Sioux nickname situation takes another twist

An article in Tuesday’s Grand Forks Herald says a lawsuit filed in federal court Tuesday by Sioux Indians who support the University of North Dakota’s use of the Fighting Sioux nickname could affect next week’s reconsideration of the issue by the North Dakota Legislature.

Attorneys for the Spirit Lake Sioux tribe filed the lawsuit against the NCAA in Fargo, following through in their plight to save the Sioux nickname.

The lawsuit was filed on behalf of the tribe and Archie Fool Bear, individually and as a representative of Standing Rock petitioners who are seeking a reservation-wide referendum on the nickname issue. It claims that the NCAA’s efforts to stop use of the name and logo “violate Native American civil rights, equal protection rights and religious rights.”