If you’ve ever been to a UND Fighting Sioux hockey game (home or away), you’ve heard it. Rather than the traditional version of the National Anthem, Sioux fans – every game – replace the “brave” with “Sioux.” It is one of the many Sioux hockey traditions that have been going on for as long as most can remember.
Recently, UND traveled to Colorado Springs, CO to play the Colorado College Tigers in a weekend WCHA series. As is always the case at away games, Sioux fans were well represented in the stands. Some say they out-numbered the home team’s crowd. True to their (our) form, the Sioux fans replaced the “brave” with “Sioux” and the game proceeded.
But following the game, Colorado Springs Gazette writer David Ramsey took exception to what is turning into “National Athem-gate.” Ramsey wrote:
“. . . they began the night by shouting “home of the SIOUX” instead of “home of the brave.” Guess the actual words of the anthem aren’t quite good enough for North Dakota fans. And, I guess, in the land of free North Dakota fans can sing the anthem any way they want, even if this behavior offends and saddens those who care about our great country and its great anthem.”
(here is the link to the story; the comments are great: http://daveramseysez.freedomblogging.com/2011/01/30/what-do-you-think-of-people-who-end-anthem-with-sioux-instead-of-free/4662/)
DOH-K Mr. Ramsey. “[T]he actual words of the anthem aren’t quite good enough” for us? I assure you that few – if any – of the North Dakota fans think the Anthem’s words “aren’t quite good enough.”
I appreciate Mr. Ramsey’s point of view – however much he is missing the point. Just as Sioux fans (or any fan at a sporting event) can add their team’s name at the end of the Anthem, Ramsey can write whatever he pleases. What are your thoughts on Sioux fans saying “home of the SIOUX” and do you think this is an issue/non-issue?
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