winner-within wrote:The Schwab wrote:First off I will state that I do not know what it is like to walk in the shoes of the minority. I do however think that UNDs use of the nickname isn't as negative as people are making it out to be (I could be wrong, just stating my opinion). The University of North Dakota offers classes dealing with Native American history/traditions/culture etc... (And as far as I know are the only school that offers those classes to that extent). What happens to those classes when they change the nickname? You would be nieve to think they would still offer them. I for one do not care one way or the other if they change the nickname, I do however think that certain people on a certain reservation in ND aren't representing the wishes of the people they represent, but that is a whole seperate issue. I'm sure that some fans of any UND sport have some ill feelings towards the Native American people because of this issue, but to say every UND fan shares those same feelings is a very bold and untrue statement. I am not nieve to think we don't have any racist people living in our state (We are one of the most conservative states in the Union and a lot of our population doesn't like change). I have loved and been around sports my whole life, but I think it is absolutely ridiculous that we are spending tax payer dollars fighting to keep a nickname. The thing that people need to remember is that this is just a nickname, not a friend/neighbor/loved one, it is just a name we use to identify sports teams. Sorry I rambled a little bit, just my two cents.
You guys keep missing my point.....There is not one season ticket holder that would want to sit beside an Enrolled Member of an Native Tribe for the season regardless of the Nickname Issue....They just don't want to, they would feel that they shouldn't have to and they would feel like someone "strayed to far away from their Reservation" SAD!! but true.
I am a season ticket holder and sit right next to two older Native American ladies every game. They are diehard fans and get into every game like you wouldn't believe. And until you have brought all this up, I have never really thought of them as Native American, just fellow Sioux fans enjoying the game as I am. There are many, many people that are not discrimanatory to people of other races/cultures.