High Noon: Fighting Over A Mascot

North Dakota political leaders are asking the NCAA to back off and let the state’s flagship university keep its Fighting Sioux name and logo, even at the risk of potential blacklisting and scorn by other universities and its own conference. Lawmaker involvement is a strategy even some University of North Dakota boosters question, and is unique among schools forced to decide whether to drop American Indian nicknames deemed hostile and abusive or accept penalties for keeping them. North Dakota’s debate appeared to be resolved when the state Board of Higher Education agreed in 2009 to drop the Fighting Sioux logo and nickname and UND agreed to phase them out by this Aug. 15. But state lawmakers intervened earlier this year, passing a law that requires the university to retain the moniker and logo/ AP, Missoulian . More here .

Question: Who’s out of line here re: the Fighting Sioux name & logo — North Dakota or NCAA?