The indigenous people of this continent belong to the unfortunate groups that are discriminated against on a daily basis and it is socially acceptable. One needs to only turn on the television or attend an SCSU vs. UND hockey game to see a plethora of images that perpetuate the stereotypes that degrade indigenous people.
During this past month, administration was able to scare the Student Government into rescinding a resolution to would eliminate the use of these racist stereotypes in our media outlets on campus. Many in the Senate believed that the (University) Chronicle’s freedom of speech was being jeopardized, but this is not the case. As an American I cherish the First Amendment: it tells us some of our most important rights. Of course we have the right to use racist mascots in our newspaper, but does that necessarily mean we should? We also then have the right to use obscenities and other racial slurs but the press does not do this because they recognize that this is not proper and it would probably offend the majority of people. It is simply inappropriate. Think about the last time you saw the N***** word or F*** printed in a semi-respectable newspaper. I’ve been reading the (University) Chronicle for quite some time and I’ve never read that filth. However, this changes when the mascot and other issues pertaining to indigenous people arise. Why is it ok to dehumanize American Indians and justify it by hiding behind the first amendment? Do you see the hypocrisy in this?
This is an issue of respect. The (University) Chronicle on many occasions has accused the Student Government of abusing its power, yet they are doing the exact same thing. It seems as though they are flagrantly flaunting their power and are not even listening to those they offend. They have the power to not use words that keep people in a state of continual oppression. During my freshman year, the (University) Chronicle voted to simply print UND and all was understood. I do not know what has changed, if anything, that it is mandatory for the editors to have to use a racist name of a hockey team. If you truly believe in what the first amendment stands for, you would be standing together with those of us who are demanding justice and wanting an end to the false promises and lies the University is responsible for.
Jenn-Soonmee Brumbaugh
Senior
Political Science
