North Dakota Human Rights Coalition
Working to effect change so that all people in North Dakota enjoy full human rights
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North Dakota Human Rights Coalition Working to effect change so that all people in North Dakota enjoy full human rights |
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~North Dakota Human Rights Coalition~ PAUR Report
Programs ~ Announcements ~ Updates ~ Resources
Visit our Website at www.ndhrc.org
January - March 2006 ND Human Rights News
Hello members and friends of the North Dakota Human Rights Coalition!
In this PAUR Report:
Announcements 1) Women's Leadership Development Opportunity-Deadlines Extended 2) GLBT Scholarship Available at MSUM 3) Nominations Accepted for North Dakota Chamber's 2006 Community Leadership Awards
Newspaper Articles 4) Native-American Nicknames/Mascots News 6) Tribal News 7) Gender News 8) Race and National Origin News 12) The Fargo Forum, A place for recovery, Fargo church unique in mission of reaching out to those in recovery 13) The Grand Forks Herald, New legal service for UND students gets first approval 14) The Fargo Forum, Dorgan urges advocates to bring about change in society 15) The Grand Forks Herald, UND Senate votes to spend money on student legal advice 16) The Grand Forks Herald, Rising numbers seek to erase past criminal records 17) The Bismarck Tribune, Homeless here need our help 18) The Fargo Forum, Do-not-admit list remains mystery
Events 19) Message from 10% Society Regarding Campus Pride Week April 3-7, 2006 20) Forum on Human Rights, Race, and National Origin Schedule for March 30th in Moorhead, MN 21) Community Meetings from ND Vocational Rehabilitation Consulting & Services/ND State Rehabilitation Council 22) Jaune Quick-to-See Smith: Made in America Exhibition at Plains Art Museum 23) Public Hearings on Home and Community Based Services 24) Wallbangers' Basketball Game in Williston April 18th
Reminders 25) Help the NDHRC Protect the Rights of All People in North Dakota Become a Member!
Please Note: The NDHRC distributes a bi-weekly PAUR report to inform our members and friends about news, events, and other human rights related information around the state. The opinions expressed within the articles are those of the authors and are not endorsed by the NDHRC.
New NDHRC members: as a membership benefit you have received an e-mail subscription of our weekly e-mail newsletter, the NDHRC PAUR Report. If you would like to be removed from the PAUR Report mailing list, please send an email to humanrights@ndhrc.org.
********************************************* Announcements *********************************************
1) Women's Leadership Development Opportunity-Deadlines Extended
*Deadline for Applications extended to April 1* State University, in Fargo, ND. The institute is an intensive five-day residential program designed to encourage civic and political participation and to provide public leadership training to women who do not already have extensive leadership experience. There is a particular emphasis on recruiting
women from groups that have typically been underrepresented voices in the
political process. encouraged to apply. Approximately 40 college students and non-students will be accepted. Priority will be given to women who are at the beginning stages of their leadership development. Participants will have the opportunity to interact with many women leaders including state, local, and tribal elected officials, heads of nonprofit organizations, and grassroots activists. They will gain valuable leadership skills through hands-on exercises that
will help them to better serve their communities. A keynote address will be
provided by Winona LaDuke. Studies, Topics in Sociology, or Social Work Workshop. Those who choose to register for course credits will have to pay for the course registration
expenses. In addition, scholarships are available to cover travel and/or
childcare expenses incurred during the five-day institute. White at 218-477-2041 or whitede@mnstate.edu.
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2) GLBT Scholarship Available at MSUM
The Third Annual Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender (GLBT) Rainbow Endowed
Scholarship is available at MSUM. The
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3) Nominations Accepted for North Dakota Chamber's 2006 Community Leadership Awards
There is still time to submit nominations for the North Dakota Chamber’s 2006 Community Leadership Awards. This award recognizes community leaders who contribute to their communities making North Dakota a better place to live, work and be in business.
