Media Stories on the Sioux Name

[LB#11]

PCM,

Many thanks for continuing to provide the links to these media articles!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I agree, thank you very much PCM for keeping us updated on what's going on around the country...good stuff.

[PCM]

You're welcome, kfah1 and LB#11. As long as I know people are reading the articles, I'll keep posting the links as I find them.

I understand that Time magazine has been in touch with UND about the NCAA controversy. It'll be interesting to see how that story that turns out.

In the meantime, here's yet another newspaper column hammering the NCAA for its hypocrisy.

From The (CHAMPAIGN-URBANA) News Gazette:

Chief items still available on NCAA site

NCAA officials may find the Chief Illiniwek logo and the name "Fighting Illini" to be "hostile and abusive" to American Indians. But they will sell you merchandise featuring the logo and nickname at their online store at www.ncaasports.com/store.

"It is ironic that the NCAA's merchandising Web site is an online market for traditions and imagery they condemned three weeks ago," said UI spokesman Tom Hardy. "Maybe those traditions aren't hostile and abusive after all.

[dagies]

I, too, appreciate the links. It is very helpful in keeping up to date on various perspectives.

[PCM]

From the Aug. 24 USA Today:

Excuses, inconsistencies mar NCAA mascot ruling

That leads to the next question: How will the NCAA rule on the Central Michigan Chippewas or the Utah Utes, both of whom have support from the Chippewa and Ute tribes? The North Dakota Fighting Sioux are considering an appeal, too.

If the NCAA doesn't allow the use of those nicknames and mascots, a double standard will be obvious. Let big, powerful Florida State get its way but rule against the schools without a big-time football program. The NCAA will be further ridiculed for poor decisions if that happens.

While some have turned this into a debate on political correctness, that's not the case. It should be a debate about common sense.

Edited August 26, 2005 by PCM

[CoteauRinkRat]

I understand that Time magazine has been in touch with UND about the NCAA controversy. It'll be interesting to see how that story that turns out.

I already know what that liberal rag will have to say.

[PCM]

I already know what that liberal rag will have to say.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'm fairly certain the article will be slanted to the left. However, I'm always interested in seeing just how the spin is applied.

[PCM]

Aug. 27, 2005

From the Palm Beach Post:

A win for tribe and team

It doesn't pay to get too upset over any decision the NCAA makes

[PCM]

In your face, NCAA!

This is Florida State's way of saying: We're not gonna take it!

Added emotion. FSU president T.K. Wetherell, who had war paint attired on his cheeks, revealed Friday the pregame ritual featuring Chief Osceola, riding aboard Renegade with a flaming spear, will include a new twist for the nationally televised Sept. 5 opener against Miami.

This time, an actual member of the Seminole Tribe of Florida will be standing at midfield. Chief Osceola will hand the spear to the tribe member, who will then plant the weapon at midfield.

"If you're not ready to play then, boys, you might as well pack it up and go home," said Wetherell, addressing the football team seated at the luncheon.

It will be a not-too-subtle message after the recent controversy caused by the NCAA decision to target FSU as one of 18 schools with "hostile and abusive" Native American names.

[dagies]

Good job Bob Robb of Shakopee. From today's Star Trib:

Get the Facts on Fighting Sioux Logo

In this day and age of liberals wanting political correctness, I can only imagine what Bennett Brien must think when Coleman refers to his artistic work as a "cartoon." Brien happens to be a Native American from the Turtle Mountain Reservation of Belcourt, N.D. He has a master's degree in fine arts from the University of North Dakota.

I would like to add that in Grand Forks in October 2001, before the Hall of Fame hockey game and opening of the inaugural season at the new Ralph Engelstad Arena, a ceremony was held on the grounds at the arena entrance.

Attending that ceremony were members of the Sioux tribe who, in full Native American attire, celebrated the opening by performing dances and chants, blessing the new facility as well as the grounds where the structure exists.

Also in attendance was Eric Eno, a Native American who participated in the ceremony and with whom I spoke briefly following the event. He told me that he and his people wanted to thank Engelstad for his generous contribution to UND and for building such a fine facility. They were proud, he said, to have their names attached to such a fine facility

[PCM]

USCHO has posted an update to my news story on UND's appeal. There's not a lot new to report, but that should change early next week.

