"I have many reasons for opposing these nicknames, but I believe there is one word that sums it all up: respect. To use my people as a mascot is completely disrespectful. The usage of my people - my family and ancestors - as silly logos for a sports team is totally degrading. I don't particularly enjoy being put on the same level as a Gopher, a Badger or any other animal. My people were not meant to be caricatured, drawn into a logo and slapped onto a hockey jersey.

I don't think it's fair that I have had to deal with this issue ever since I was a little girl. If this nickname never had been a part of our town, I never would have had to defend myself and my Native culture.

I don't want my little sister to have to deal with the same things that I have had to deal with over the years. It's not fair to me, and it's not fair to any other American Indian who has been faced with similar experiences."

Get the Story:
Chelsey Luger: How the nickname hurts me personally (The Grand Forks Herald 8/18)

NCAA Announcement:
NCAA Executive Committee Issues Guidelines for Use of Native American Mascots at Championship Events (August 5, 2005)

Relevant Links:
University of North Dakota - http://www.und.edu
Fighting Sioux - http://www.fightingsioux.com
NCAA Minority Opportunities and Interests Committee - http://www1.ncaa.org/eprise/main/
membership/governance/assoc-wide/moic/index.html
National Coalition on Racism in Sports and Media - http://www.aimovement.org/ncrsm

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