NDakota Residents Vote to Dump ‘Fighting Sioux’ Nickname
- Posted on June 13, 2012 at 7:44am by
Jonathon M. Seidl
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The University of North Dakota 'Fighting Sioux' logo.
FARGO, N.D. (The Blaze/AP) — North Dakota residents say they’ve had enough of a decades-old controversy on its flagship university’s nickname.
Voters overwhelmingly decided Tuesday to dump the University of North Dakota’s Fighting Sioux moniker, an issue that has put its athletic teams at risk for NCAA sanctions and divided sports fans, alumni and even tribes. But even for the winners, the outcome was bittersweet. WDAY-TV reported on the vote count late Tuesday:
Yes: 82,015 (67.55%)
No: 39,403 (32.45%)
324/426 Precincts reporting
A “Yes” vote retires the nickname. A “No” vote requires U-N-D to keep it.
“This is a political matter with no celebration,” said Tim O’Keefe, executive vice president and CEO of the UND Alumni Association and Foundation and the man who led a campaign to retire the nickname. “We’ve said all along that this is not an issue about preference. Clearly if that were the case, the name would be staying. The price of keeping the name is simply too high.”
Some American Indians from the state’s two namesake tribes lobbied for the name and logo to be kept, arguing that they reflected a positive image for their tribes. Eunice Davidson, an enrolled member of the Spirit Lake tribe and member of the committee to save the nickname, was too devastated to talk about the result, her husband Dave Davidson said.
“I will be honest with you. I‘m heartbroken and I’m ashamed of this state,” Dave Davidson said. “On the other hand, there are a lot of wonderful people we have met in the course of this.”
(Watch a video report on the measure here)
Voters in Tuesday‘s North Dakota primary were asked whether to uphold or reject the Legislature’s repeal of a state law requiring the school to use the nickname. The vote sends the matter back to the state’s Board of Higher Education, which is expected to re-retire the nickname and American Indian head logo that seven years ago was deemed hostile and abusive by the NCAA.
The final tally showed about 68 percent in favor of retiring the nickname, but the divide was still evident at the voting booths. Only one county voted to save the nickname. Billings County, in far western North Dakota. Residents there voted 150-148 against retiring the name.
Lynn Megal, a 59-year-old stay-at-home mom in Bismarck, said she voted to keep the name. Scott Neumann, a 59-year-old high school orchestra teacher in Bismarck, said the moniker is offensive and voted to dump it.
“I’m Irish. I don’t have any complaints about the Notre Dame Fighting Irish,” Megal said.
Said Neumann, “I’m happy to see the opportunity to get rid of it. Native American logos have been abused in too many schools around the country.”
Robert Kelley, the UND president, said the vote will allow the college to focus on its students.
“We are appreciative that voters took the time to listen and to understand the issues and the importance of allowing the university to move forward,” Kelley said in a statement. “We also understand how deeply this has affected all of us.”
The group that collected petitions for the ballot measure has said it will pursue another vote in the fall to make Fighting Sioux part of the state constitution. Sean Johnson, spokesman for the nickname group, said the results were disappointing but said they plan to continue gathering petitions.
“We don’t have the option of forfeiting,” he said. “There are more things at stake than some unfounded concerns about the athletic program.”
Advocates for retiring the nickname say the issue is hurting the athletic department in recruiting and scheduling. Some fear it could affect the school’s standing in the Big Sky Conference. Supporters of the name say coaches and administrators are exaggerating the harmful effects, including the conference threat, and don’t believe the NCAA sanctions are a big deal.
The NCAA banned UND from hosting postseason tournaments and said the school could not use the nickname or logo in postseason play, or else it must forfeit those games. The men’s hockey team wore Sioux-logo jerseys in the regular season but switched sweaters in the playoffs.
A settlement agreement with the NCAA called for UND to retire the nickname unless it received approval from both the Standing Rock and Spirit Lake Sioux tribes by the end of 2010. Only Spirit Lake passed a resolution supporting the name. Standing Rock has not held a vote.
