counselors at UND.

In a lawsuit settlement, however, the NCAA said UND could continue to use the name if it won the blessing of the state’s namesake tribes by Nov. 30. The Spirit Lake Sioux tribe gave its OK last year, tribal members voting 2-1 in favor.

BallHype: hype it up!