North Dakota Human Rights Coalition

Working to effect change so that all people in North Dakota enjoy full human rights

 

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PAUR Report

Programs ~ Announcements ~ Updates ~ Resources

 

 

Friday, November 2, 2007

North Dakota Human Rights News

 

www.ndhrc.org

 

 

Hello members and friends of the North Dakota Human Rights Coalition!

Select individual headings to view specific content. Thank you for reading.

 

 

In this PAUR Report:

 

              Announcements

 

Events

 

Reminders

 

NEWS:

       Native American Nicknames / Mascot

      Tribal

      Race & National Origin

      Gender & Sexual Orientation

      Women's Rights

      Disabilities

      Religion

      Miscellaneous

 

Do you have a Program, Announcement, Update or Resource that you would like shared on our weekly PAUR report? If so, please send an email to HumanRights@NDHRC.org and we will do our best to accommodate you.

 

Please Note: The NDHRC distributes a 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.

 

We need your help and support to make a difference.  Your individual advocacy is invaluable.  Please consider making a monetary donation to help support the NDHRC's work.  Send your donations to NDHRC, P.O. Box 1961, Fargo, ND 58107-1961 or make a donation online by visiting www.ndhrc.org. Free memberships are also available.

 

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.

 

 

International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination
The link below is to a large document that is the U.S. response to its periodic report (April 2007) as a party to the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.  In this report, the U.S. at times documents information about American Indian/Alaskan Natives as well as Native Hawaiians.  It seems to suggest that the U.S. is very actively eliminating racial discrimination and points to examples such as the operation of Tribal Colleges.
http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/83517.pdf
The link below is to the actual Convention to illustrate what obligations the U.S. is bound to abide by.
http://www.unhchr.ch/html/menu3/b/d_icerd.htm

 

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Manufactured Home Park in the Hands of the Residents: A Fresh start for Minnesota’s newest manufactured home park cooperative

   Moorhead, MN—For more than two years, residents of Greenwood Mobile Home Park have been working to purchase their park from its current owner. On Monday, Oct. 22, they became the third manufactured home park cooperative in Minnesota.

   Greenwood has had a history of troubled management, deferred maintenance and an owner who was accused of predatory lending practices for nearly 10 years. With its large share of problems, Greenwood was a source of anxiety for the rest of the Moorhead community. The situation escalated to a point where the Legal Services of Northwest Minnesota office contacted the Minnesota attorney General, who filed a lawsuit against the owner. This resulted in the owner being ordered to sell the park to residents through Northcountry Cooperative Foundation (NCF), a nonprofit cooperative housing developer.

   NCF, the lead developer on the project, reached out to many members of the Moorhead community to facilitate the purchase, partnering with People Escaping Poverty Project (PEPP), a local non-profit, to coordinate resident meetings and cooperative education efforts. With the help of PEPP and NCF, residents formed the Bennett Park Cooperative, an organization with a strong-willed resident board of directors, which has worked tirelessly to finalize the park purchase.

   The resident board has also reached out to other community partners to build relationships and help facilitate the purchase. The cooperative has had several meetings and made presentations to the Moorhead City Council.

   Trinity Lutheran Church has donated funds to assist homeowners to purchase their membership in the cooperative, making becoming a member that much easier for many of the families who live in the community.

   The Bennett Park Cooperative members are making progress toward their dream of a better community. The co-op was the proud recipient of free design work from the American Institute of Architects, Search for Shelter Design Charrette—support that NCF applied for on their behalf. The residents plan to pursue the aesthetic changes the architects have recommended for their community.

   NCF applied for grant funding from the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency (MHFA) and received $500,000 for a home repair and replacement program and for capital improvements for the park. The home repair/replacement program was created to assist residents who want to fix their current home, or buy a new manufactured home. A local CAP agency, West Central Minnesota Communities Action Inc., will help the cooperative administer this program. A predevelopment loan from the Local Investment Support Corporation through Midwest Minnesota Community Development Corporation assisted the cooperative with due-diligence expenses.

   Project financing was provided by Twin Cities Co-ops Federal Credit Union, Northcountry Cooperative Development Fund and Minnesota Housing.

   NCF is very excited to announce Bennett Park Cooperative as the third manufactured home park cooperative in Minnesota. Thank you to all of our partners who helped make this happen.

 

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New Service Helps Families Connect to Child Care Online
   Families across North Dakota can now find licensed child care with a click of a mouse at www.ndchildcare.org.  Child Care Resource and Referral has launched an on-line child care search service.
   This new service puts the most up-to-date listings of licensed child care at the fingertips of families.   The customized search helps families locate child care options based on the type of care needed, the ages of the children, their schedule and location.
   In addition to helping families locate child care, www.ndchildcare.org also offers child care tips, a parent’s handbook and other resources for families seeking child care and caregivers working to provide quality child care in their communities.
   Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) helps families search for child care, supports child care programs and works with communities to address child care issues.
   For more information contact Linda Lembke, Child Care Resource and Referral Program Director at 218-299-7026 or lindal@lakesandprairies.net; or Linda Reinicke, Child Care Resource and Referral Program Director at (o) 701-530-2501, (c) 701.226.2510 or lreinicke@lssnd.org.