Since its inception in 1986, 305 people have received this distinguished award. Criteria for recipients include leadership in activities that contribute to an enriched quality of life and enhancement of our North Dakota communities. Suggested areas of leadership could include, but not be limited to: community service, business, farming, industry, the professions, education, health, religion, politics, environment and law enforcement.
Any individual, business or organization may submit nominations for award recipients.
You may complete a nomination form online on our website at www.ndchamber.com. If you’d like a form mailed or e-mailed, please call 800-382-1405. The nomination deadline is March 31, 2006.
********************************************* Newspaper Articles *********************************************
4) Native-American Nicknames/Mascots News
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INDIAN MASCOT
CONTROVERSEY: A TIMELINE Oklahoma State
retires its "Little Red" mascot. to eliminate that
school's "Chief Illiniwek" mascot. Indian related
mascots to discontinue such uses. to determine if
their use is offensive and should be stopped. universities. The
ruling carries no legal bearing, but many schools change their mascots anyway. on appeal, the University of Illinois becomes one of 18 schools forced remove its mascot.
########################### ONLINE EXTRA:
Wisconsin superintendent wants Indian names dropped MADISON, Wis. - The state schools superintendent is asking Wisconsin school districts to drop American Indian names, mascots and logos, saying they perpetuate stereotypes.
Superintendent Elizabeth Burmaster sent letters making her request to 39 districts in late December. According to a group representing Indian educators, the Wisconsin Indian Education Association, the state has 39 schools with Indian logos, mascots and names, including the Auburndale Apaches, the Wisconsin Rapids Red Raiders, the Rib Lake Redmen and the Tomahawk Hatchets. <snip>
########################### Grievance groups:
Leave college mascots alone The University of Illinois must soon decide whether, and if so how, to fight an exceedingly silly edict from the NCAA. That organization's primary function is to require college athletics to be no more crassly exploitative and commercial than is absolutely necessary. But now the NCAA is going to police cultural sensitivity, as it understands that. Hence the decision to declare Chief Illiniwek ''hostile and abusive'' to Native Americans.
Censorship - e.g., campus speech codes - often are academic liberalism's preferred instrument of social improvement, and now the NCAA's censors say: The Chief must go, as must the university's logo of a Native American in feathered headdress. Otherwise the NCAA will not allow the university to host any postseason tournaments or events. <snip>
########################### COLLEGE
NICKNAMES: NCAA lifts restrictions Posted on Thu, Jan. 05, 2006 - Grand Forks Herald The NCAA will postpone meetings set for next week to discuss a second appeal of restrictions on UND's Fighting Sioux nickname and logo. The Indianapolis-based college sports association also said it will waive postseason restrictions for UND and other affected schools for about four more months while it sorts out new information.
Aug. 5, the NCAA put UND on a list of 18 schools that it said used "hostile or abusive" American Indian nicknames, logos and images. A Feb. 1 deadline was set for schools to shed their controversial monikers or face restrictions that include barring the imagery on team uniforms during the postseason and prohibiting schools from hosting NCAA tournaments. <snip>
########################### Chief Among the Silliness By George F. Will The University of Illinois must soon decide whether, and if so how, to fight an exceedingly silly edict from the NCAA. That organization's primary function is to require college athletics to be no more crassly exploitative and commercial than is absolutely necessary. But now the NCAA is going to police cultural sensitivity, as it understands that. Hence the decision to declare Chief Illiniwek "hostile and abusive" to Native Americans. Censorship -- e.g., campus speech codes -- often is academic liberalism's preferred instrument of social improvement, and now the NCAA's censors say: The Chief must go, as must the university's logo of a Native American in feathered headdress. Otherwise the NCAA will not allow the university to host any postseason tournaments or events.
This story of progress, as progressives understand that, began during halftime of a football game in 1926, when an undergraduate studying Indian culture performed a dance dressed as a chief. Since then, a student has always served as Chief Illiniwek, who has become the symbol of the university that serves a state named after the Illini confederation of about a half-dozen tribes that were virtually annihilated in the 1760s by rival tribes. <snip>
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January 6, 2006
George Will The Washington Post 1150 15th Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20071
Mr. Will:
I have read your editorial in the January 5 issue of the Tulsa World and find it highly disturbing that a journalist of your stature would publish an editorial concerning the Peoria Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma and the university mascot, Chief Illiniwek, and mentioning my name without a personal conversation. I can only assume you derived your facts from other published reports on the Peoria Tribe’s stance regarding the Chief Illiniwek issue.
