Friday, November 03, 2006

Hostile and abusive

The Dakota Student is openly calling the University of North Dakota a "hostile and abusive" institution. Read this editorial. They are also siding in with Gary LaPointe, a Native student who left the University last week due to his protest of the Fighting Sioux nickname.

I have to wonder why so much emphasis is being placed on LaPointe's departure. Many, many students leave the University for various reasons before finishing their studies. Why should we care so much more about LaPointe than any of these other students? I also think LaPointe's departure sends a very poor message to the Native community: If you don't like one (non-academic) aspect of your school, just drop out of that school. Why did LaPointe ever come to UND in the first place if he was so deeply offended by the nickname?

I think that openly siding with those who call the University of North Dakota "hostile and abusive" is one of the most questionable stances the Dakota Student has ever taken. I would think that the editorial board is supposed to be at least somewhat reflective of the UND student body as a whole...a sort of "voice" for UND students. It's clear that most UND students do not think of their school as "hostile and abusive" so why is the Dakota Student taking that very stance? The Dakota Student may be representing Gary LaPointe, but it is not representing me or thousands of other UND students.

23 comments:

Anonymous said...

The Dakota Student (or Stupid as it is often referred to) reflects the opinion of its readership to the same extent the GF Herald editorial board reflects that of Grand Forks. It's a small group of communications majors, whose grammar is atrocious, whose logic is equal to that of Tom Dennis, who use the paper as a mouthpiece of their own viewpoint. I'm not sure anyone at UND takes it seriously, in the same way no one takes Marylin H. seriously.

C. Y. said...

I think the Dakota Student is only a stepping stone for bigger and better things and they need to report/cause/incite controversy to get noticed (hired).

Good Ol' Boy said...

Aaahh... The D.S....many's the time I've wanted to comment on their editorial page, but thought better. Like shooting fish in a barrel, really.
My money is on the "sensational news" theorem. They got a taste of it with the sweatpants controversy a couple weeks ago. They feigned bafflement over that issue vs. so many others so much more worthy, but numbers rule baby.
Now, they have the best of both worlds- worthy social justice issue AND possible marketable editorial stance. Anybody think the student body will notice?
Myself, give me the comic strip they left out, instead.

Anonymous said...

I have never read the Dakota Stupid. I only read this article when alerted to it on siouxsports.com

I will continue to NOT read this second rate attempt at journalism. GF GUY, YOU should be writing for the DS, show them what's up.

Anonymous said...

What is it about journalism and communications majors that make that base stories more on emotion that facts and logic? The opinion by the DS is mere superficiality on the whole story - it wouldn't be PC to actually discuss real behaviorial issues.

Anonymous said...

"Hostile and abusive" then why doesn’t the Dakota Student drop the Dakota part of their name?

GrandForksGuy said...

"Hostile and abusive" then why doesn’t the Dakota Student drop the Dakota part of their name?

Good point! Hmmm, what else could they be called...

Anonymous said...

What else could they be called? Do you really want to go there? I do!

"The DAKOTA SUCK!"

Anonymous said...

I'm disturbed by the number of internet posts complaining about the Dakota Student. Most of these posts complain about spelling and grammarical issues with the newspaper, yet the posts themselves are riddled with typographical, mechanical, and spelling errors. It's becoming quite obvious that the average reader believes their errors are correct, and I shudder to think of the future of writing in America.

Coffee Guy said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Coffee Guy said...

I think the Herald has the market on typos and terrible editing. I saw the word "tomorrow" spelled with two "m's" the other day.

Anonymous said...

"Most of these posts complain about spelling and grammarical issues with the newspaper, yet the posts themselves are riddled with typographical, mechanical, and spelling errors."

The difference is that the DS supposedly has writers and editors who are going to be professional journalists. It is their job to check and double-check copy for publication. The other rpoblem is that most blogs don't have an edit function.

Good Ol' Boy said...

Although they grate, the typos and grammar don' bother me near as much as the overall "high school" quality of the editorial page writers and some of their subjects.
Oh dear, I wasn't going to comment on it, now here I went and did just that. Whatever shall I do?

Anonymous said...

There's a reason why the DS has high school quality. It was written BY and FOR kids recently out of high school. You may want to check today's election results for evidence, but most 18-24 year olds don't give a hoot for politics and city government. In fact, today's second most popular article on the DS website is called "Inside booty call boot camp". In case anyone doesn't get it, the subject he's refering to is sex.

It's sad, yes, but keep looking in the top 5 most popular. There's a story on UND student politics, an opinion column on voting and a letter about 20/20. Maybe the kids do care! And maybe the DS isn't so stupid, they actually are appealing to a mass market of students and not the neighbor down the street.

Jim

ps. It was Dakota Student editors way back when that actually came up with the name "Dakota Stupid" for the fake edition they put out on April 1. Most people think they are clever by calling it that. You're not. You're part of the joke. Dakota Suck, though, that's all yours.

pss. I'm a former DS writer from way, way back in day, and I'm feeling a bit defensive today.

C. Y. said...

"In fact, today's second most popular article on the DS website is called "Inside booty call boot camp". In case anyone doesn't get it, the subject he's refering to is sex.


This surpises you when the former president says a blow job has no relationship to sex?

And most of the main stream media agrees!

And then blames it on Bush!

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Anonymous said...

Better yet..."Terrorism is a law enforcement issue, not military".

Oh really?

Dumbasses.

Coffee Guy said...

The mainstream media blames Clinton's lie/lack of sexual mores on Bush? Jesus, what a f'ed up thought process.

Anonymous said...

"It was written BY and FOR kids recently out of high school."

Yes, and somehow in four years these "kids" are supposed to become professional journalists. When does the transition take place? Apparently not at the DS.

Anonymous said...

Nothing like writing DOWN to your audience's level.

Rick said...

Most of these posts complain about spelling and grammarical issues with the newspaper

Speeking off grammere, isn't it grammatical?

But seriously, the DS isn't that bad. Come on, what kind of writers were all of you guys when you were 18, 19, or 20?

C. Y. said...

I guess I need to find a way to express "sarcasm" for those suffering from too much coffee.

;-)

;-)

Coffee Guy said...

Megadittos.

Matt BK said...

I don't think a newspaper can ever be the single 'voice' of a population. This is exactly the reason I started DakotaRoar.com.

(shameless plug, I know, but I think there needs to be a way for the whole campus to talk about things, and depending on either the DS or Facebook as a rallying point is, in my opinion, not the best way to go about it.)