The law forcing the school to use the name and logo was approved in March 2011 but was repealed in a special session after NCAA representatives told state officials that it would not budge on sanctions. Johnson’s group then collected the necessary signatures for the ballot measure.
Johnson said his group was outspent 25-to-1.
O’Keefe said the alumni association spent about $250,000 on the campaign to retire the nickname, all through donations. His group is prepared to launch a similar effort against a possible constitutional amendment, but O’Keefe is calling on the nickname backers to stand down.
`’All it does is hold the University of North Dakota hostage and create more division,” he said.
—
Associated Press writer James MacPherson contributed to this report from Bismarck, N.D.
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Comments (70)
BurntHills
Posted on June 13, 2012 at 11:11amwe see it as the communists deliberately erasing all traces of any Native Americans that were ever there.. and any memory of WHY they ever ‘fought’ or were brave to begin with.
we have no clue why any Native American would ever want their tragic history and proud race to be FORGOTTEN by “the whites”, either.
Report Post »Strat-M16
Posted on June 13, 2012 at 11:08amThey should call themselves “The cowering caving, PC *******”. The Left wins again. Don’t these people that gave in because they got tired, realize the ramifications? I think not.
Report Post »RUSIJEFF
Posted on June 13, 2012 at 11:04amThe university administration should not replace the name. Just go without a nickname for the next 50 years. Insert a dotted outline of the silhouette of the former mascot. Let the people of North Dakota live with their stupidity for a good, long while.
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on June 13, 2012 at 11:11amThey should adopt: ‘the shoving Indian Givers’!
Report Post »DavidInStLouis
Posted on June 13, 2012 at 12:39pmGreat idea!!
Report Post »HOGGDA
Posted on June 13, 2012 at 10:32amCowards
Report Post »circleDwagons
Posted on June 13, 2012 at 9:58amChange name to Big Sheep Country
Report Post »Listen_then_think
Posted on June 13, 2012 at 9:57amSoooo stupid PC crap! Man, people are stupid.
Report Post »valarie
Posted on June 13, 2012 at 9:54amThe ballot measure was written so that a “NO” Vote meant we keep the Fighting Sioux nickname. Very deceptive and I sincerely doubt that North Dakotans actually intended to retire the name. Just my opinion.
Report Post »Tickdog
Posted on June 13, 2012 at 9:52amahhh the PC police at it again!
Report Post »Tigress1
Posted on June 13, 2012 at 9:44amRidiculous. It sounds to me that the Native Americans are not offended by the name, just the P.C. crowd? Would these people prefer if the name was the “Appeasers”? If they are going to do this why don’t they change the names of “Spirit Lake” and “Standing Rock”? Those are descriptive Native American terms as well! Hey! The state’s name “Dakota” is the name of a tribe! Isn’t that racist? Boy, the Progressives could have a ball with this!
Report Post »HorseCrazy
Posted on June 13, 2012 at 10:01amI live outside of seattle where everything has a native american name including the name seattle. maybe we should change everything here as not to offend the casino owners.
Report Post »Jeff Bassett
Posted on June 13, 2012 at 9:24amAbsolutely, drop the name, after all, when a group names themselves after something it obviously is because they want to demean the name and make it look bad. Why else in the world would they pick such a mascot. The tribe must make sure to destroy the spirit and history of the Sioux.
It is not like they would respect such, what to hold it up high in admiration, feel proud about extolling the virtues of the Sioux Indians.
Congratulations to the tribes that have worked so hard to take away the name. You have done your best to bury your heritage and push for people to not want to know and learn about the great history of those tribes or keep it alive and respected.
A textbook example of the political correctness mindset group destroying themselves.
Report Post »chrisden
Posted on June 13, 2012 at 4:56pmI totally agree with you. To me, you choose a mascot because of the positive image it conveys. It shows admiration for the mascot and thus admiration for the indian tribe. I have never understood why anyone would be affended by having their tribe chosen as a school mascot.
