On Thu, Feb 9, 2012 at 8:54 AM, Joe Makowiec <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> "The University of North Dakota will resume using its contentious Fighting
> Sioux nickname despite threats from the NCAA, the school's president said
> Wednesday, marking the latest twist in a protracted fight about a name that
> critics consider offensive."
>

The North Dakota State Legislature, no doubt as part of a campaign to win
the award for "Legislature with way too much time on its hands" award,
passed a law in April 2011 to require UND to use the Fighting Sioux
nickname. After essentially being told to get stuffed by the NCAA, that law
was repealed in November (cementing their hold on the award, so good for
them).

Enough signatures were collected to send November's law (the repeal) to a
referendum. Those petitions were filed on Tuesday, which apparently
suspends the law in question - an amusing fact since they don't even know
yet if there are actually enough valid signatures to put it on the
ballot. Assuming enough are legal, the issue goes to a statewide vote in
June. (Your tax dollars at work!) It's an open question as to how many
signatures came from NDSU fans who just want to be able to yell "Sioux
Suck" whenever they feel like it, whether they are actually playing UND or
not.

Meanwhile, the State Board of Higher Education is now considering trying to
have the April 2011 law overturned on constitutional grounds - something
that might have been worth doing back in - oh, I don't know, maybe - April
2011. If that happens, the June vote would be moot, since it would be a
vote to overturn a law that repeals a non-existent law. It would be the
Seinfeld of referenda.

If they lose here, the Too Much Time on Their Hands brigade will probably
try to use an initiative to enshrine the nickname in the State
Constitution, ensuring forever that the right of all Free Citizens to yell
'Sioux' at the end of the National Anthem shall not be abridged....

Must be nice to not have any problems in a state, so you can spend your
time worrying about a college team's nickname.

John

-- 
John Edwards
"You can insure against the weather, but you can't insure against
incompetence, can you?" - Phil Tufnell