 

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The Fair Housing of the Dakotas (FHD) announces the release of a new fact sheet on fair housing and domestic violence.  This fact sheet is the 7th in the FHD's popular series on fair housing issues. The fact sheet rose out of increasing calls from victims of domestic violence to the FHD; new federal legislation and case law which is unknown to housing providers and the public; and an increase in cases of domestic violence and evictions of victims in North and South Dakota and across the country.  The fact sheet was also reviewed by advocates who assist victims of domestic violence. 

*To find out more about the issue or fair housing in general, visit our "What is Fair Housing" section at: http://www.ndfhc.org/fair_housing/index.htm

 

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A series was published on housing discrimination over the weekend by Gannett News Services (publishers of USA Today).  There are several related stories at: http://azcentral.gns.gannettonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?Category=HOUSING

   One story in particular I've noted below states that North Dakota is one of the states with the highest number of complaint filings per 100,000.  On average, we have assisted people in filing between 30-40 housing discrimination complaints per year the last few years with the North Dakota Department of Labor's Division of Human Rights.  A majority of the cases are filed through Fair Housing the Dakotas, and in particular the cases in which discrimination is found to have occurred

 

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The ABCs of Conflict Resolution
In today's multicultural schools, resolving conflict effectively means being culturally aware. This edition of The Anti-Bias Classroom can help students and educators strengthen their cultural sensitivities.
Lesson 1: My Multicultural Self
 Lesson 2: Communication is Cultural
 Lesson 3: Checking on Stereotypes
 Lesson 4: Conflict Resolution and Peace
 Lesson 5: In-Group Favoritism
 Lesson 6: Professional Development Activity
 

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Talk To Kids About ... How To Resolve Conflict
When Dana Williams' son became the focus of a childhood crush, conflict soon followed. She shares tips for other parents.

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Six Lessons from Jena
The prosecutions of six black teenagers in Jena, La., have captured the nation's attention. As school professionals, we must never lose sight of the fact that it all started with nooses hanging from a schoolyard tree. Explore the six key lessons for schools and educators.
 

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Peace Talk Radio, a local program dedicated to exploring the possibilities for peace on our planet through inspiring dialog, creative solutions and a firm belief in the original goodness of humanity, is inviting local people who have experienced discrimination based on their race, economics, gender, religion, disability or whatever, in the Fargo Moorhead community, to come in or call in to our radio program and tell us your story.  We believe that our personal stories can reach the hearts of a sleepy public and bridges of caring, compassion and community can be built.  If you are interested, our program is on Sat. mornings, 9:00 to 11:00 AM on KNDS Radio, 105.9 FM.  It is not a "hot talk" program and we will not tolerate hate calls.  It is a safe environment.  Please contact Paddy McLaughlin at 701-232-0694 or angelight33@juno.com to set a date and time.  We are laid back and make for a comfortable interview by phone or at the studio.   

 

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HECUA is announces 2008 Partners Internship Program request for proposals.

   The Partners Internship Program (PIP) provides internship grants to nonprofit organizations in Minnesota, North Dakota and northwestern Wisconsin. HECUA (Higher Education Consortium for Urban Affairs) administers the program, which was created and is funded by the Otto Bremer Foundation.

   Each recipient organization hires an undergraduate student who manages a project designed by the organization. With this grant, interns are paid to work full time for 400 hours or 10 weeks during the summer. Twenty nonprofit organizations will be awarded PIP grants for Summer 2008. HECUA (Higher Education Consortium for Urban Affairs) provides training and internship support for both the organization and the interns before, during, and after the internship. Organizations that received a PIP grant in 2005, 2006, or

2007 are not eligible to receive a PIP grant for 2008.

   Deadline to apply: November 27, 2007. Upcoming information sessions: Go to www.hecua.org/pip.html  for details on each.

Eau Claire, WI- Thursday, November 8th

Menomonie, WI- Monday, November 12th

For more information: Please visit www.hecua.org/pip.html or email

pip@hecua.org.

 

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High Commissioner for Human Rights hails adoption of Declaration in Indigenous Rights

13 September 2007

   United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour hailed today's adoption by the General Assembly of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples calling it "a triumph for justice and human dignity".
   "It was a long time coming", she said, "but the hard work and perseverance of indigenous peoples and their friends and supporters in the international community has finally borne fruit in the most comprehensive statement to date of indigenous peoples' rights".
   The Declaration, adopted this afternoon in New York after more than two decades of negotiations at the United Nations among Member States, with the participation of indigenous peoples from around the world, addresses both individual and collective rights; cultural rights and identity; rights to education, health, employment, language, and others. It outlaws discrimination against indigenous peoples and promotes their full and effective participation in all matters that concern them. It also ensures their right to remain distinct and to pursue their own visions of economic, social and cultural development. The Declaration explicitly encourages harmonious and cooperative relations between States and Indigenous Peoples.
   The High Commissioner said the Declaration will provide impetus for renewed international efforts to address the pressing concerns of the world's 370 million indigenous people.
   "I convey my warmest congratulations to all who made this historic day possible", she said. "The adoption of the Declaration truly is a triumph for justice and human dignity".
http://www.ohchr.org/english/press/media.htm

 

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Know A Woman Who Should Run for Public Office?

   The Women's Campaign Forum has launched the She Should Run campaign, a comprehensive effort to gather nominations of 1,000 pro-choice women who should run for public office. WCF is committed to ensuring these women get the essential encouragement they need and to providing them access to key campaign education and resources.  Do you know a woman who should run?  Research shows women are much more likely to run if someone asks them to. Tell a woman she should run for office, share her story, and send her on her way toward becoming the civic leader she was always meant to be. For more information, visit http://www.sheshouldrun.org/page/content/nominatenotify/

   AAUW encourages women to be active in and knowledgeable about the political process. She Should Run provides another resource towards that goal. To understand more about how you can influence the debate, visit the AAUW Voter Education Campaign.