The Peoria Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma in April of 2001, by tribal resolution, requested the University of Illinois to cease and desist use of Chief Illiniwek as its mascot. Your article suggests insensitivity on the part of the Peoria Tribe as to Chief Illiniwek; I believe that insensitivity lies with the University of Illinois in not respecting the request of the Tribe.
<snip>
###########################
It Could Have Been
Us One of the few injustices spared African-Americans though was the objectification that resulted from the brilliant idea of using symbols of Native American heritage
as team nicknames, icons, mascots and logos. nationally like the
Midwestern State University Indians.
NCAA, to complaints
about political correctness run amok.
########################### UND: Senate calls for name change An advisory body of UND faculty, administrators and student leaders passed a resolution Thursday night against the Fighting Sioux nickname and logo, saying the controversial monikers interfere with the school's academic mission. <snip> View Article
########################### Kupchella has been hosting tribal councils UND President Charles Kupchella said Thursday he's met with two North Dakota American Indian tribal councils, including the Spirit Lake council, on campus in recent weeks, and plans are to meet with two more in the near future. <snip> View Article
########################### OPINION: UND nickname doesn't honor to the Sioux peopleThe Fighting Sioux, Atlanta Braves, Washington Redskins and Kansas City Chiefs all are names of college and national sports teams. Do these names represent a racial slur or a cherished tradition? <snip> View Article
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Chowan complies, drops Braves mascot Chowan College will drop its Native American nickname and mascot to comply with an NCAA ruling that bans "hostile or abusive" imagery. <snip> View Article
###########################
Wisconsin high
schools urged to change mascots process with the
community that would lead to a change in American Indian mascots.
########################### Illinois appeals Illiniwek decision to NCAA executive committeeThe University of Illinois filed its second appeal of an NCAA decision that would require the school to drop its Chief Illiniwek athletic mascot and logo before it could host any postseason competition. <snip> View Article
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GRAND FORKS HERALD
Feb 2, 2006 Madness
approaching, mascots still are in full bloom on basketball courts across
America. the wayside and in
college football, the notorious Seminole of Florida State ran into a Nittany
Lion and were devoured. steel mills,
involved in professional football's last hurrah of '06. still roam the coasts of Europe. It's not true, folks. The Vikings (a race of people) evolved into the people of Scandinavia and vanished from the planet as horned
marauders who pillaged, burned and raped their way across the coastal
settlements of the Old World. They are figments of history. Irish people of
America, and that will happen only when their fans use demeaning and derogatory
imitations of Irishmen. Americans opposed
to their use. Chief Illiniwek. I wasn't on the Pine Ridge Reservation in 1930 when this allegedly occurred, but I was there in the early 1979 when Anthony Whirlwind Horse, now deceased, superintendent of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and Chief Fools Crow, also deceased, donated another set of authentic raiment
to Illiniwek. was definitely
different? A case of "one size fits all?" wearing the clothing they donated was actually performing dances that were insulting to the Lakota and when I showed them a tape of Illiniwek, they were aghast. Both agreed that they never would have participated in securing the attire for this phony chief if they knew it would be used to defame the Indian
people. tribes who vehemently object to their use as mascots, you would have been surprised. And the 2002 Sports Illustrated survey was so skewed as to be useless. Will
ought to know that polls too often are manipulated to show desired results. showed the majority of Indians were diametrically opposed to their use as mascots for America's fun and games. To most Indians that was no surprise. But then
again, we (Indians) are only human. may be hard for
Will to believe, but even though some sports fans may act like one, artichokes
are not human beings. determined to be
racist. oldest Indian
organization - and the National Indian Education Association all have passed
resolutions condemning the use of Indians as mascots. named after the Zulus and that same fan had his face painted black and wore an Afro wig, I truly believe he would be more than bothered. He probably would be
frightened spitless at the reaction of African Americans.
