Alumni against "Fighting Sioux"

[southpaw]

A group of 200 UND alumni have signed a petition against the UND nickname. They say it's derogatory to Native Americans and makes UND look like a white racist school. The petition was sent to the Alumni Assoc, in hopes that Tim O'Keefe would pressure the school to drop the name.

I understand that there are people against the nickname, and that's fine. They can have their opinions... but does 200 people not agreeing with the name mean enough to change it? I give their opinion more weight than some average guy off the street... but do 200 people have the same weight as say a petition of thousands of people in favor of the nickname?

I have to think that the timing of this was obviously done because the NCAA makes their decision tomorrow. However, I doubt the NCAA will get much info on this prior to tomorrow's meeting. The group should have released it Monday if they were going for true effectiveness and then spent the week doing interviews. That might have gotten the NCAA's attention. Although, you never know with Myles Brand... he could have just been waiting and waiting for something like this to come out.

[ScottM]

Yeah, and for every signature against the name/logo, you could probably get at least 15-20 alums who support it. Then again, "democracy", majority rule, etc. mean nothing to the "offended".

[The Sicatoka]

A group of 200 ...

200?

Oh yeah, newsworthy.

[siouxnami]

OK, someone with "madd web skillz" set up a website. I bet we can get 10x that...

[Cratter]

200?

Oh yeah, newsworthy.

How many signatures are on a petition to keep the name?

[HockeyMom]

How many signatures are on a petition to keep the name?

74,800

There was a petition floating around MySpace not so long ago that was sent to all UND Alumni registered on the site. Apparently, the guy that sent it to me didn't look at my page before he sent it......let alone my picture.

[PCM]

Here's the story from ESPN.com:

Nickname debate gains steam before NCAA appeal

Morrison said the number of alumni who are not giving money because they are bothered by the nickname is equal to the number of people who are threatening to withdraw support if it is changed.

"I don't know how he can quantify that," O'Keefe said. "I can't."

Morrison's statement falls within the "anyone can say anything" realm of credibility.

[WiSioux]

It doesn't matter when you ask. There are always going to be some alumni for and some alumni against. Likewise there will also always be some students for and some students against. Many people who have no knowledge of UND have an opinion on this matter simply because the NCAA has brought it up.

I know it isn't a good defense... but if we were so worried about "hostle and abusive" logos... then why is the football team in our nation's capital the Redskins???

[PCM]

It doesn't matter when you ask. There are always going to be some alumni for and some alumni against.

Certainly. But the recent Fargo Forum poll showed that the number of people in the state who favor UND maintaining the Fighting Sioux nickname far outnumber those who don't. I believe polls conducted by UND among students and alumni show the same thing.

And that's the problem with a story such as this: no context. 200 UND alumni out of how many? Out of the UND faculty who signed a recent letter to Chancellor Potts, how many didn't sign it? Out of the dozen or so UND Native American students who protested the nickname during the NCAA West Regional at Engelstad Arena, how many didn't protest?

Context is everything in this debate, and too often, it's totally lacking.

Every time some group of people or some influential individual comes out against sports teams using American Indian nicknames, it's treated as if it represents some important new shift in the debate. But after more than 30 years of debate, the polls among American Indians show that only a minority of them believes that this is an important issue.

If, after all this time, you can't convince the majority of the alleged victims that they're actually being harmed, what's that say about your issue?

[stafford_rules]

A group of 200 UND alumni have signed a petition against the UND nickname. They say it's derogatory to Native Americans and makes UND look like a white racist school. The petition was sent to the Alumni Assoc, in hopes that Tim O'Keefe would pressure the school to drop the name.

I understand that there are people against the nickname, and that's fine. They can have their opinions... but does 200 people not agreeing with the name mean enough to change it? I give their opinion more weight than some average guy off the street... but do 200 people have the same weight as say a petition of thousands of people in favor of the nickname?

I have to think that the timing of this was obviously done because the NCAA makes their decision tomorrow. However, I doubt the NCAA will get much info on this prior to tomorrow's meeting. The group should have released it Monday if they were going for true effectiveness and then spent the week doing interviews. That might have gotten the NCAA's attention. Although, you never know with Myles Brand... he could have just been waiting and waiting for something like this to come out.

geez..... i was hoping for some positive reactions from the former (and current) players but that just sucks. what did they ever do to him? Did we not win a championship when he was here?

[siouxguyinstpaul]

INCH says

[Siouxhockey78]

Wow glad to see the Alum supporting their school....What a bunch of jokers?

[Sioux-cia]

Wow glad to see the Alum supporting their school....What a bunch of jokers?

I'm not worried. 200 out of thousands, not even worth a speed bump on our road to victory!

[teamsioux]

On the news last night they stated another way the poll was skewed. WDAZ stated about 230 alumni that signed the petition but almost 1/3 were Indian. Surprise, surprise at the results.

[jloos]

Here's the story from ESPN.com:

Nickname debate gains steam before NCAA appeal

Morrison's statement falls within the "anyone can say anything" realm of credibility.

That was my favorite quote. While I understand the Alumni Assoc. is for all Alumni, I do not understand why they will not give support to the nickname. Those opposed are an ultra minority and most likely do not contribute much to UND anyway. I wonder if they see Phil Jackson as a potential recruiting bit when/if UND does go D1 and are trying not to step on his toes. Who is this Morrison guy?

