"Here's a first. A Native American tribe is fighting with the NCAA to allow the use of their name by a college athletic program at the University of North Dakota. It takes quite some chutzpah to try to take an entire nation back 40 years!

The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and Spirit Lake Nation have filed suit against the NCAA, claiming the North Dakota school has a right to call its athletic teams the Fighting Sioux, because the tribe's members have dubbed it an honor. They say the NCAA has no right to decide how they, the 1,004+ people in the suit, feel in denying the university's name request. Fair enough, but what about all the other Native Americans out there who would side with the NCAA?

I can respect that these people see the name as a badge of honor, but to use that as an excuse is like taking the women who have tried to own the word "b--ch" as proof that kids should now be allowed to let the b-word fly in elementary school. When something is offensive to a great many people, the fact that one or two can laugh it off doesn't mean the rest should have to."

Get the Story:
Jeanne Sager: Native Americans' Support of Racist College Team Doesn't Make It Right (Cafemom.com 11/3)

Also Today:
Division at Spirit Lake: Nickname opponents seek to revoke authority given to pro-nickname committee (The Grand Forks Herald 11/3)
Dalrymple: Spirit Lake lawsuit won’t affect special session outcome (The Grand Forks Herald 11/3)

Another Opinion:
Andrew Cohen: I Think Indian Mascots Are Insulting — So Sioux Me (Athletic Business 11/3)

Related Stories:
Spirit Lake group sues NCAA over 'Fighting Sioux' nickname (11/2)
Opinion: Don't punish schools for use of 'Indian' mascots (11/1)
Spirit Lake group warns of consequences over 'Fighting Sioux' (10/14)
Letter: UND's athletic teams marginalized by 'Fighting Sioux' (10/11)
Editorial: Get the message -- it's time for 'Fighting Sioux' to go (9/29)
Spirit Lake group sends letter in support of 'Fighting Sioux' name (9/28)
Editorial: A plain and simple truth about the 'Fighting Sioux' (9/12)
Spirit Lake Dakotah Nation seeks control over 'Fighting Sioux' (9/7)
Letter: 'Fighting Sioux' nickname to return in another 50 years (9/5)
Column: 'Fighting Sioux' nickname not really that offensive (8/31)
Opinion: A slow and painful death for 'Fighting Sioux' nickname (8/29)
Opinion: Stereotypes of Indian people don't belong in athletics (8/25)
Editorial: Another Indian war plays out over 'Fighting Sioux' nick (8/17)
North Dakota plans to eliminate 'Fighting Sioux' by end of the year (8/16)