########################### Posted on Fri, Feb. 03, 2006 - Grand Forks Herald
UND: Kupchella: Nickname fight must continue
UND President Charles Kupchella told faculty leaders Thursday night that he's not about to begin shedding the school's nickname and logo - not after all that's been done in recent months to fight for it.
Kupchella responded to a resolution passed by the University Senate last month that said the use of the "Fighting Sioux" nickname and logo interfere with the school's academic mission, and that a national accrediting body pointed out that harm in 2004. <snip>
###########################
Posted on Fri, Feb. 03, 2006 - Grand Forks herald COLLEGE
NICKNAMES: Official: NCAA won't back down on mascot issue OMAHA, Neb. - NCAA president Myles Brand said the ban of American Indian mascots and images in postseason competition will remain firm despite resistance from schools that would be affected.
Brand said part of the NCAA's mission is to protect values.
"One of the values we hold dear is respect for everyone," Brand said Thursday. "Some of the mascots, names, costumes and other acting out about Native Americans is very hostile and uncomfortable mostly for Native Americans but others as well." <snip>
###########################
Mascots continue to
demean Natives - Sunday, February 5, 2006 Custer. Your dander's up, your pistol's wavin'. You've hog-tied a ravishing Indian maiden and have a chance to rewrite history and even up an old score. Now the
Indian maiden's hands may be tied, but she's not about to take it lying down, by
George!” targeted for
violence.
########################### Posted on Fri, Feb. 10, 2006 - Grand Forks Herald UND seeks
solidarity with tribes UND President Charles Kupchella says he wants to create an atmosphere of "we" between his school and Sioux tribes.
In a Viewpoint in today's Herald , the UND leader calls for more solidarity with the tribes and sheds insight on possible new programs that could be developed to enhance the school's strong reputation as an educator of American Indians.
Kupchella suggests that, with the tribes' support, such an effort might go a long way in retaining unfettered use of the Fighting Sioux nickname and logo in light of the school's current fight with the NCAA. <snip>
########################### Posted on Fri, Feb. 10, 2006 - Grand Forks Herald
VIEWPOINT: With tribal leaders, UND tries to
turn 'them,' 'us' to 'we' Note: UND is awaiting the outcome of its second appeal with the National Collegiate Athletic Association regarding the use of its American Indian logo. The NCAA is scheduled to make its decision on April 27.
GRAND FORKS -- Although UND's nickname issue with the NCAA has been covered extensively in the media, more needs to be said about our continuing dialog with American Indian leaders a dialog encouraged by the State Board of Higher Education and by Tribal leaders.
We believe that the NCAA is completely out of bounds in having promulgated its ill-conceived policy on nicknames in the first place, and that it has applied the policy arbitrarily and capriciously. While there are many other things both fundamentally and technically wrong with the policy, I will not iterate them here. Our case is laid out in our appeal as well as in our rebuttals to NCAA staff reviews of our appeal.
UND is justifiably proud of its long-standing, fine array of programs in support of American Indian students and programs in health care and other areas, all carried out in cooperation with American Indian tribes throughout North Dakota and beyond. I won't iterate these here, either. <snip>
###########################
The response below was
written by UND professors Justin (Doug) McDonald, Nadine Tepper and Lucy Ganje. and logo. But it is unwilling to address the specific concerns long raised by tribal governments and organizations, civil rights groups and more
specifically, American
Indian educators and educational organizations. stereotype American Indians." Does this mean he also "rejects" the findings of the American Psychological Association? The National Congress of
American Indians? The
National Indian Education Association?
logos have an adverse
impact on Indian students. These data also suggest Indians in these settings do
oppose their use and do not feel "honored."
self-serving "polls" in
Sports Illustrated for support. one thing to ignore the aforementioned studies or seek to attack their methodologies (something anyone could do with any study ever conducted).