Edit - answered my own question and I'm not the least bit suprised.

The North Dakota Progressive Coalition, a politically liberal organization that normally lobbies for change in state laws, held a news conference in the Capitol on Thursday to promote debate about national issues.

Don Morrison, director of the Progressive Coalition, said congressional leaders are trying to push a tax cut that will do little to create jobs, while creating more hardship for those struggling to pay for medical care and go to college.

Morrison urged North Dakotans to thank the state's congressional delegation for opposing the plan, and to call other members of Congress and the governor to tell them to oppose it.

"We don't have to accept the fact that our leaders want to take from child health care and give to millionaires,"Morrison said.

Morrison said if the budget reconciliation bills that Republicans want are passed, a family of three earning $18,000 annually could see a $900 a year increase in annual health care costs through Medicaid.

Morrison, citing information from the Congressional Budget Office, said the change would affect 6 million children who receive Medicaid benefits.

Nice work there Robin Hood

[Cratter]

74,800

There was a petition floating around MySpace not so long ago that was sent to all UND Alumni registered on the site. Apparently, the guy that sent it to me didn't look at my page before he sent it......let alone my picture.

My point: Has there even ever been an "official" petition by UND alum to keep the name? If not there should be. Something to show (compare) when stuff like this comes out. As PCM put it: context of the situation.

[ScottM]

That was my favorite quote. While I understand the Alumni Assoc. is for all Alumni, I do not understand why they will not give support to the nickname. Those opposed are an ultra minority and most likely do not contribute much to UND anyway. I wonder if they see Phil Jackson as a potential recruiting bit when/if UND does go D1 and are trying not to step on his toes. Who is this Morrison guy?

I'll put Morrison's $7.63 in withheld donations, against Ralph's $100 Million+ any day of the the week.

[jloos]

More good stuff

Bismarck Unitarians vote to welcome gays, lesbians

By KAREN HERZOG, Bismarck Tribune

The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship here recently became a welcoming congregation -- welcoming to gay, lesbian and transgendered people -- and has actually grown since then, said member Don Morrison. Not just same-sex families, but heterosexual people have joined the congregation, he said.

The process of becoming a welcoming congregation took a year of discussions and workshops, he said, resulting in a proposal submitted to and approved by the Unitarian Universalist Association.

At its annual meeting, voters unanimously approved welcoming status, making it one of 400 UU welcoming congregations nationwide, and joining Fargo-Moorhead in North Dakota, Morrison said.

Of the charges brought against two Unitarian clergy in New York this week for performing same-sex marriages, Morrison called the move "a frightening trend, that authorities would go to such lengths to prevent people from living a loving life."

Unitarian Universalists have been performing same-sex ceremonies for more than 30 years, he said, including a few in Bismarck, he said.

People don't usually come to the Unitarians to get married, but become part of the UU community first, he said.

"They'd rather get married in their own churches," he said, and some only explore Unitarian congregations "once they've exhausted all avenues in their own churches."

Morrison wasn't surprised that Unitarians were the clergy charged, but "absolutely surprised that our country has gone that far to suppress religious values," he said.

Noting that this country has always made the distinction between civil and religious marriage, he said he doesn't see how these charges could stand up in a court of law.

"What we really want to have happen is that marriage is about love and equality and real families," he said. "The community ought to honor that.

"People say this will destroy marriage. My wife and I are not threatened by it," he said. Unitarians view gay and lesbian people as "our family members, friends, co-workers, who want to share in the best part of life."

I'm guessing this guys spends most of his time telling his fellow North Dakotans how much more enlightened he is and how wrong everyone else is.

[UND92,96]

Another article referencing Mr. Morrison: link.

[The Sicatoka]

I'm guessing this guys spends most of his time telling how much more enlightened he is and how wrong everyone else is.

When'd this conversation become about Myles Brand and Walter Harrison? ;)

[The Sicatoka]

Oh Mister Morrrrrrison,

http://www.grandforks.com/mld/grandforks/14443237.htm

http://www.UND.edu/news/NEW_SCRIPTS/newsrelease.jsp?id=1792

[Nodaker]

Oh Mister Morrrrrrison,

http://www.grandforks.com/mld/grandforks/14443237.htm

http://www.UND.edu/news/NEW_SCRIPTS/newsrelease.jsp?id=1792

Please, do you actually think that the vote by the members of the tribe should outweigh the petition of 200 alumni or 100 UND faculty?

Those thuds you hear are a bunch of elitists jumping out of their ivory towers.

Go Sioux!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[dagies]

I would have rather seen this AFTER the NCAA had to eat their policy, but I guess I'll be happy with what we can get.

I'm very happy with how strongly worded this support seems to be.

[stafford_rules]

I would have rather seen this AFTER the NCAA had to eat their policy, but I guess I'll be happy with what we can get.

I'm very happy with how strongly worded this support seems to be.

who's side is timj okeef on? im confused, because i think i was just told different...

[The Sicatoka]

You mean Tim O'Keefe, former Fighting Sioux defenseman and current Executive VP of the UND Alumni Association and Foundation?

Lemme think ....