 

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AARP is offering a scholarship for women over 40 years of age. To learn about the scholarship see this website: http://www.aarpfoundationwlc.org/

 

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AAPD Summer Internship Opportunity

The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) is now accepting applications for the 2008 Summer Internship Programs.  Details and the application are available on the AAPD website, under Leadership Development, at: www.AAPD.com.  Applications are due Friday, December 14, 2007.  

 

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The Arc of Bismarck is currently accepting applications for the next class of eight Partners In Policymaking sessions which will begin in October. With funding provided primarily through a grant from the State Council on Developmental Disabilities, The Arc of Bismarck is able to provide this training completely free of charge to selected participants. If you would like more information or an application, visit our website at www.arcofbismarck.org/partners or e-mail joyce@apsimail.com or call 888-258-7949 or 701-258-7949.

 

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ND Workers' Comepensation Review Ccommittee

The ND Workers’ Compensation Review Committee invites injured employees with compensation-related issues to apply for review of their claims. The Committee cannot adjudicate claims, but is seeking information that may lead to changes in North Dakota’s workers’ compensation laws.

Click here for additional information from George Keiser, Chairman, Workers’ Compensation Review Committee.

Click here for online application forms.
 

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Hundreds of thousands of “War is Not the Answer” yard/window signs have been distributed across the country.  Concerned families are expressing their support for our troops and for peaceful resolutions to today’s international conflicts.  Now there is real change going on in Congress.  The process is very fluid.  Yard signs everywhere will help to change the political environment in North Dakota toward peace. “War is Not the Answer” yard/window signs, with stakes, are immediately available in Bismarck-Mandan from Larry Spears (258-1899).  Please make a contribution of $5.00, if you will, to Bismarck Quaker Meeting, 15160 Sundown Dr, Bismarck, ND 58503-9206.

 

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NEW: Sonia Hohnadel on Women & Public Policy Work – Nov. 3

Women’s Network of the Red River Valley is pleased to announce that Sonia Hohnadel, political activist and former Moorhead School Board Member, will be speaking about her experiences as a women in public policy work. The event is scheduled 10-11 a.m., Sat., Nov. 3 at Atomic Coffee (222 Broadway, Fargo). Have you thought of running for political office or want to be more involved in a woman’s campaign? Join us for an open dialogue with women who are or have been in office!

 

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NEW: Women in the Lead meeting
Women’s Network of the Red River Valley’s Women in the Lead invites you to join us on Dec 8th from 9:00 to 12:00 at the Atomic Coffee (Downtown Fargo, Broadway) in the back room. Our purpose is to develop our outreach message and plans to take Women in the Lead into the Community. Women in the Lead committee is a program dedicated to increasing the number of women & girls in appointed and elected political offices. Please email lysa@pepp.org to let us know if you will be joining us. Womens Network of the Red River Valley: 218-233-2737.

 

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NEW: Documentary "For the Bible Tells Me So" @ Fargo Theatre

This documentary follows the lives of several families who reconcile the homosexuality of a family member with Biblical scriptures. Included among the families are the Dick Gebharts. Dick is a former Presidential candidate and member of the U. S. House of Representatives.Joining us for opening night, Friday, November 9, will be Rhrondi and Phil Reitan, a Minneapolis area couple who is chronicled in the documentary.

After the film, there will be a panel discussion. Friday, November 9, 7:00 PM at the Fargo Theater for "For the Bible Tells Me So".

 

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NEW: ND Council of the Arts welcomes you to attend the Regional Forums and Statewide Conference that will be held to ascertain barriers, educational needs, and potentially effective strategies for promoting arts careers for individuals with disabilities in North Dakota.

Who Should Attend: Individuals with disabilities interested in pursuing careers as artists or arts administrators, and established artists and arts administrators (including those who may not have a disability, but are responsible for accessibility within their organization). All Forums are scheduled from 1-4pm, (CST).  November 15, 2007 - Grand Forks, North Dakota Museum of Art; January 8, 2008 - Minot, Minot State University Campus Library; February 20, 2008 - Fargo, Plains Art Museum.  The Statewide Conference will be held in Bismarck at the Kelly Inn Hotel, on Monday, April 7, 2008 (schedule to be announced). Forums will be conducted by NDCA, along with the Dakota West Arts Council, and the North Dakota Center for Persons with Disabilities. Attendance at the forums is free and open to the public. There will be a minimal registration fee for the statewide conference. If you are interested in attending any of the forums, the statewide conference, or would like additional information, contact Amy Schmidt at (701) 328-7594, (email amschmid@nd.gov); or Linda Olsrud at (701) 222-6640, (email linda@dakotawest.org).

 

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NEW: People Escaping Poverty Annual Meeting and Celebration Saturday, November 17

“Power of PEPP”, and annual meeting of the People Escaping Poverty organization and celebration social will be held at the UCC at 406 S 8th Street, Moorhead, MN on the 17th. The celebration social is from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm with the board meeting beginning at 1:15. The organization is celebrating its growth and will present an update to the community. The meeting is free and open to all.