But how can UND simply
ignore the collective wisdom of the largest professional psychological
association in the world? Indian students and programs in health care and other areas," why will they not listen when these very same programs (including programs whose
emphasis is the physical
and mental well-being of Indians) repeatedly tell them that the name is
detrimental to their mission?. campus process, ignored tribal government resolutions and mandated that keeping an Indian sports team name and logo was "in the best interest of
the state"? Why wasn't an
effort made then to achieve "solidarity" with the tribal governments?
the president "develop and
implement an orderly plan for discontinuing use of the Indian nickname and
Indianhead logo."
president and his advisors
on this issue. the Indian programs on this campus have been doing since the1970s. And they've been doing this work not so that UND can keep a sports team name and mascot, not because they're opportunistically trying to get anything in return from area tribes, but to give Indian students (of all tribes) the
support and encouragement
needed to achieve their goals. as a source of pride for many" as though this is a reason for ignoring more than 30 years of conflict and controversy. As though this is reason enough to ignore the National Congress of American Indians, the U.S. Office of Civil Rights and its own accrediting body, the North Central Association of
Colleges and Schools.
lawsuits, to halt the
pitting of students against each other, to stop - please - trying to justify the
appropriation of Indian culture for marketing purposes. to the tribal governments and support Indian programs and students because it is the right thing to do - not because we want to keep a sports team
name and logo. Tribe member, is a professor of teaching and learning at UND, and Ganje is an associate professor of art at UND.
########################### Posted on Mon, Feb. 13, 2006 Grand Forks herald IN THE MAIL : Spirit Lake Nation should oppose nickname BARTLESVILLE, Okla. - I'm disappointed to read the plans of the Spirit Lake Dakotah Sioux Nation to not oppose UND's Fighting Sioux mascot. This fight has gone on too long. The mascot is clearly wrong.
UND can honor Native Americans by continuing to develop great academic programs, which have educated so many Indian people in that region. But the school can't have it both ways. Being good in one area doesn't give you permission to disrespect Native Americans.
In life, there are only so many opportunities to do what is best and right. Those moments define people and test our sense of what is just and right.
Racist groups applaud every time a school such as Florida State University gets to keep its Indian mascot ("Seminoles"). Is that the kind of people UND wants to endear itself to?
UND should take the steps to retire the inappropriate mascot and start a new relationship. It then will join that noble fraternity of schools who have upheld our noblest aspirations of "All men are created equal."
Louis Gray Gray is the president of the Tulsa Indian Coalition Against Racism.
Grand Forks Herald
###########################
some names are negative
and shouldn't be used.
told the whole world -
right, old man? Furthermore, I'm reminding him he still is that little Valentine
baby Mom always favored. I'm smiling.
###########################
Posted on Thu, Mar. 02, 2006
Chancellor says talks continue on North Dakota
nickname
Dakota's Fighting Sioux nickname.
The school is making its second appeal to the NCAA, which listed UND among schools with nicknames or mascots deemed "hostile or abusive." Those schools are barred from hosting postseason tournaments.
Chancellor Robert Potts said he was among the university officials at a meeting with tribal leaders last week.
<snip>
###########################
COLLEGE NICKNAMES: Neutral no moreThe UND Indian Association, a student group representing American Indians, has abandoned its long-held neutral stance on the university's "Fighting Sioux" nickname and logo. <snip> View Article
########################### Indian student group opposes nickname The Forum - 03/10/2006
GRAND FORKS, N.D. An American Indian student group at the University of North Dakota has passed a resolution against the school’s Fighting Sioux nickname and logo.
The UND Indian Association had been neutral earlier.
Group members voted 26-2 Wednesday night to oppose the nickname.
<snip>
###########################
NCAA President:
Names belong to sovereign tribes Gazette.
Brand said the NCAA is working with schools on a "case-by-case basis" to determine whether their use of Indians as mascots is appropriate. "Those names belong to the tribe, and it’s their decision on how they want to use it," he told the paper.
"I don’t know what it is about the American psyche that gives us permission to stereotype and caricatur |