Report Post »Constructionist
Posted on June 13, 2012 at 9:06amThe new names under consideration are Firewater Freeloaders, Political Pawns, and Aboriginal Irrelevance.
Report Post »SquidVetOhio
Posted on June 13, 2012 at 9:02amHow about the Casino owning Sioux? Such as shame. This was my favorite college hockey team. Here in Ohio, we had the Miami Redskins change to the RedHawks and the stupid Wright State Raiders here in Dayton changed their logo from a viking to a wolf! Not sure how a wolf is tied with “Raiders”. Ironically, their basketball team has never really been any good since then. They use to make the tournament and have produced some NBA players before the change.
Report Post »Chromo200
Posted on June 13, 2012 at 8:59amI think they should change the names of the states North and South Dakota to something else, since Dakota is the name of an native tribe which could be offensive to the NCAA and Mr. Scott Neumann.
Report Post »BurntHills
Posted on June 13, 2012 at 11:13amno doubt they are already considering North Marx and South Obama.
Report Post »Walkabout
Posted on June 13, 2012 at 8:51amAre we to assume that Sioux are not good fighters?
Are we to assume that Sioux are not virile warriors?
Noticed that no one has wanted to call a team the Fighting French. It would be a an oxymoron.
Report Post »Sorocialism
Posted on June 13, 2012 at 9:08amIt’s time to remove all the references to Original Americans in sports…not because it’s offensive to them, but because they are not the icons to be placed as representations of teams we admire and support.
All around the nation there are “soveriegn” American Indian reservations and almost every one has a common thread- Filth, complete disrespect for the laws of the local communities they are in or near, on the border the Tohono O’odham reservation basically has its own portions of the border where they come and go with ZERO Customs checks…the Drug supply from that area is rampant.
An Expose on these “Soveriegn Nations” that control vast portions of OUR international boundary with both Mexico and Canada would reveal SO many nasty little secrets. Right Mr. Raul Grijalva?
I recommend using other things as sport icons…maybe the team can be called the “North Dokota Jelly Beans”.
Report Post »RightPolitically
Posted on June 13, 2012 at 8:51amPC propaganda works, given time.
Report Post »antrancher
Posted on June 13, 2012 at 8:49amPolitical Correctness will be the end of this country as we know it. Ignorance is bliss.
Report Post »RJJinGadsden
Posted on June 13, 2012 at 8:46amFor those of you who remember the massive attacks on the Fighting Sioux, and just about anything else with an American Indian name during the Clinton Administration can understand how N. Dakota finally gave in. Clinton used the massive weight of the U.S. Government against them, and apparently, it has finally paid off for them. It was the PC crowd gone totally mad.
Report Post »RJJinGadsden
Posted on June 13, 2012 at 9:05amWhere N. Dakota failed was voting yesterday to keep their property taxes in place. Bet, they pay for that mistake very soon.
Report Post »garyt55b
Posted on June 13, 2012 at 5:47pmWe had the same issue in Arkansas with Arkansas State Indians. They are now the Red Wolves. The pressure from the NCAA was ridiculous. The best suggested name I saw was ASU….yep just ASU..nothing to offend anyone that I can see. As we know; at some point it will be disparaging to the wolves and will have to be changed.
Report Post »Gonzo
Posted on June 13, 2012 at 8:41amElizabeth Warren will be crushed.
Report Post »RightPolitically
Posted on June 13, 2012 at 8:51amRight on Gonzo!
Report Post »hauschild
Posted on June 13, 2012 at 8:34amHmmmm…..maybe the vast majority of ND residents aren’t as cool as I had imagined.
Report Post »Secret Squirrel
Posted on June 13, 2012 at 8:29am.
Report Post »This is news?
Nobody cares.
I hope they change the name to “Moderately upset gays”.
poorrichard09
Posted on June 13, 2012 at 8:17amHow about “Cowardly Pantywaists?”
