"The best move Harvard athletic director Bob Scalise made last week wasn�t reappointing Tim Murphy as the school�s football coach. That was something of a no-brainer after Murphy helmed the Crimson during another winning season and emerged validated from the myriad disciplinary issues that cropped up around the squad during the summer and early fall.
No, the best thing Scalise has done recently is to do nothing at all. That�s compared to Dartmouth AD Josie Harper, who recently issued a written public apology in the campus newspaper to �the Native American community, and the Dartmouth community as a whole,� for scheduling a men�s hockey game between the Big Green and the University of North Dakota Fighting Sioux. According to Harper, �UND�s position,� i.e. having a nickname and mascot that invoke a native tribe, is �offensive and wrong.�
Groan.
At heart, this is an issue of 21st century political correctness. The history of unjust dealings with Native Americans is utterly reprehensible and there�s an impulse to try to make amends now, post-violence, by outlawing stereotypical depictions of indigenous culture. Or, wait, is it American Indians? The list of too-sensitive nouns and verbs is changing and expanding so rapidly I fear I�ll be consigned to writing columns composed only of prepositions by the time my stint in this space is over."
Get the Story:Jonathan Lehman: No Sense In Anti-Mascot Crusade (The Crimson 12/6) Relevant Links:
University of North Dakota - http://www.und.edu
The Ralph - http://www.theralph.com
Fighting Sioux - http://www.fightingsioux.com Related Stories:
Dartmouth responds to UND over 'Fighting Sioux' (12/5)
Letters: Dartmouth vs. UND 'Fighting Sioux' (11/30)
Dartmouth paper: Natives getting 'restless' (11/30)
Editorial: Native 'offendians' strike at Dartmouth (11/29)
North Dakota governor not sorry for 'Sioux' (11/29)
Dartmouth apologizes for hosting UND 'Sioux' (11/28)
UND student leaves group over 'Sioux' stance (11/16)
Tribal colleges oppose 'Fighting Sioux' nickname (11/15)
NCAA won't challenge 'Fighting Sioux' injunction (11/14)
Judge grants injunction for 'Fighting Sioux' (11/13)
Column: Indians don't care about UND nickname (11/13)
'Fighting Sioux' opponents rally on court date (11/10)
UND headed to court over 'Fighting Sioux' (11/9)
UND to file 'Fighting Sioux' lawsuit within days (09/28)
Letters: Support for UND's 'Fighting Sioux' name (06/23)
Column: UND 'hardheaded' on Sioux nickname (6/21)
UND to move forward with 'Fighting Sioux' lawsuit (6/20)
Yellow Bird: Not much honor and respect at UND (6/19)
Opinion: 'Sioux' lawsuit could hurt North Dakota (6/19)
UND to file lawsuit over 'Fighting Sioux' name (6/16)
UTTC president urges against 'Fighting Sioux' lawsuit (6/15)
UND president wants lawsuit over 'Fighting Sioux' (6/9)
Tribal member named to North Dakota higher ed board (5/26)
Opinion: UND's divide and conquer on 'Sioux' (05/19)
Standing Rock Sioux Tribe won't back 'Sioux' name (5/5)
Editorial: Seek tribal approval for 'Fighting Sioux' (5/3)
'Sioux' and 'Chief' denied again by NCAA (5/1)
Letters: Controversy over 'Fighting Sioux' name (5/1)
Standing Rock chairman disputes UND on 'Sioux' (4/28)
Opinion: Native students at UND subject to racism (04/12)
UND faculty asks school to retire 'Fighting Sioux' (03/24)
NCAA President: Names belong to sovereign tribes (03/15)
Opinion: UND ignores opponents of 'Sioux' (02/13)
UND President: 'Fighting Sioux' backed by tribe (2/10)
UND president says tribe won't oppose 'Sioux' name (02/03)
UND president meeting with tribes on campus (01/13)
Final decision on 'Fighting Sioux' name delayed (1/10)
NCAA decision on 'Fighting Sioux' in 2006 (11/22)
Resolution supports UND's fight for 'Sioux' name (11/18)
Resolution urges talks with tribes on 'Sioux' name (11/11)
