I empathize with the Sioux family who drives down a road during hockey season to see obscene depictions of Sioux painted on roadside signs. I feel it is an abuse of their tribe, family, children, and people. If you were a Sioux father how would you explain it to your children. Could you say, "Well its OK because they have more power than us -- they can acquire our tribal name, assert ownership if they want too, abuse it as they will -- we can do nothing." Could you say as a Sioux that, "UND has the highest ethical standards that allow this." If you cannot say that retaining the Sioux mascot is ethical, then I have to ask you if retaining the mascot is really that important.

I don't think there is a university on this planet that does not want to be a world class institution, and to be recognized and seen in that light and in that way. In that spirit, universities are usually willing to maintain high standards in their conduct. Is retaining the Sioux's name an example of maintaining a high ethical standard. Could you say that ND, or SD, or so bereft of a past that they have no other prospects of an descent alternative mascot. If you did say that I would emphatically have to disagree. There are plenty of alternatives. And I think that given a reasonable alternative you should give the Sioux their name back -- celebrate a change for the better -- and go on winning at hockey.

I want to say to you that the issue for me is not fighting to keep things from the past, but to do what is the best that you can do now. The point for UND is not to struggling to keep what is theirs (this is what is Sioux are doing rightfully) the point is to do what is now best for the school and community. Arguments to keep the current mascot seem to be bitter disputations against change, and arguing that you don't have to change, no one can make you!! I haven't seen arguments about how retaining the mascot is the best thing for the interest of the institution, that keeping the mascot espouses high ethical standards, that it epitomizes the university's ambition to be all it can be.

If someone offered you the dazzling new hockey arena in exchange for the old one, would you say, "No! We have always played in that arena! Other school's have their old arenas" -- or would you say, "Out with the out of date, in with the new, this is good."

To Anonymous: When I read your response, I had an momentary impulse to send in a response in your name and pretend I was you. Now people would probably have realized that I am really not you, but still... then I realized that you were "Anonymous."

The argument here is between the "real" Sioux and the "other" (UND) Sioux. The real "Sioux" say stop pretending you are us, stop using our name, and the "other" Sioux say stop pretending you are the "real" Sioux. But the "real" Sioux can't stop being the real Sioux, and the other Sioux can't stop pretending -- or can they? If someone pretends to be you, or uses your name and makes you look foolish, causes you to feel humiliated, would you object. What if you object, does the other person have a right to demand you justify your objection. They judge whether your rationale is adequate and meets their standards. What if they say they have considered your objection and do not regard it as important, after all, they like to pretend they are you, others pretend they are you too so it is OK if they do. They say, in effect, "Oh yeah, make me stop, you can't I am the bully around here!" The question is no longer an ethical question it is a _______ question.

Use and honoring of the word Yankee is designed to mock the people who disparaged "Yankees." Irish and Vikings don't object because as Europeans they probably do consider it honorable, and they don’t feel left out or counted out in our society. I think you were agreeing with me on the Pirate/Raider thing, the use is indeed figurative not literal. Maybe people in Florida do honor their Buccaneer ancestors, but I know this is, in reality, largely figurative also. If you said to them that you are locking your truck so they won't steal from you, many of them would get mad at the idea that you are insinuating that they are not honest, but stealing would be socially acceptable to a real Buccaneer. But, let's say they do literally mean to honor Buccaneers -- I don't get the connection to what we are discussing.

-- Bernard Schuster, Find Your Accredited Online Graduate School (posted 3/15, 10:00 a.m., U.S. Eastern time)

previous response

next response

STEP 1: Your contact information (required)

Your name: Your title & institution: Your phone: Your e-mail address:

STEP 2: Your comments

STEP 3: Submit!

Be sure to include your name and affiliation. Legitimate requests for anonymity will be honored.

The Chronicle maintains Colloquy as an open forum where readers can comment on issues. Submissions may be condensed or edited for clarity, but editing is kept to a minimum. We correct errors in spelling, punctuation, etc. In addition, we remove statements that have the potential to be libelous or to slander someone. In cases in which people make claims that could be libelous, we will remove the names of institutions and departments. But in those cases, we will not alter the ideas contained in the submissions.

Please read our privacy policy or our Colloquy help page if you have questions.

Check this box only if you would like this submission to be considered for publication as a letter to the editor in the printed Chronicle.