Somebody should Sioux

Dana Lone Hill, who may or not be a Sioux by blood is complaining in Comment is Free about the University of North Dakota's football team being called the 'Fighting Sioux'.

Apparently some of the local Sioux tribes don't mind, but this doesn't cut it as far as Dana is concerned:

The University of North Dakota has been fighting via lawsuits and legislative action to keep its nickname even though only one of the two Sioux tribes in North Dakota have granted approval, and there are nine other Sioux governments throughout North and South Dakota.

Well, 50% of the tribes isn't bad going. I'm not sure about the distinction between tribes and governments, but find it telling that Dana doesn't seem to elucidate.

This isn't one of the stories where I'd expect the CiF commenters to be unsympathetic, but they surprised me this time: oozaveared gave a counter-example:

University of Notre Dame are the Fighting Irish
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Notre_Dame_Fighting_Irish
They don't think people take that to be that they are warlike savages. How come you do?

Perhaps Dana thinks the Irish should have a referendum on allowing Notre Dame to use the name and the leprechaun caricature?

I did enjoy Florence5's comment:

Precisely! Maybe the University of North Dakota should rename their team to the English Chavs With Poor Dental Hygeine, you know, playing on the negative stereotypes people have of the English? What? I hear you howl? That's not fair, not all English are like that, in fact, it's a very unfair stereotype etc etc. See?

Actually I'd be all in favour, though the cheerleaders would have to tweak their rally cries: "2! 4! 6! 8! Are we bovvered?"

While not wanting to judge by appearances, Dana's photo for CiF doesn't exactly give the impression of someone wanting to see both sides of the story. She has a book coming out, apparently. I expect it will be quite the rattling read.