One of the points I particularly like is that North Dakota uses a Native American figure on its Highway Patrol vehicles and state highway signs. As previously pointed out by others, including the president of UND himself, that little tidbit first appeared six months ago right here on the Bismarck-Mandan Blog. I’m glad we’re all on the same page here.
Here’s a brief excerpt, although I suggest you read the entire article:
Members of the Standing Rock judicial committee visited UND early in 2006 to assess the situation for themselves. “We spoke to everyone, from students on the street to people at the gas station,” says Fool Bear. “Not one gave us any evidence of racism. We went to a hockey game, and they talked about the courage and integrity of the Sioux people. We looked at each other like, ‘Wow, we don’t even honor our Sioux warriors or veterans like this on the reservation.’ ”
White Mountain recalls the committee’s meeting with a UND group that opposes the name. “I asked them, ‘What tribe do you belong to?’ ” he says. “Not one was a Sioux Indian.”This group insisted that the name promotes racism on campus,” adds Fool Bear. “I told them, ‘Put any instances of abuse in writing.’ Today, I’m still waiting — I haven’t gotten one complaint.”
If anything is “hostile and abusive” at UND, it’s the way that some activists treat Indian students who take a different view.
“Our young people go there to get an education,” says Fool Bear. “When they arrive, they’re asked, ‘What do you think of the logo?’ If they have no problem with it, they are badgered and harassed for four years.”
Let’s not forget, as this article mentions, that the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe sent a delegation to UND in 1968 to formally grant the right to the Fighting Sioux nickname. I’ve seen historical photos of this event, even on local TV newscasts. Are the enemies of the nickname now going to ignore that it ever happened?
It would seem that UND has an airtight case from a common sense point of view. Liberalism, however, has forever defied common sense…so it will be interesting to see how this plays out. Hopefully the “politically correct” movement won’t win the day. They should quit interjecting themselves into situations like this, creating racism where there is none and punishing an institution that has arguably done more for Indian education than any other NCAA organization anywhere.
Huge thanks to my friend Shari G for the tip.