DS article on the Sioux name.

Here is an interesting article that I think all Sioux fans need to be read and possibly discuss it. Steve Fool Bear, Mato Iyotaka submitted an article to the Dakota Student on What it means to be Sioux. While there was an online petition to keep the Fighting Sioux name. I think the people we need to have a dialog with is the people of the Sioux, Lakota, Nakota nation. Contrary to the Sioux football people; Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota isn't going to play us in football no matter what our name is. It is a pipe dream by some at UND that we are going to magically be given a football or basketball game with these teams if the Sioux change their name. Heck, forget the snobby Big 10 conference. Maybe UND should concentrate on getting Montana, Montana State, UNI and some of the other Division 1AA schools to play us first.

I also disagree with Chancellor of the North Dakota University System
Bill Goetz that we need to bring this to a conclusion as soon as possible. What's the rush? Is Bill Goetz getting pressure from Ron His Horse Thunder? UND per the settlement has three years to get this issue solved? I think more time should be spent finding out from as many of the people of the Sioux nation as possible and not just the tribal council; and asking them what do you think? If the people of the Sioux nation does in fact really want UND to retire the name, so be it.

Here is some of the important points: This issue is not a clash of Native vs. White, or any combination of the two. This is an issue of people who seek to divide versus people who wish to unite.

Both races share these groups. The dividers respond to one another by creating turmoil, and the animosity that results radiates to the rest of us. Now our social atmosphere is in increased discord.

This topic has been long ignored by those who were indifferent; many of us believed this issue was settled in 1969, when Standing Rock gave our blessing to UND, but because of these divider groups, the issue has resurfaced and is now affecting us all.

Some believe that by taking back this given Sioux name from UND will result in some victory against racism, like a logo is going affect a racist person's behavior. We have no control of these people's thoughts and actions, removing the logo will not change their view of Natives.

To chastise UND for opposing team's antics and our states local bigoted population is fruitless; nothing good will come from it, but more importantly, nothing will change.

The people that create this turmoil will still be here. UND is not to blame; it is the immoral third party chauvinists who are. Reality: If we take back the Sioux name and logo we gave to UND, we are taking a piece of their adopted culture, heritage and identity. Sound familiar?
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We do not need outside entities speaking for us like we're some dysfunctional dim-witted defeated shells of our ancestors. The NCAA, APA, NAACP and whoever else who think they know what's best for Natives, do not speak for me, and should not speak for Standing Rock.

We are the decedents of the greatest culture to have ever walked these plains, and it's time to start acting like it. The self-pity attitude that many have adopted has reached its apex.

We cannot claim any honor by hiding behind these groups.

Chairman His Horses Thunder, I respect you and your accomplishments, your job I'm sure is challenging; I would respect you more as a leader if you actually visited our communities, and in a unbiased manner spoke to your members about this most debatable topic, or visited with the UND students who never experienced all the negative incidents others attest to.

It's evident that there are a very large number of your constituents who don't agree with what is happening. It's obvious this debate is split; I'm sure as the highest ranking officer of the Standing Rock Sioux Nation, you would want to represent us accurately. After all; it is your job as our democratic leader to represent the majority, a vote would settle the issue once and for all. (Read the whole article here)