UND files another appeal over 'Fighting Sioux' (11/7)
Opinion: How does 'Sioux' honor Native people? (10/26)
Opinion: Indian students hurt by UND nickname (10/24)
Opinion: UND fans made mockery of Natives (10/17)
Opinion: 'Fighting Sioux' name unfair to tribes (10/13)
Experts say UND will lose 'Fighting Sioux' fight (10/10)
Opinion: Not everyone at UND supports 'Sioux' name (10/10)
Yellow Bird: All tribes have stake in 'Sioux' fight (10/6)
Letters: Backtalk proves 'Sioux' is hostile, abusive (10/6)
Dorgan, Conrad oppose 'Fighting Sioux' decision (10/4)
Backtalk: Reader comments on 'Fighting Sioux' case (9/30)
UND won't be taken off NCAA's Indian mascot list (09/29)
Tribes set to oppose 'Fighting Sioux' nickname (8/29)
UND president wavers on tribal support for 'Sioux' (8/26)
Editorial: Tribes have final say in mascot decisions (8/25)
Other universities encouraged by NCAA decision (8/24)
Opinion: 'Fighting Sioux' nickname hurts Natives (8/18)
Column: Nazi-loving Ralph keeps Indian logo alive (8/17)
Schools appeal NCAA policy on Indian mascots (8/15)
North Dakota governor criticizes NCAA policy (8/11)
Even more reaction to NCAA policy on mascots (8/10)
Editorial: Good riddance to 'demeaning' mascots (8/10)
Jeb Bush calls mascot policy 'offensive' to tribe (8/10)
NCAA announces revised Indian mascot policy (8/8)
Mixed reaction to change in use of mascots (8/8)
Opinion: Everyone, 'Fighting Sioux' is here to stay (05/16)
Editorial: UND's 'Fighting Sioux' report not truthful (5/6)
Group protests university's 'Fighting Sioux' name (03/28)
UND asked to study 'Fighting Sioux' name again (02/17)
School holding off on Indian mascot policy (01/17)
Campaign targets 'Fighting Sioux' items (01/08)
Defender of 'Fighting Sioux' name dies (11/27)
Activist sees growing anti-mascot push (11/26)
UND students holding mascot forum (11/21)
N.D. student group to host mascot forum (10/29)
NCAA panel wants Indian mascot review (10/16)
'Honkies' exhibit draws attention at school (10/8)
Opinion: Change 'Fighting Sioux' nick (10/4)
Editorial: UND gets off easy on 'Sioux' name (9/23)
Harassment festered over 'Fighting Sioux' (9/17)
Yellow Bird: 'Fighting Sioux' debate (4/22)
UND law school opposes 'Fighting Sioux' (4/4)
Opinion: 'Fighting Sioux' not fight (3/26)
Minn. schools oppose mascots (2/22)
'Fighting Sioux' matchup to go on (10/23)
School: 'Fighting Sioux' is hate speech (10/22)
'Fighting Sioux' arena opens (10/9)
'Fighting Sioux' opponents rally (10/5)
'Fighting Sioux' statue wanted removed (10/4)
UND president finds LaDuke 'interesting' (10/4)
Letters: 'Fighting Sioux' controversy (10/4)
UND mascot conference opens today (10/3)
UND arena to have 'Sioux' statue (10/2)
'Fighting Sioux' arena to open (10/1)
Street for 'Fighting Sioux' friend sought (9/27)
'Fighting Sioux' school sets goals (9/26)
LaDuke to speak at mascot conference (9/11)
'Fighting Sioux' arena cost is $100M (8/16)
'Fighting Sioux' logo removed at school (8/3)
Letters: 'Fighting Sioux' nickname (8/2)
Head of UND Indian Studies quits (5/30)
Means may protest 'Fighting Sioux' school (5/9)
'Fighting Sioux' School: Place For Indians? (3/29)
'Fighting Sioux' still debated (3/26)
Schools condemn Indian mascots (3/22)
'Sioux' school being investigated (3/15)
Tribe protests 'Fighting Sioux' charges (2/28)
'Fighting Sioux' protest held (2/26)
'Fighting Sioux' protest planned (2/22)
'Fighting Sioux' debate rages on (2/19)
'Sioux' controversy focus of talk, article (2/16)
AG won't investigate 'Sioux' decision (2/14)
Civil rights complaint against school (2/13)
Bill seeks to help 'Fighting Sioux' school (2/8)
Dispute over 'Fighting Sioux' continues (1/30)
'Fighting Sioux' supporter tied to school funds (1/29)
Board won't reconsider 'Sioux' vote (1/26)
'Fighting Sioux' discussion set (1/25)
Tribe blasts 'Fighting Sioux' decision (1/18)