Early next week, the University of North Dakota plans to submit an appeal of the NCAA's policy restricting the use of Native American mascots, names and imagery.

Phil Harmeson, senior associate to UND President Charles Kupchella, said the university will make an announcement "very early in the week" when it submits the appeal. He also said the content of the appeal will be made available to the public because the issue has generated so much controversy and national attention.

[PCM]

Aug. 27, 2005

From the Associated Press:

N.D. Has No Plans to Alter Sioux Logos

Hodgson said there are no plans to alter any logos, which can be found on floors, walls, seats and railings. Eliminating them would be too expensive, he said.

Some Indian leaders on the campus are insulted by the number of Sioux monikers.

"The whole arena is plastered with logos," said Sebastian Braun, assistant professor of Indian studies. "It's kind of an in-your-face approach."

"Our pride is anchored in the facility itself," Schoen said. "Not in the logo."

[Diggler]

Braun seems like he is going to be a rather vocal guy no matter what happens. He's been teaching classes for a week at UND and he already knows everything about UND.

[ScottM]

Braun seems like he is going to be a rather vocal guy no matter what happens.  He's been teaching classes for a week at UND and he already knows everything about UND.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ah yes, gotta love it when Eurotrash enter into the fray. Damn "Swiss Indians" ... always so uppity.

[Sioux-cia]

[Diggler]

What a dink.

[Sioux-cia]

What a dink.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I can't stop!!! Here's another little ditty 'Homeland Security: blessing or bane?' on the dink http://www.journalism.indiana.edu/gallery/...eunkim/jpetrus/

The past five years in this country have amassed a certain level of paranoia for Swiss-born Sebastian Braun. The IU graduate student in Cultural Anthropology has weathered U.S. policies toward internationally born individuals both before and after Homeland Security.

Now, he said he would not tell people to come study in this country with its current policy of Homeland Security. He would tell them to go to Canada or some other English speaking country. He said the environment here is too hostile for international students.

I don't know why he's still living here?! Could it be the freedoms including the freedom of speech he enjoys. The same freedom that he wants to deny UND and it's use of the name Sioux and it's logo? (I'm done, I promise.)

[ScottM]

Typical socialist, whiny "Blame America" European bilge masking itself as "intellectual discourse". I see that Herr Braun also teaches the Lakota language. I wonder if that includes yodeling. On a related note, what possessed the "Indian Studies" dept to hire a European white male who represents centuries of oppression and death to certain elements? I suppose they felt bad for him being "oppressed" by a country he chose to enter and live in.

[PCM]

Wow. UND has its own version of Ward Churchill.

[CoteauRinkRat]

Wow. UND has its own version of Ward Churchill. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No kidding. That wasn't the best press Colorado has ever received, that is for sure.

[GeauxSioux]

From todays Pensacola News Journal

http://www.pensacolanewsjournal.com/apps/p.../508280335/1002

Look out for Katrina, Star2City.

[PCM]

Aug. 28, 2005

From the Grand Forks Herald:

Tribal councils to oppose UND in NCAA appeal

Four North Dakota tribal councils will pass fresh resolutions against the Fighting Sioux nickname and logo, according to a Standing Rock council member.

Taken Alive said he would soon be meeting the Spirit Lake Tribal Council chairwoman, Myra Pearson, seeking her support on the Fighting Sioux issue. She was not present at the Bismarck meeting, he said. In the past, UND has received lukewarm approval of its nickname from the Spirit Lake Nation. All other tribes have opposed it.

NCAA says it will keep selling 'Fighting Sioux' merchandise after Feb. 1

Bob Williams, a spokesman for the NCAA said that the Fighting Sioux jerseys and merchandise from all other schools that fall on the NCAA's "hostile or abusive" list will be available for online purchase until Feb. 1, when new NCAA restrictions kick in.

Editorial comment: Sorry, Bob, it's still hypocrisy, no matter how you spin it. Did you forget about this part of the NCAA policy issued Aug. 5?

