2 Big FUs To Parties In The Fighting Sioux Mess

The University of North Dakota is going to have to change their nickname of the sports teams.  For the reason that the nickname, "Fighting Sioux" is racist and inflammatory.  The NCAA, The School's Board of Directors, and lawmakers met last week and the NCAA held firm that UND would have to change it's nickname or it would face sanctions against it's sports teams and would not be able to wear the Sioux name or logo in any competitions.  It shouldn't have gotten this far.  The nickname should have been allowed to stay with the University, but there are two groups of people that have made it impossible.

The 1st group is the NCAA.  The organization that makes our Federal Government look like a well-oiled machine.  These hypocrites have said that the nickname and logo furthers stereotypes and discrimination.  Really?  I suppose that the Utah Utes, Central Michigan Chippewas, Florida State Seminoles, and other teams that reference Native American Tribes in their name do not, but that the Fighting Sioux does.  And from the way that people in North Dakota hold the nickname of UND in reverence, there isn't a majority that sees the nickname as derogatory or racist.  It is being used as a symbol of recognition of the tribes that were here and the people whose ancestors were here before the Europeans.  The school cannot help if the cretins from NDSU use an indian mascot and have him 3/4 in a Buffalo's ass.  That shouldn't be held against UND, but it is.  That is one of the examples that the NCAA has given about how the nickname does further discrimination and stereotypes of Native Americans.  And yet, the NCAA did give us the University a chance to keep the nickname if certain requirements were met.  All were met, except for 1.  And that is where the second group comes in that screwed this thing up.

Group #2 is the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe Leaders.  They were on of 2 Sioux Tribes here in North Dakota that had to say that they accepted the use of the name by the University.  The other Sioux Tribe held a referendum in 2010 when elections were held and an overwhelming majority said that they accepted the school using the "Fighting Sioux" nickname.  But not the Standing Rock Tribe.  The Tribal Leader didn't like the name being used, so he held up a vote by the tribe on the situation and to this day has held up the vote on what the tribe thinks about the nickname use.  And we know that the vote would be for the nickname, he has even said that in past interviews, but as long as the Council cannot bring it up to a vote, the tribe cannot give it's approval.  And even to that end, the Tribal Leaders has said that they would allow a vote for financial considerations by the state and the University.  However, the tribe is holding out for Hundreds of Millions of dollars each and every year to allow the University to continue the use of the name.  So, when they didn't get that, they have withheld their support.  Basically, they are trying to extort the government for the use of the name.  It isn't going to happen and the Fighting Sioux nickname will be retired.

Basically, all this has come down to money.  The state and University have decided that they are not going to be held ransom for using the nickname and will bow to the pressure put on them by the NCAA to change their nickname.  And being a small university, UND does not have the political clout to fight the NCAA any longer.  If it was Florida State, the NCAA would and has allowed it, even though there are some Seminole splinter tribes that do not support the use of the name by Florida State.  That is the case up here, and yet the NCAA is ramrodding their political correctness down our throats.

The University of North Dakota will always have the nickname "Fighting Sioux" to me.  But in reality, I want the nickname to be changed to something along the line of the "Roughriders" or "Cavalrymen".  Those nicknames also honor the heritage of North Dakota and the people that have come before us.  Instead of honoring the Native Americans that were living here, honor those soldiers and Army personnel that built forts and brought the civilization of America to the area and defended the people that came to the Dakotas to settle and make their homes here.  Make the school colors Blue and Yellow with 2 cavalry swords crossed with stylized UND letters above the swords for the logo.  To hell with the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and honor the lives of those people that served in the United States military over 100 years ago.

UPDATE:  Well, it looks like the nickname won't go down without a fight.  The Spirit Lake Sioux Tribe is in the process of retaining legal counsel to prevent the nickname from changing.  The state is telling the tribe not to look at us, but go after the NCAA.  So much drama over what should be a non-issue.