Letter to the editor: It’s wrong to give in and retire the UND nickname

Those thinking of voting yes on Measure 4, please educate yourselves! The majority of information out there is miscued instilling fear. The Committee for Understanding and Respect (CUR), the driving force behind keeping the name, doesn’t have funding like the University of North Dakota Alumni Association to educate on the misinformation many are falling for. This group consists of people statewide from all walks of life including both reservations. They’re using donations and their own money to keep up the fight. There are several schools within the NCAA that have Native American names/logos that aren’t under NCAA sanctions. One is Central Michigan University whose teams are the Chippewas. There are 10 tribes within the state and only one gave approval which the NCAA accepted. North Dakota is the only state that is required to have support from two tribes. Spirit Lake is completely within the state while Standing Rock covers North Dakota and South Dakota. Unfortunately, while the overwhelming majority of Standing Rock citizens support the Fighting Sioux name/logo, their voices haven’t been heard. June 12, they’re finally getting their day but they need the rest of us to stand up and vote “no” with them.

The NCAA has confirmed there are teams under sanctions without issues and sanctions only apply to post-season play. UND has already managed through this just fine. The teams can’t wear the logo, however, fans can! As for home field advantage, this wouldn’t apply in most instances anyway. The Fighting Sioux name has been part of North Dakota for 80 years. Why are we allowing the “minority” to take away what the “majority” of North Dakotans (which consists of a minority group) wants? Saying we’re tired of this and want it over is a copout. Ask yourself, “What is the cost to change the name?” Not once, but twice since we have to remain North Dakota for so long prior to choosing a name. Where do you think this money is coming from?

CUR welcomes the opportunity to clarify and educate anyone on critical information we’re missing out on. It’s a fact that Sioux schedules are out through the next couple of years. When you hear there are schools that won’t play us, get all the facts because there is more to it. For the handful that won’t, it’s ignorance on their part.

I’m not a UND alum — just tired of giving in to something that is wrong. Little by little everything the majority stands for or believes in is being taken away because we choose to ignore what is right or truthful — not just on this issue but on many others as well. Fighting Sioux forever!

Tammy Washburn

Jamestown

Tags: measure 4, letters to the editor, nickname, opinion, letters