...effective immediately, institutions with student-athletes wearing uniforms or having paraphernalia with hostile or abusive references must ensure that those uniforms or paraphernalia not be worn or displayed at NCAA championship competitions.

That's why the NCAA's claim that the policy doesn't take effect until Feb. 1 is pure bovine scatology. If I wanted to be even more cynical about the NCAA's motives, I could speculate that saying "effective immediately" and then setting a Feb. 1 deadline would have the effect of driving up the demand for the soon-to-be-outlawed merchandise, putting even more money into the NCAA's coffers.

[Goon]

Wow. UND has its own version of Ward Churchill. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Heir Braun pontificates: After the incredulous public had begun to realize that this was indeed a major terror attack on the symbols of world capitalism and American world hegemony, on the symbolic heart of the United States, I began to hope that all these people had not died in vain, that perhaps at least some good might come from this horrible event, that it would not lead into another spiral of death, more innocent people getting killed. Don't get me wrong: I was sure that the people responsible for this attack would have to be hunted down. But I allowed myself to hope that the United States, for once, would not immediately deploy its military power to try and avenge, but would take an inward turn and look at itself first.

Basically this clown is saying the same damn thing, that Churchill

[PCM]

From todays Pensacola News Journal

http://www.pensacolanewsjournal.com/apps/p.../508280335/1002

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

This part of Pensacola News Journal story was particularly intriguing:

FSU athletic director Dave Hart remains dismayed by the recent three-week firestorm and the lack of dialogue with the NCAA executive committee.

In a letter he provided to the News Journal, he is prepared to ask the NCAA to change the way decides policies, or risk having Division I members seek to form their own organization, separate from current NCAA structure.

There are other reasons that the NCAA might come to regret diving head-first into this issue.

Edit: A draft of Hart's letter is included next to the news story with the link above. Very interesting.

[PCM]

Aug. 28, 2005

From the Detroit News:

CMU moniker honors area's Chippewa tribe

It is good that there's growing sensitivity across the nation to avoiding Indian nicknames, mascots and images that disparage the nation's first people. But blanket indictments of the use of American Indian names by sports teams is folly, and the National Collegiate Athletic Association's ban of post-season use of the Chippewa name by Central Michigan University is political correctness run amok.

From the Myrtle Beach (SC) Sun News:

Indian mascots perpetuate stereotypes

As stereotypes of a "primitive" race, the "Indians" of American sports culture make it harder, not easier, for the 2 million contemporary citizens of tribal nations to advocate for our interests, inspire our young people and cultivate well-being in our communities. These images damage our pursuit of self-determination.

From the Salt Lake Tribune:

American Indians on Utes' nickname: Let tribe decide

A sports mascot nickname that Whitehorse does find offensive is Redskins.

  "It's similar to calling us savages," he said.

  But that's different from what the University of Utah is doing.

  "Using the Utes' real name is not offensive," Whitehorse said.

From the Toledo Blade:

Indian givers

After capitulating to the Florida State Seminoles, the NCAA should get out of the political correctness business. Its new policy to crack down on team names and imagery that might be offensive to Native Americans isn't worth the upheaval caused. Never was.

The NCAA governing body backed itself into a corner on this one. There are better ways to show vigilance against racism or stereotyping than enacting an arbitrary policy against subjective references.

[Sioux-cia]

From todays Pensacola News Journal

http://www.pensacolanewsjournal.com/apps/p.../508280335/1002

Look out for Katrina, Star2City.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Note: Not all members were present for vote. In the case of Georgia Tech president G.Wayne Clough, he refused to vote in protest of the way the issue was handled.

I wonder what part of the process he was protesting?

I thought the Executive Committee was made up only of University President's. This list has two 'faculty athletic representatives' listed.

If not everyone was present to vote, Clough didn't vote and two faculty athletic representatives voted, is this a legal vote? How can they claim a unanimous decision? Shouldn't they have qualified the vote outcome by stating that not all members were present and not all voters were presidents? There were so many articles maybe I missed those qualifiers?!