 

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NEW: Will Steger, Speaks on Global Warming at Concordia College November 5

There will be a public forum on global warming with polar explorer Will Steger from 8:00 pm to 9:30 pm at the Concordia College Memorial Auditorium, 901 8th Street S, Moorhead. The forum is free and open to the public. Will Steger is Minnesota’s own eyewitness to global warming’s effects on the polar region. Hear his first hand accounts of the changes observed in these areas. Fresh energy’s J. Drake Hamilton will describe effective global warming solutions for individuals, organizations, congregations, businesses and governments. Faith reflections will be offered by ELCA Bishop Lawrence Wohlrabe.

 

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NEW: Presidential Candidates' Forum: A National Forum on Equality, Opportunity and Access Hosted by Granite State Independent Living

WEBCAST - Friday November 2, 2007 - 8:30 am to 4:00 pm EST

   Made possible by generous support from Hands On Video Relay Services, Inc. & Manchester Community Television, this day-long live event will take place in Manchester, New Hampshire and will feature presidential candidates speaking on disability issues, panel discussions with national disability leaders, and more! The entire event will be Webcast at www.hovrs.com beginning at 8:30 a.m. EST. 

Please invite your consumers and local constituents to view this important, pre-primary event at your local office or another common gathering area with Internet access. 

If your organization will host a Webcast viewing, please contact Terri Voth at Granite State Independent Living, (603) 228-9680 or e-mail terri.voth@gsil.org.

   The Presidential Candidates' Forum is co-hosted by: NH Developmental Disabilities Council (NH DDC), NH Disabilities Rights Center (NH DRC), NH Institute on Disability (NH IOD)

NH Chapter, National Spinal Cord Injury Association, Greater Boston Chapter, National Spinal Cord Injury Association People First of New Hamphshire TASH.

   Sponsored by: AARP, ADA Watch, ADAPT, America (NEPVA), American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund (DREDF) Easter Seals Epilepsy Foundation, National Association of the Deaf (NAD), National Coalition of Mental Health, Consumer/ Survivor Organizations National Council on Independent Living (NCIL) National Spinal Cord Injury Association New England Chapter Paralyzed Veterans of Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) Self Advocates Becoming Empowered (SABE) Telecommunications for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Inc. (TDI) The Arc of the United States United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) United Spinal Association VSA arts

This webcast will include CART translation and an on-camera interpreter.

Visit www.gsil.org or www.hovrs.com for more information.

 

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NEW: Progress on the Prairie: Planned Parenthood event at The Green Market

Jane Ahlin, Planned Parenthood Board Member, cordially invites you to Progress on the Prairie, Thursday, November 15, 2007
5:00 – 7:00 p.m. @ The Green Market (623 NP Avenue, Fargo, ND 58102).
   Featured speakers include Senator Constance Triplett (D-Grand Forks); Connie Lewis, Vice President, External Affairs, Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota;
and Tim Stanley, Director of Government and Public Affairs, Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota. Learn how Planned Parenthood makes an important difference in the lives of people in North Dakota and meet the new North Dakota Advisory Committee.
   Appetizers and drinks will be served. Suggested donation of $50. Every dollar you contribute will directly support the work of Planned Parenthood in North Dakota. Please RSVP by November 12 to Amy Jacobson at 701-526-0726 or ajacobson@ppmns.org

 

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Regional Forum and a Statewide Conference to ascertain barriers, education needs, and potentially effective strategies for promoting arts careers for individuals with disabilities in North Dakota.

Who should attend: Individuals with disabilities interested in pursuing careers as artists or arts administrators (including those who may not have a disability, but are responsible for accessibility within their organization).

When & Where: (all Forums scheduled from 1-4 p.m., CST)

November 15, 2007: Grand Forks, North Dakota Museum of Art

January 8, 2008: Minot, Minot State University Campus

February 20, 2008: Fargo, Plains Art Museu

   Statewide Conference will be held in Bismarck at the Kelly Inn Hotel on April 7, 2008 (schedule to be announced). Forum will be conducted by the North Dakota Council on the Arts, along with the Dakota West Arts Council (a VSA arts affiliate), and the North Dakota Center for Persons with Disabilities (a University Center of Excellence on Developmental Disabilities). Attendance at the forums is free and open to the public. There will be a minimal registration fee for the statewide conference. If you are nterested in attending any of the forums, the statewide conference, or would like additionl information, contact Amy Schimdt at 701-328-7594 or amschmid@nd.gov; or Linda Olsrud at 701-222-6640 or Linda@dakotawest.org. These Forums are accessible to persons with disabilities. Requests for special accommodations, sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids should b directed to Dawn Olson at 800-233-1737 at least five days prior to attendance.

 

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The upcoming 7th Annual Red River Valley Women Studies Conference is seeking proposals. This year, the 25th anniversary of Women Studies at UND, we will host the event on the Grand Forks' campus, Nov. 16th. 

   Proposals for paper presentations or creative projects engaging in issues relating to women are welcome.  Please submit a 50-500 word abstract by Oct. 15th to this email address: kathleen_king@und.nodak.edu.  Faculty, Professionals, and Students are equally welcome to submit.  You can find a poster and registration materials at http://www.und.edu/dept/women/rrwsconference07.htm **Please note an address correction:  Registrations should be sent to 305 Hamline NOT 205 Hamline.***

   Students are free to attend the conference at no cost, except for the luncheon.  However, students whose proposals are accepted will have their lunch paid for by the UND Women Studies program. 

   Thanks for helping pass the word about this exciting opportunity to meet, discuss, and engage in research about women's lives.