Report Post »jsciai
Posted on June 13, 2012 at 8:00amI am a bit of a traditionist and don’t really like it when mascots, names, programs, etc., are renamed for the sake of political correctness. Were I Sioux, I’m part Cherokee, I would be concerned about he cleansing of anything native american from the public sector. These mascots do not insult any people but rather hold them in regard and veneration. Would a team be named the fighting nazis? No they wouldn’t because even though they were very strong and put up an incredible fight their system is reviled for being evil. Eventually anything native american will be wiped from all public venues and only the folks on the reservations will remember.
Report Post »drbage
Posted on June 13, 2012 at 8:15amI agree. All this PC BS is getting a bit ridiculous. Who decided it was insulting or demeaning to the Indians? The PC police seem to systematically eliminating any and all reference to the original natives of the country. What university will be next? Utah, FSU? or as one resident noted Notre Dame–fightin’ Irish is demeaning to people of Irish descent. How about changing USC’s moniker–Trojans–are they advertizing for a brand of condoms? Should the PC police then have as change the names of hundreds of counties in the middle of the country to eliminate all references to Indian tribes?
Report Post »A couple of suggestions for new names for North Dakota–no names, no labels, or maybe nonsense.
Master.Debater
Posted on June 13, 2012 at 8:16amThat‘s part of the reason you’ll find that often the tribes support team names that project a positive image.
Report Post »Master.Debater
Posted on June 13, 2012 at 7:58amI suggest they change the nickname to the North Dakota Oildrillers or how about the Fighting Frackers. Likely though, since they are already bending over for PC whiners, they will probably choose something intangible, but politically safe, concept instead of a “mascot”.
Report Post »Choctaw25
Posted on June 13, 2012 at 7:58amI think I will start a campaign to do away with the “Gamecock” logo for the University of South Carolina, I am offended by the thought of fighting chickens. After all chicken fights have been outlawed by the state politicans, who are too busy in-fighting to keep the “Good Ole Boy” system in place, now that we have a Lady Governor. They’re not going to let “a woman” tell them what-to-do.
So I’ll be starting the petition drive immediately on the steps of the Statehouse to rid this state of that offense fighting chicken logo. Ya’ll come sign it now, you hear.
GO TIGERS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
“The danger to America is not Barack Obama but a citizenry capable of entrusting a man like him with the Presidency. It will be far easier to limit and undo the follies of an Obama presidency than to restore the necessary common sense and good judgment to a depraved electorate willing to have such a man for their president. The problem is much deeper and far more serious than Mr. Obama, who is a mere symptom of what ails America . Blaming the prince of the fools should not blind anyone to the vast confederacy of uninformed and misinformed fools that made him their prince. The Republic can survive a Barack Obama, who is, after all, merely a fool. It is less likely to survive a multitude of fools such as those who made him their president.”
Report Post »Master.Debater
Posted on June 13, 2012 at 8:13amKeep yer grubby hands off our *****!
Report Post »BlazeGlory
Posted on June 13, 2012 at 7:55amMaybe a nickname that would be better received would be something like “The Fighting Pantywaists.”
Report Post »cac67
Posted on June 13, 2012 at 8:23amThat would be insulting to the transvestite community. Can’t have that, they’re protected. The only groups you can get away with insulting now is Christians and heterosexual white men.
Report Post »happ77
Posted on June 13, 2012 at 8:41amHow about The fighting christian white male hetrosexual flatearthers ?
Report Post »Walkabout
Posted on June 13, 2012 at 8:58amcachet: A mark or quality, as of distinction, individuality, or authenticity
Brave, Sioux, Zulu, Viking, Templar, Cossacks. Those names have distinction. They were awesome warriors.
Warriors of any culture your own, your former enemies or anywhere else in the world that are skilled or successful are admired. If you admire them then you want to be like them at least in some way. that is a BRIDGE that can be built upon.
To call your team the “Fighting Sioux” is to acknowledge that you admire something about them.
But leave it to liberals to increase racism.
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