Column: The only good Indian is an honored Indian

Wednesday, February 21, 2007  

"With each cleansing of a racial caricature from the sports scene, the pressure mounts on the 'Fighting Sioux' logo and name of the University of North Dakota, which finds itself in a small rump group of nickname offenders.

At this point, the arguments North Dakota puts forward for keeping the name aren't the issue. The question is what kind of university wants to put its name and reputation through the wringer in defense of 'honoring' a tribe whose representatives have said time and time again -- despite bogus claims by those who deny it -- that they don't consider it an honor to be reduced to a nickname.

Last fall, using alumni donations that would be better spent in the classroom, UND took the NCAA to court, challenging the group's finding that the 'Fighting Sioux' logo and nickname are 'hostile and abusive.' Since many of the Sioux tribes in the Dakotas have come to the same conclusion, it would have been civil to bow to the NCAA ruling.

Forget civility. When North Dakota honors Indians, they better stay 'honored.' The only good Indian is an honored Indian. What a waste of time and money by a university that remains in the thrall of dead casino operator and Nazi memorabilia collector Ralph Engelstad, who gave UND $100 million to build the Taj Mahal of hockey arenas and festooned it with thousands of Fighting Sioux logos so it would be easier to tear down than to remove them all."

Get the Story:
Nick Coleman: Illinois shows North Dakota what is the truly honorable thing (The Minneapolis Star Tribune 2/21)
pwlat

Relevant Links:
University of North Dakota - http://www.und.edu
The Ralph - http://www.theralph.com
Fighting Sioux - http://www.fightingsioux.com

Related Stories:
Opinion: Silly fight over 'Fighting Sioux' nick (12/06)
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)