Contact: Kathy Coudle King, Sr. Lecturer - English & Women Studies, University of North Dakota: 701-777-2787.

 

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Minnkota Center GLBT Social/Discussion Group
The Minnkota Center hosts bi-monthly social/discussion groups that are open to men who identify as Gay, Queer, MSM, or Bisexual and to women who identify as Gay, Lesbian, Womyn Loving Womyn, or Bisexual.  Groups are held on the first and third Wednesday of each month at the PEPP Building (116 South 12th Street, Moorhead, MN). For more information, please contact Katie at 287-4636 or toll-free at 1-877-871-4636, or by email at: katie@pepp.org

 

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NAACP chapter in ND: A group out of Grand Forks has laid the groundwork for a North Dakota chapter of the NAACP. North Dakota is one of only two states in the United States without a chapter of the organization. Stay posted for notices of future meetings and events. Right now, the group needs members in order to get a charter from the national NAACP. The membership is $30.00, and checks can be made out to, and sent to: Northern Lights Chapter of NAACP, P.O. Box 12142, Grand Forks, ND  58208-2142. The Mission Statement of the NAACP:  "...to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights for all persons and to eliminate racial hatred and racial discrimination."

 

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The Arc of Bismarck & The ND Protection & Advocacy Project staff are collaborating to offer training and support to groups or individuals wishing to participate in the legislative process. For more details or to schedule a workshop that includes information on how a bill becomes a law and how to draft and deliver legislative testimony, please use one of the contact points listed below to schedule an appointment. Please share this in your circles - Thank you! 701-258-7949. joyce@apsimail.com # arcbis@midconetwork.com # tlarsen@nd.gov

 

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Nonprofits Assistance Fund Launches Blog
A newly launched blog by Kate Barr, Executive Director of the Nonprofits Assistance Fund, can be found here . The blog focuses particularly on nonprofit organizations, large and small, that must work to raise funds each year. In a weekly one-pager, Kate shares her thoughts and insights on nonprofit management. The subscription is free and you’ll find very practical, relevant information on what all NPO’s face every day to help make your organizations successful.

 

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The Local chapter of the national campaign for the creation of a cabinet level Department of Peace is looking for a few good men and women volunteers, across the state, to team up to lobby for this bill.  Please contact State Coordinator and District Team Leader Paddy McLaughlin to see how you might become involved with this powerful bill for peace.  Meetings in Fargo at the Center, every 1st & 3rd Tuesday of the month, 8 p.m. Call 701-232-0694 for details. www.thepeacealliance.org

Local Peace Circle takes place every Tuesday at 7:00 P.M. at The Center for Peace, 411 11th St. N., Fargo, ND. Please join us as we meditate on, prayer for and envision the conditions necessary for healing and peace on Earth.  Contact Paddy McLaughlin, 701-232-0694

 

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Settlement details
By Amy Dalrymple and Heath Hotzler, The Forum - 10/27/2007

Requirements of NCAA settlement ... Items that will remain ... Items to be removed in ordinary course of wear, replacement. http://www.in-forum.com/articles/printer.cfm?id=181958

 

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UND logo settlement is welcome
Editorial, The Forum - 10/28/2007

Two elements of the settlement of the University of North Dakota Fighting Sioux logo lawsuit have the potential to put the issue on the back burner, where it belongs. http://www.in-forum.com/articles/printer.cfm?id=182044

 

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OUR OPINION : A good sign: Settlement upsets both sides
Editorial, Grand Forks Herald- 10/27/2007

Our view: The fact that strong pro- and anti-nickname activists are somewhat disappointed suggests a settlement that landed smack in the middle. http://www.grandforksherald.com/articles/includes/printer.cfm?id=55113

 

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Editorial -- Majority still favor the Fighting Sioux

The Dickinson Press, Published Saturday, October 27, 2007

Dickinson and southwestern North Dakota are about as far removed, geographically speaking, as you can get from Grand Forks and the University of North Dakota. Even though we reside in the opposite corner of the state from our chilled brothers and sisters, there remains a distinct connection to them, their city and the Red River Valley ... This connection is evidenced by the poll question that’s been on The Press online home page the last few days. The question was “Should the University of North Dakota give up its lawsuit against the NCAA and remove its Fighting Sioux nickname?” http://www.thedickinsonpress.com/articles/index.cfm?id=12522&section=homepage

 

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A sad but understandable compromise
Dorreen Yellow Bird, Grand Forks Herald - 10/31/2007

In the 15 years I've lived in the Red River Valley, the issue of UND's nickname and logo has dominated. It overshadows, influences, punishes, ridicules and divides the community ... The settlement of the lawsuit that UND had filed against the NCAA brings us to a crossroads. It's not the best situation, in my opinion; but it's something that may pull this irritating thorn out of the backside of the community ... This change needs to happen ... We've spent too much time debating the issue. The goal of UND is to educate our young people. The controversy interferes with the goal. http://www.grandforksherald.com/articles/includes/printer.cfm?id=55537

 

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Some logos could stay at REA
By Chuck Haga, Herald Staff Writer - 10/27/2007

It could be a long goodbye ... Even if the state fails to win tribal support for UND's use of the Sioux name and logo within the three-year period designated in a settlement agreement with the NCAA, the name and logo still could have an enduring presence at Ralph Engelstad Arena. http://www.grandforksherald.com/articles/includes/printer.cfm?id=55105

 

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Both sides find hope in settlement
By David Dodds, Herald Staff Writer - 10/27/2007

