http://www.in-forum.com/Opinion/articles/185634

American Indians in control

By Fred Branch, The Forum
Published Sunday, December 09, 2007

American Indians are finally where they should be on the “Fighting Sioux”
nickname: in the driver’s seat, in control of the Sioux name. And they
would be completely justified in taking back their name, and I saw some of
their reasons when I attended the University of North Dakota.

But – a big but – they may decide on something different: Rent the name.
Rent the name to the University of North Dakota for X number of years at X
million dollars per year, renewable at the option of North Dakota’s
American Indians.

And – just as important – add whatever conditions they like. Conditions
such as: American Indians will have control over how and where the name and
logo are used; they will decide whether “Fighting” should be attached to
“Sioux”; any misuse of the name by anyone connected to UND may be penalized
by X thousand dollars per incident.

And any misuse of the name or logo by anyone – UND, other schools, or
anyone else – will be pointed out and condemned by UND administration in
consultation with, and to the satisfaction of, North Dakota’s American
Indians.

This agreement could be made by existing American Indian groups in North
Dakota and at UND, or by a completely new council.

This could give North Dakota’s Indians money for reservation schools and
hospitals, while allowing UND continued use of the name, but at the same
time – and very importantly – giving Sioux Indians a megaphone, in the
person of the UND president, to speak out about any disrespect of the name.
Both the real Sioux Indians, and the “pretend Sioux” at UND, would win. UND
should welcome this opportunity; they often brag about their American
Indian programs.

If UND doesn’t sufficiently “honor” and protect the Sioux name (as they
claim they always have), in the judgment of the Native American Council,
the council could simply let the contract end and take the name back.

If UND doesn’t like this deal, though, Indians could take the name back
now. Either way, Sioux win.

Why would they want to take the name back? These are the reasons I know.

When I was at UND, I saw abuse and misuse and trivialization of the Sioux
name that would turn your stomach, descriptions of which The Forum would
not print, partly because The Forum likes the “Fighting Sioux” nickname,
and uses it at every opportunity. Suffice it to say that, especially at the
opposing schools’ homecoming parades I marched in, it was common to see
displays of American Indians being killed, skinned, dragged, hung, and on
and on, in ugly, grisly, and brutal ways. Bathroom humor was also popular.
I’ll leave that to your imagination.

Imagine, too, if you can, and if you care to, how American Indians must
have felt to see this. I have tried to imagine that. How would I feel,
seeing cardboard cutouts of my honest, hardworking parents, or of my
grandmother, gentle and honorable woman that she was, treated this way,
dragged or spat on or worse? How Indians could have endured this is beyond
me. I don’t think I could.

But it was not only other schools that were disrespectful. UND students
themselves would ridicule Indian images as only bored college kids can.
Don’t tell me it didn’t happen. I was there. I lived in the dorms, I was in
the parades, I saw the antics, I heard the whoops, I heard the insults and
the taunts.

Those things seemed merely silly to a na?ve young white kid then, but I can
only guess how American Indians must have felt to witness this. They are a
proud but defeated people, beaten in battle, beaten by white culture,
beaten by disease, alcoholism, discrimination, poverty, hopelessness, and
misery. And finally, beaten by suicide. Do American Indians deserve this?
Weighed against 150 years of history, 20 years of Indian casinos are …
what? Maybe a good start.

For most of those years, American Indians could only look on in silence and
helplessness at the insults and ridicule. But that’s changing. Finally –
finally, after generations of defeat of all kinds – finally, North Dakota’s
American Indians are going to win this one. One way or the other.

Branch lives in Fargo.