[Northcountry]

It may be meaningless, but I found the story on UMary basketball player Ray Graham changing his name to be interesting in an ironic sort of way. It may be only my personal bias that colors the story, but I think it poses some interseting questions.

Ray E. Graham was first recruited as a basketball player under the name Ray Taken Alive. When I read this story I wondered first if he was related to Ira and Jesse Taken Alive (Ira has tried twice to have the ND legislature enact legislation to force UND to drop the Sioux name and Jesse made GF Herald headlines when he transferred to USD to get away from the "hostile and abusive" environment of UND). If so, did that have anyting to do with his decision?

Secondly, I wondered how Mr. Graham's name change is received among American Indians? The article said that his immediate family had no problem with it, but what about the rest of his peers? I don't like to draw assumptions based on tidbits of information, but this article has opened up a world of speculation in my mind.

[Sioux-cia]

GeauxSioux, on Jan 25 2007, 07:57 AM, said:

Here is an interesting twist...
UND group nominates NCAA for award

Quote

Members of the student group BRIDGES nominated the NCAA for the award as a way to say thank you for its work on the nickname issue, said Frank Sage, the group’s president. NCAA representatives feel honored to receive the award from UND, Williams said.

“It shows that issues of diversity and different points of view are alive and well on the campus of UND,” Williams said.

UND spokesman Peter Johnson said he was unaware the NCAA had been nominated.

Anyone hear how the awards banquet went? The Sioux's sweep at Goofy's house kinda put the issue way on the back burner for me and likely everyone else.

[PCM]

Sioux-cia, on Jan 28 2007, 10:50 PM, said:

Anyone hear how the awards banquet went?

WDAZ and KVLY did stories on it. The award to the NCAA wasn't presented during the banquet. I believe it was presented at a separate ceremony at the Multicultural Center.

[Sioux-cia]

PCM, on Jan 28 2007, 11:54 PM, said:

Sioux-cia, on Jan 28 2007, 10:50 PM, said:

Anyone hear how the awards banquet went?

WDAZ and KVLY did stories on it. The award to the NCAA wasn't presented during the banquet. I believe it was presented at a separate ceremony at the Multicultural Center.

Was anyone there?

[GeauxSioux]

Angry fans contact AD Maturi

Quote

University of Minnesota athletic director Joel Maturi said he’s received about 100 e-mails from angry North Dakota fans after it was revealed that Minnesota won’t be playing the Sioux in sports other than men’s and women’s hockey.

“I’ve been beaten up by this thing pretty badly, which I can handle,” Maturi said.

Quote

He said Sioux fans are passionate about the Fighting Sioux nickname.

“I love the passion,” he said. “I guess technically, it’s my call, but if you read the policy says the University of Minnesota should make every effort not to schedule, strongly discourages the scheduling,” Maturi said. “Those are pretty powerful words to me, so I have abided by those words.”

If they are willing to re-visit the issue if UND wins the lawsuit, why aren't they willing to take the injunction into account.

[GeauxSioux]

UND seeks other teams

Quote

Walter Dickey, chair of the University of Wisconsin Athletic Board, says the Badgers would play the Sioux because of their previous games in hockey.

“We have an exception in our policy for what we call a traditional opponent, and you’re a traditional opponent,” Dickey said of the Sioux. “The policy is under review. We’re considering stuff. One of the things we’re looking at is what the NCAA is doing.”

Well said, Mr. Dickey.

Quote

Gary Barta, Iowa athletic director, says the Hawkeyes won’t schedule the Sioux unless the policy changes.

“We have a policy that came out several years ago indicating that we would not play any university outside of the Big Ten conference who had a Native American mascot,” Barta said. “All policies can be reviewed, but it hasn’t come out as something we’re planning to review in the near future.

Someone needs to tell Mr. Barta that UND does not have a mascot.

[PCM]

Sioux-cia, on Jan 29 2007, 12:37 AM, said:

Was anyone there?

They didn't really show much much of anything. A lot of the report was Franklin Sage talking about why BRIDGES gave the award to the NCAA.

[ScottM]

Sioux-cia, on Jan 28 2007, 10:50 PM, said:

Anyone hear how the awards banquet went? The Sioux's sweep at Goofy's house kinda put the issue way on the back burner for me and likely everyone else.

I understand that after a wonderful meal of bean sprouts, tofu veggie omelettes and a wheat grass spritzer, there was an airing of grievances, real or imagined, about how the Sioux name has "injured" them, attendees were then given time to explain their other various hurts and woes, and then after 17 hours of this, everybody held each other and hummed "Kumbaya" in C Minor.

[Goon]

ScottM, on Jan 29 2007, 10:14 AM, said:

I understand that after a wonderful meal of bean sprouts, tofu veggie omelettes and a wheat grass spritzer, there was an airing of grievances, real or imagined, about how the Sioux name has "injured" them, attendees were then given time to explain their other various hurts and woes, and then after 17 hours of this, everybody held each other and hummed "Kumbaya" in C Minor.

Now that is one of the funniest things I have read today.

[The Sicatoka]

ScottM, on Jan 29 2007, 08:14 AM, said:

... there was an airing of grievances,

It was "Festivus" (the holiday for the rest of us)?

[ScottM]

The Sicatoka, on Jan 29 2007, 11:42 AM, said:

ScottM, on Jan 29 2007, 08:14 AM, said:

... there was an airing of grievances,

It was "Festivus" (the holiday for the rest of us)?