Those who've fought hardest in the trenches for and against UND's Fighting Sioux nickname and logo found themselves Friday, if only temporarily, on a thin piece of common ground ... Both proponents and opponents of the school's monikers saw the settlement reached by UND and the NCAA as a positive step in the right direction to resolving the divisive issue, which has raged on campus for more than 30 years ... Still others said the settlement unfairly singles out American Indians, who now are bracing for the unwelcome attention. http://www.grandforksherald.com/articles/includes/printer.cfm?id=55110

 

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UND: Nickname litigation fund leaves no balance

By Joseph Marks, Herald Staff Writer - Published Friday, November 02, 2007

No balance will remain in the UND Alumni Association fund for the school's legal battle against the NCAA over the school's Fighting Sioux nickname ... That lawsuit concluded last week with a settlement agreement that grants UND three years to either win tribal approval for its nickname and logo or retire them. http://www.grandforksherald.com/articles/index.cfm?id=55730&section=news

 

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Tribes: No deal to UND, NCAA pact
Patrick Springer, The Forum - 10/27/2007

Dakota and Lakota tribal leaders spurned a settlement announced Friday that would allow the University of North Dakota time to seek approval to keep using the controversial “Fighting Sioux” nickname and logo ... “I think they’re going to try to buy use of the name,” said Jesse Taken Alive, a Standing Rock tribal council member. “They’ve already tried to do that here at Standing Rock.” http://www.in-forum.com/articles/index.cfm?id=181944&section=news

 

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GRAND FORKS: Residents react to nickname settlement
By Lisa Gibson, Herald Staff Writer - 10/28/2007

With the new settlement in the UND nickname and logo lawsuit, some Grand Forks residents think much can be done to help the Sioux people decide whether to approve the name. http://www.grandforksherald.com/articles/includes/printer.cfm?id=55267

 

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‘Only realistic settlement’ lets UND keep name
Amy Dalrymple, The Forum - 10/27/2007

GRAND FORKS, N.D. – The Fighting Sioux was worth fighting for ... That came from Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem and higher education officials, who said suing the NCAA and getting the settlement signed Friday was worth the money and effort ... “Without the lawsuit, we had nowhere else to turn,” Stenehjem said. “The issue was over. … The change at the university to a new nickname would already have happened.” http://www.in-forum.com/articles/printer.cfm?id=181945

 

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Fighting Sioux name got start as early as 1930
Teri Finneman, The Forum - 10/28/2007

GRAND FORKS, N.D. – North Dakota State University fans may be surprised by the role their mascot played in the creation of the Sioux nickname nearly 80 years ago ... Although the controversy about changing the University of North Dakota nickname and logo has gone on for decades, it took only two weeks for a nickname change in 1930 ... The reason for the change? The student newspaper and the NDSU Bison. http://www.in-forum.com/articles/printer.cfm?id=182069

 

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Nickname change doable
Dave Olson, The Forum - 10/28/2007

If the University of North Dakota loses its Fighting Sioux nickname, history suggests that it won’t be the end of the world ... Dave Wahlberg, a spokesman for North Dakota State University, said NDSU has no official statement regarding an agreement reached late last week between North Dakota and the NCAA regarding the Sioux nickname. http://www.in-forum.com/articles/printer.cfm?id=182071

 

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UND nickname support lukewarm at Spirit Lake
By Tu-Uyen Tran, Herald Staff Writer - 10/27/2007

FT. TOTTEN, N.D. - UND's Fighting Sioux nickname may be the talk of the town in Grand Forks, but, out here, it doesn't appear to get anyone all that excited - except for tribal government leaders. http://www.grandforksherald.com/articles/includes/printer.cfm?id=55177

 

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Next president faces nickname deadline
By Joseph Marks, Herald Staff Writer - 10/27/2007

UND President Charles Kupchella led the school through two appeals of the NCAA's 2005 nickname ban and a yearlong legal battle ... He also will lead the school into a transition period during which the school must win approval from both of the state's Sioux tribes or retire its Fighting Sioux nickname and logo, according to terms of a settlement agreement signed Friday ... But it will be Kupchella's successor who will lead the school through the remainder of that three-year period and, perhaps, during the transition to a new nickname and logo. http://www.grandforksherald.com/articles/includes/printer.cfm?id=55135

 

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Judge in nickname case denies UND bias
By Joseph Marks, Herald Staff Writer - 10/27/2007

In written comments provided to the Herald soon after the announcement of a settlement Friday in the UND v. NCAA nickname lawsuit, Grand Forks District Judge Lawrence Jahnke shot back at a media outlet that he said insinuated he showed a UND bias while presiding over the case. http://www.grandforksherald.com/articles/includes/printer.cfm?id=55132

 

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By Monroe Gilmour, published November 2, 2007 12:15 am

As the Cleveland Indians made their way through the major league baseball playoffs, educators throughout North Carolina are taking a second look at “Indian” sport mascots ... Cleveland’s mascot is considered the most stereotypical and derogatory of the many Indian mascots around the country. Observers have called it “little Black Sambo with a feather” in reference to a derogatory stereotype of Black Americans long ago discarded by society.

http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=200771101091

 

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Minnesota to continue ban of UND

The Associated Press - Friday, November 02, 2007

GRAND FORKS, N.D. - The University of Minnesota's policy prohibiting the Gophers from playing the University of North Dakota in all sports except hockey will remain, despite UND's recent settlement agreement with the NCAA over its American Indian nickname. http://www.grandforksherald.com/ap/index.cfm?page=view&id=D8SKSAD80

