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EDITORIALS
By Richard Peterson
I think it's time for a lot of grown-ups to
grow up. It's time to face reality. It's time for UND to replace the
"Fighting Sioux" nickname.
I'm just amazed at the time and effort put into this exercise in
futility by supposedly educated people.
The National Collegiate Athletic Association has said the nickname is
inappropriate and it can't be used during certain NCAA activities. UND
plans to appeal this decision. Then it will be appealed again. The issue
will probably end up in court. Can you imagine? It's ridiculous that a
great university should be spending its time and resources in court to
retain the nickname of its athletic teams. Talk about making a mountain
out of a molehill!
I personally do not think the "Fighting Sioux" nickname demeans our
Native American neighbors. But I'm not a Sioux. Three out of four tribes
in North Dakota are opposed to the nickname. I think that's a good
enough reason to drop the nickname. The Spirit Lake Nation tribal
council can't seem to come to agreement on the issue, but I'll bet a
reservation-wide vote would reveal a majority of Sioux oppose the
nickname.
Several years ago I said in this column that this issue is like a
festering sore. Periodically the scab gets picked off and the
controversy comes back to life. Sure enough, here we are again.
The scab will be picked off again and again until the nickname is
changed.
There are a lot of Sioux who resent being a nickname and they're not
going to go away. If we don't grow up we'll be facing this issue 20
years from now.
Bite the bullet and do the right thing. Change the nickname.
---000---
A poll conducted by a number of weekly newspapers indicates North
Dakotans are not in favor of rebuilding New Orleans. I can understand
their reluctance.
Global warming is a fact. Even conservatives are coming to that
realization with new information last week that the Arctic ice cap is
melting. New Orleans is below sea level and the sea level will rise as
the polar ice melts. I could support rebuilding New Orleans, but
rebuilding it in the exact same place is extremely risky. Another
hurricane is sure to hit that area sometime in the future when the sea
level is higher. Why not rebuild on higher ground?
---000---
Gov. John Hoeven has decided not to run for the US Senate against Sen.
Kent Conrad. Hoeven made the right choice. Conrad is going to win no
matter who runs against him. He's been campaigning non-stop since the
last election.
He doesn't take any time off. When he's in Washington he's working and
when he has a day off from work he flies back to North Dakota to
campaign.
Hoeven is no slouch, either. He's very popular. He's also smart enough
to realize he can't beat Conrad. Nobody can.
---000---
I wonder if we're going to get any letters to the editor on the above
subjects. If we do, we'll print 'em, pro or con. Put in your two cents
worth.
---000---
Teacher: If I give you two rabbits and two rabbits and another two
rabbits, how many rabbits have you got?
Mary: Seven!
Teacher: No, listen carefully. If I give you two rabbits, and two
rabbits and another two rabbits, how many rabbits have you got?
Mary: Seven!
Teacher: Let's try this another way. If I give you two apples and two
apples and another two apples, how many apples have you got?
Mary: Six.
Teacher: Good. Now if I give you two rabbits and two rabbits and another
two rabbits, how many rabbits have you got?
Mary: Seven.
Teacher: How on earth do you work out that three lots of two rabbits is
seven?
Mary: I already have one rabbit at home now!
---000---
God's E-mail
One day God was looking down at Earth and saw all of the rascally
behavior that was going on. So God called one of the angels and sent the
angel to Earth for a time.
When she returned, she told God, "Yes, it is bad on Earth; 95% are
misbehaving and only 5% are not."
God thought for a moment and said, "Maybe I had better send down a
second angel to get another opinion."
So God called another angel and sent him to earth for a time too. When
the angel returned, he went to God and said, "Yes, it's true. The earth
is in decline; 95% are misbehaving, but 5% are being good."
God was not pleased. So He decided to e-mail the 5% who were being good,
because He wanted to encourage them . . . give them a little something
to help them keep going.
Do you know what the e-mail said?
Okay, just wondering. I didn't get one either.
---000---
He who laughs last, thinks slowest.
I just got lost in thought. It was unfamiliar territory.
When the chips are down, the buffalo is empty.
Seen it all, done it all. Can't remember most of it.
If the shoe fits, get another one like it.
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