Probably. However, in this version, there were no Feats of Strength, and given the physicality of these people you'll understand, but rather a Most Pathetic Whines contest.

[Chief Illiniwek Supporter]

GeauxSioux, on Jan 29 2007, 07:47 AM, said:

Quote

Gary Barta, Iowa athletic director, says the Hawkeyes won’t schedule the Sioux unless the policy changes.

“We have a policy that came out several years ago indicating that we would not play any university outside of the Big Ten conference who had a Native American mascot,” Barta said. “All policies can be reviewed, but it hasn’t come out as something we’re planning to review in the near future.

Someone needs to tell Mr. Barta that UND does not have a mascot.

Iowa doesn't pay a lot of attention to their policy. They played the Bradley Braves until someone dug up a copy of their policy. In any case, the policy (when they actually do remember that they have such a policy) seems to apply not only to schools with mascots, but the "offensive name" schools too.

Ironically "Hawkeye" comes from the James Fennimore Cooper novel "Last of the Mohicans". Some people have also said its connected to Chief Black Hawk.

[Sioux-cia]

I thought this was cute.

I was teasing a little (Navajo) guy yesterday about his Dallas Cowboys jacket. I told him he should get a Chicago Bears jacket instead. He looked at me like I was nuts and said, "Na huh, Bears aren't peoples."

[GeauxSioux]

What are the odds that we would see another article on the Sioux name in the St. Cloud State newspaper?
UND student speaks out against name

Quote

Frank Sage, a senior at the University of North Dakota (UND), a member of the Navajo Nation, a prominent speaker on American Indian issues, and the President of Building Roads Into Diverse Groups Empowering Students (BRIDGES) spoke out Monday, condemning UND, and its use of the Fighting Sioux nickname.

SCSU competes against UND in just about every collegiate sport. According to some American Indians, the use of the Sioux term has dehumanized their people by subjecting them to unfair persecution by opposing teams' fans.

Quote

Sage showed a video directed by Monica Briane, another American Indian activist. The video highlighted the historic plight of American Indians through periods of Euro-Christian cultural assimilation.

"Our primary purpose is to dismantle the use of the Fighting Sioux logo, and all the negativity that accompanies it," he said.

I guess it's good to have goals, even though they are destructive. (That was sarcasm Hammersmith )
The only negativity that I see from the logo comes from BRIDGES.

[ScottM]

Quote

"In the end, it's all about the bottom line for the university," Sage said. "They make money off a people's suffering, and that is fine by them."

So do your friends at the NC$$, Frankie.



NC$$

[Sioux-cia]

While here on the Navajo Nation reservation, I have learned that the Navajo have a fierce pride in their student athletes. Attending a basketball game or volley ball game where fierce rivals are competing is akin to being at a Fighting Sioux / Dirty Goofys game.

Frank Sage is Navajo?

http://www.rmusd.net...nter-sports.pdf
http://www.rmusd.net...6/football.php#
http://www.centralsc...s/shiphigh.html
http://www.gallupind...feb/021705.html (scoll down to see the Green Wave fans from Tuba City cheering on the Lady Warriors!!)
The above are all schools on the Navajo Nation reservation.

A Native American will say that it's ok for these schools to use NA names, logos, imagery and mascots because they're NA. So should non-Native students be banned from participating in athletics on a reservation because to do so would be hostile or abusive? Is it ok to yell "Red Skins suck" at a Red Mesa game because the yeller is a Native American who is yelling about the team not the race of the athletes? A white student at that same game yelling "Red Skins suck" means what?


I think Mr. Sage should put his energy and education to better use (3 year old stats yet.....)

http://www.navajobus...ts/Overview.htm

[Sioux-cia]

Changing the Sioux name will change nothing!!! As long as someone's sensibilities are offended by ANYTHING, controversy will reign.

http://msn.foxsports...446946?MSNHPHMA

Quote

A commercial for Snickers candy bars launched in the Super Bowl broadcast was benched after its maker got complaints that it was homophobic.

Of cours it was!!! Gays also found it hilarious!!!

[HockeyMom]

Sioux-cia, on Feb 6 2007, 06:30 PM, said:

Changing the Sioux name will change nothing!!! As long as someone's sensibilities are offended by ANYTHING, controversy will reign.

http://msn.foxsports...446946?MSNHPHMA

Quote

A commercial for Snickers candy bars launched in the Super Bowl broadcast was benched after its maker got complaints that it was homophobic.

Of cours it was!!! Gays also found it hilarious!!!

I thought it was the best commercial of the entire night. If someone can't laugh at two manly mechanics accidentally kissing while eating a candy bar, they really need to get a sense of humor.

[GeauxSioux]

American Indians Should Boycott Racist Colleges and Universities

Quote

I have a college-aged son who was contemplating attending the University of North Dakota (see “Damage Control at Dartmouth,” Dec. 28). He was very discouraged and decided not to attend after hearing of the hostility generated on campus and in Grand Forks by campus alumni and conservative student organizations there.

This guy is going to be a "victim" for the rest of his life.

[GeauxSioux]

The Damage Control piece mentioned in the post above.
Damage Control at Dartmouth

Quote

And on Dec. 29, the Dartmouth hockey team hosts the University of North Dakota Fighting Sioux, whose nickname has angered American Indians because the National Collegiate Athletic Association has deemed it “hostile and abusive.”

They are angered because the NCAA deemed the name "hostile and abusive"? Then be mad at the NCAA. Good grief.