 

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U. of North Dakota and NCAA Settle Lawsuit Over 'Fighting Sioux' Mascot

By Libby Sander, The Chronicle of Higher Education, News Blog - October 26, 2007

The National Collegiate Athletic Association and the University of North Dakota have settled a lawsuit over the university’s use of the “Fighting Sioux” mascot, the NCAA announced this morning ... Under the terms of the settlement, the university will have three years to obtain approval of the mascot from the two Sioux tribes with a significant presence in the state. If the tribes approve the mascot, the university will receive a waiver from the NCAA’s policy, which bars colleges from using American Indian imagery it deems hostile and abusive ... If the tribes do not approve the mascot, the university must adopt a new logo and mascot that do not violate NCAA policy. If the university keeps the mascot without tribe approval, it will be subject to certain NCAA restrictions ... North Dakota officials said they felt vindicated. “We don’t believe anything that happens at this institution or that we do can be described as hostile or abusive,” Peter Johnson, a North Dakota spokesman, said in an interview this afternoon. http://chronicle.com/temp/email2.php?id=kMyzgswykszpwpHpbzfdwvPkzmxgq4dZ

 

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Indian leaders win several concessions from KQRS after Barnard show comments

By Curt Brown and Terry Collins, Star Tribune - Last update: October 29, 2007 – 1:11 PM

Clyde Bellecourt, co-founder of AIM, Steve Blake, director of Twin Cities AIM, and Floyd "Buck" Jourdain, Red Lake Tribal Chairman, gathered in front of the KQRS radio offices in Minneapolis to protest Tom Barnard's on-air comments during his morning radio show ... More than a dozen American Indian leaders filed into the corporate offices of radio station KQRS-FM (92.5) this morning to lodge a formal complaint against the show of morning talk show host Tom Barnard over what they said were extremely offensive comments about suicide rates on the Red Lake reservation in northern Minnesota. http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache:vRTzDxfpCngJ:www.startribune.com/389/story/1515148.html+Indian+leaders+win+several+concessions+from+KQRS+after+Barnard+show+comments&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=us

 

Video: Protestors gain apology from KQ

 

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Sioux logo debate is in tribes' hands

The Fighting Sioux logo dominates the architecture of the Ralph Engelstad Arena in Grand Forks, N.D.
Settlement with NCAA lets UND try to win approval by 2010 from tribes to use the Indian nickname and logo.
By Pam Louwagie, Star Tribune
   The long and contentious debate over the University of North Dakota's Fighting Sioux nickname and logo was temporarily put on ice Friday with a lawsuit settlement that gives the school three years to win approval from the state's two Sioux tribes or pick a new nickname.
   The university has until November 2010 to get clear approval from both the Spirit Lake and Standing Rock tribes.
   Approved Friday by North Dakota's Board of Higher Education, the deal ends the school's lawsuit against the NCAA, which was poised to punish the school by banning it from being host to playoff games and using the Sioux logo in post-season play.
   Some American Indians say Friday's action isn't likely to end debate on the Grand Forks campus of 13,000 students, or elsewhere.
   UND spokesman Peter Johnson said, "We think that given the nature of the agreement and where things stand today, this is a good approach." The NCAA, he stressed, said that although using Indian names and imagery in sports can create a "hostile or abusive environment," it did not make such findings about the UND campus.
   NCAA spokesman Bob Williams said the association's position is still that "such imagery has no place in our collegiate athletics."
   But the agreement is in the same spirit that has allowed Florida State to continue using the Seminoles name.
   FSU is using the name and logo with approval from a local tribe.
   "It confirms that, in this case, the Sioux people and no one else should decide whether and how their name should be used," Williams said.

