It's been a struggle for many years. And there has always been the fear that it might come down to a group of elitists that can tell other what is right for them. That decision came yesterday when the North Dakota State Board of Higher Education ruled that UND must retire the Sioux logo.
Check the article out here.
Essentially, this decision was not left to the majority. Over 2/3rds of the Spirit Lake Tribe voted to keep the nickname and while the leaders of the Standing Rock Tribe have not let a vote happen yet, over 1000 signatures have been collected from members of that tribe in support of the nickname and logo. Combine that with ridiculous support throughout the alumni base and the students. Yet somehow, a few people who might consider the nickname offensive voiced their opinion and since we live in a country where the majority doesn't rule anymore, UND will no longer be called the Fighting Sioux.
This name, this logo, what exactly does it mean? There's a lot of pride in this logo. Students, faculty, and alumni are proud to say they are members of Fighting Sioux nation. It symbolizes what the University of North Dakota is in all sports. Courageous. Tough. Decisive. Teamwork. It is a logo that was voted best in ALL of hockey. Let me repeat that. It was voted best in ALL of hockey. You know who came in 2nd?? The Blackhawks logo!!
This is frustrating beyond belief as a Sioux fan. The team I have been cheering for since I was about 16 will no longer be. And in the end, it boils down to money. UND has been trying to join the Summit League for awhile now, but the Summit League wouldn't consider UND until they had the logo issue "resolved." To me, that always meant that the logo would have to go. Now that it is gone, UND can finally join it's precious Summit League and make some money playing in a D1 conference. The dumb thing is, we all know where the school gets its revenue from athletics. It's not from football, basketball, or baseball. It's hockey.
The good news in the short term is the team will still be the Sioux this next season and the Engelstad arena is not going to undergo any changes, since it is a private facility. The NCAA said as long as the logo issue is there, it won't award any regionals to Grand Forks, but I could care less about that. Keep the arena as is. Keep the Sioux logos everywhere. Let those nickname opponents stare at them every day they drive by the arena.
Sad day for any hockey fan...
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7 comments:
can't wait to face the UND Flickertails
You can't wait, huh? I don't think the name change is going to affect the way we beat your butts up and down the ice.
"Students, faculty, and alumni are proud to say they are members of Fighting Sioux nation."
But, Brandon, you are not. That's the bottom line.
I don't agree with your use of elitists. Like "socialist" it has been bandied about incorrectly for the past few years- but that point is irrelevant. I would suggest the issue lies not with people who are "elite" but with people who look for offenses where none exists.
The NCAA has proven that their interests lie not in doing what is right or what is justified, but in what is most marketable and more importantly most profitable. Similar to their handling of the lawsuit regarding use of college athlete likenesses on NCAA licensed products (specifically video games and to a lesser extent March Madness and other tournament propaganda) the NCAA has put their bottom line above their athletes and Universities by allowing certain schools to retain use of “controversial” mascots. I don't understand how the University of North Dakota can be accused of being "hostile and abusive" based on a historically accurate logo of an American Indian- a logo created by an American Indian who supports UND's right to retain said logo. The students, the fans, and the University have not and do not engage in racist, disrespectful, or inappropriate behavior towards American Indians, their traditions, their history, or their culture. In fact, the University goes above and beyond in opposition to that type of behavior and their long and productive history with the local American Indians speaks for itself. The only thing "hostile and abusive" about the “logo issue" is that the State HBOE decided to circumvent due process. It will be interesting to see what the Standing Rock and Spirit Lake tribes will say regarding the continued trampling of their rights. I, for one, find it ironic that the justification given by those who object to the use of “Fighting Sioux” for their silencing of these two tribes’ voices is a prevention of trampling on their rights.
It appears yet again that the vocal minority has won an unfortunate and lamentable victory over a silent, proud, and respectful majority.
Sammy Sioux was a very historically accurate depiction of a Native American, that's for sure. And Sioux-per dogs are traditional Lakota/Dakota/Nakota fare, so I've heard.
Your inconsequential and irrelevant objection to an image that was retired 39 years ago is duly noted.
as long as the grass is green and the river of tears flows....LMAO
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