Leader: burden shift unfair
   Messages left at both tribal headquarters were not returned Friday. But Standing Rock Tribal Chairman Ron His Horse Is Thunder told the Grand Forks Herald the settlement unfairly shifts the burden of retiring the nickname to the tribes.
   "To me, what that is going to cause, I think, is lots of disruption on the reservation because I think there's going to be an all-out effort to perhaps buy off the tribes, lobby the tribes and that sort of thing," said Leigh Jeanotte, director of American Indian Student Services at UND, who stressed that he was speaking for himself.
   Indian activist Clyde Bellecourt of Minneapolis offered a similar assessment, adding that he plans to get groups to lobby against the logo.
   "Well, you know, there's 500 other tribes in America that feel that it should go," said Bellecourt who with his brother Vernon protested the use of Indian nicknames and logos around the country.
   "It offends everybody, not just those two tribes."
   Vernon Bellecourt died earlier this month, and many memories of him centered on his fight against the use of Indian imagery.
   Author Louise Erdrich, who lives in Minneapolis, turned down an honorary degree from UND earlier this year because of the nickname issue.
   A member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa, Erdrich said she has affection for UND. Family members have gone there and she's been a visiting writer at the school.
   "I've known how painful it is for [Indians] to have dealt with the divisiveness that this logo has caused," Erdrich said. "UND is filled with enlightened, interesting people. It saddened me that the administration continued to cling to this particular divisive image."
   If the nickname gets approval from the two tribes, that approval can be revoked at any point, according to the agreement.
   The school says it already has approval from the Spirit Lake Tribe in a resolution passed there in December 2000. That resolution will need to be confirmed in writing.
   However, His Horse Is Thunder told the Herald he doesn't see the Standing Rock Sioux changing its position opposing the nickname.
   "There's a lot of conversations that we can have in the next up-to-three years, and I personally believe there's going to be a lot of positive things that come out of those conversations, no matter what happens in the long run," said Johnson, the UND spokesman.
A long history
   The school adopted the Fighting Sioux nickname in 1930. Until then, its athletic teams were called the Flickertails.
   Debate over the nickname dates to the 1970s and heated up again early this decade when Ralph Engelstad, a Las Vegas entrepreneur and former UND goalie, threatened to back out of a deal to give the school $100 million for a new hockey arena and other unspecified programs if the school changed its nickname.
   The state's higher education board voted unanimously to keep the name and logo. The arena opened in 2001, emblazoned with the Sioux logo everywhere: Over building entrances, in the granite concourse, on doors, railings, seats and floorboards beneath center ice.
   If the school does not win approval from the tribes in the three-year period, it would transition to a new name and logo by Aug. 15, 2011, the agreement says.
   Some of the logos could stay and still satisfy the NCAA's rules for hosting playoff games, including "items of historical significance" such as banners, photographs, trophies, sculptures and plaques, along with the arena's in-floor granite logos. Other logos would have a schedule for replacement.
   Jeanotte said the debate has been "quite disruptive" on campus, with Indian students feeling forced to explain their opinions, whether they feel strongly or not.
Logo issue for Indian students
   Student B.J. Rainbow, president of the school's Indian Association, said he believes most Indian students he's in contact with are against the logo, but said some are indifferent and some support it.
   "It consumes you. For me, I have long hair, I'm dark-complected," he said. "Either I get asked or else people don't say [anything] to me and they just stare at me."
   Jeanotte said that even if the logo goes away in three years, "there has to be reconciliation here on our campus, with our Indian community, our Indian programs, and the overall campus."
   Pam Louwagie • 612-673-1702, Pam Louwagie • plouwagie@startribune.com


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The Sad Resurrection of Chief Illiniwek

by Dave Zirin; Sports Illustrated; October 29, 2007

Last weekend an unfortunate figure returned to the University of Illinois, and it wasn't Jeff George. Chief Illiniwek, the former school mascot, was back to adorn floats and assorted regalia at Homecoming to the cheers of some and the bitter horror of those who thought the feathered one had been retired for good. You may have thought that the Chief was banned last year after the NCAA called Illiniwek a "hostile or abusive" mascot and prevented the school from hosting postseason games as long as it paraded him about. You may have thought Illinois had joined dozens of other schools from Stanford to St. John's in putting Native American caricatures to bed. You thought wrong. http://www.zmag.org/content/print_article.cfm?itemID=14170&sectionID=30

 

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Trial over tribal lands wraps up

By Jodi Rave, Lee Enterprises, Bismarck Tribune - Oct 28, 2007 - 04:05:35 CDT

The 11-year legal battle pitting a half-million Indian landowners against the U.S. government has closed another chapter, but it isn't over yet ... A 10-day trial wrapped up Thursday in the Cobell vs. Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C. ... Lawyers on both sides have 36 days to present written closing arguments to the newly appointed federal judge overseeing the case. http://www.bismarcktribune.com/articles/2007/10/28/news/local/141684.txt
 

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Please send related news items to mitchmarr@ndhrc.org

 

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Church ordered to pay $10.9 million for funeral protest

CNN - updated 10:00 p.m. EDT, Wed October 31, 2007

(CNN) -- A federal jury in Baltimore, Maryland, Wednesday awarded $10.9 million to a father of a Marine whose funeral was picketed by members of a fundamentalist church carrying signs blaming soldiers' deaths on America's tolerance of homosexuals ... The family of Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder -- who was killed in a vehicle accident in Iraq's Anbar province in 2006 -- sued the Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas, and its leaders for defamation, invasion of privacy and intentional infliction of emotional distress. http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/10/31/funeral.protest/index.html

 

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At North Dakota State, Women Are Few and Far Between: Why does one university seem so behind the times?
By Robin Wilson, Chronicle of Higher Eduation - From the issue dated November 2, 2007

Fargo, N.D. - Linda K. Langley has been a faculty member at North Dakota State University for just five years. It is her first academic job ... But while she is still several months away from making her final bid for tenure, she finds herself in the unlikely position of being the most senior woman in the psychology department. "I suddenly feel like I'm going to be the role model without having had one myself," she says, rattling off a list of the female professors in her department who have come and gone in the past several years. http://chronicle.com/weekly/v54/i10/10a00601.htm
 

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RACC receives $90K grant from Bremer
The Forum - 10/28/2007

The Rape and Abuse Crisis Center has received a $90,840 grant from the Otto Bremer Foundation to be used in the implementation of a new development program ... The grant lasts a year and supports the implementation of organizational and structural changes within the agency, assists in the development of consistent messaging, and establishes a comprehensive donor program. http://www.in-forum.com/articles/printer.cfm?id=182118

 

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Abortion vigil director speaks in Fargo
The Forum - 10/31/2007

North Dakota is poised to be the first abortion-free U.S. state, the director of a 40-day anti-abortion campaign said Tuesday in Fargo.

David Bereit, national director of “40 Days for Life,” spoke outside the Red River Women’s Clinic in downtown Fargo where abortion protesters have been praying nonstop since Sept. 26. http://www.in-forum.com/articles/index.cfm?id=182300&section=News