I particularly don't think using the word "force" is the correct term to decsrcibe when having the Hidatsa language incorporated into the curriculum at the schools on the Fort Berthold Reservation.  Doesn't it make sense, in order to honor the language and culture of the peoples who's reservation it belongs to, and simply have a class to acknowledging that?  Of course it's not French or Spanish but I think thats the appeal.  It's local, it's Native, ...it's different than the other languages.  We have a language of our own. 

I myself was a student who took hidatsa language classes when I went to school in Mandaree and where I graduated from in 2004.  The importance of language preservation was stressed but it wasn't crammed in our faces. The fact that the speaking population was declining made it appealing and made me want to learn about it more, and take Hidatsa II before Graduating.  By the time I graduated, I could honestly say that I had a good handle on the language. I am HIdatsa/Mandan, and moved to the Rez from California when I was young and it just so happened that I developed a fascination with learning the Hidatsa Language.  From self-study, I also am familiar with French, and Spanish (being half-Mexican), languages that are not available for study in a class on the Rez, probably because they are not particularly relevant.  I wanted to learn about them in comparision to Native languages, which even if not studied in depth, are obviously quite different.

As for  the Arikara and Mandan being the seemingly "lesser Tribes" thats just a case of Hidatsa being the majority population on the reservation, which is just logical & becoming apparent, and as far as I know, White Shield have Arikara and Twin Buttes have Mandan languages, where the majority of each kind of Tribe resides.

There are people on the Reservation and beyond, who would like to see the language reinstated but mostly i think its just a problem of linguistics.  A lot of Natives languages were spoken and never written down, and even now as last heard of, some of my old language instructors are developing a working alphbet for the Hidatsa language.  Language provides insight to a culture, more than most people realize.  Whether people appreciate it or not, they should respect it.  Especially if its a Sovereign Nation with their own language.

And another thing..aye!! lol I dont know how many of you have little ones...but Baby Einstein has a language dvd/vhs that exposes children to different launguages..spanish, french, japanese, dutch..etc. 

I was married into the military and we had friends that spoke all sorts of languages because they were from other countries and it was very interesting to see it spoken!!  I am also part hispanic but when I was in Texas, I was embarrased because I didnt know how to speak spanish in a predominantly spanish speaking area because I was raised in ND..on the rez.

I see learning new languages as not a problem...we were stationed in a bordertown in Texas and the phrase was..youre in america speak english!! I do have to tell you a little story..

I went to HEB while i was in Texas (store similar to Marketplace or Miracle Mart) and I went to check out my items and the cashier said something to me really fast and I said Im sorry I dont speak spanish..she said very slowly....DID YOU KNOW..THAT..APPLE JACKS..ARE ON SALE TODAY?? I just laughed n laughed!!!

Wow! Mojack...you've done your homework! lol NOT...goodness ...looks like someone should take a swing by St. Ann's ...maybe you need to seek God...instead of seeking gossip and rumors about people you barely know?

I cannot say that forcing this language on a group of school kids is the right thing to do, but it certainly wont hurt the kids.

There is a theory called the Whorf Sapir hypothesis which basically states that a persons language defines the way a person behaves and thinks. That language itself confines the mind. Language isnt just a way to voice ideas, but that language itself shapes those ideas. This results in many different worldy views by many different languages.

If the Native Americans had some sort of deeper understanding of this world, which was defined by their language, if their very view of the world revolves around language at this hypothesis suggests, then to stop teaching it, or let the language be forgotten is to forget the entire indian way of thinking, way of projecting life and the world.

I dont see a problem with it, i do believe its important to learn more than one language, and i do believe that students should be taught young while it is still easy to learn a new language, whether it be German, french, portuguese, spanish, hidatsa, latin, or wahtever

I'm willing to bet anyone that ND goes McCain and I'm betting the final tally on election night will be greater than or equal to 5%.  Than again, all one has to do is look at the history of the state and the makeup of population to see this.  

You have a poll from a month ago where McCain led by 13% and now you have a different poll that says that Obama leads by a couple. Truth probably falls in the middle.   Obama pulled all his staff out of ND for a reason and that reason is that his internal polling showed he was going to lose and the 3 EC votes he would earn are not worth people resources he was spending.   His campaign folks may say otherwise but it is exactly what the move demonstrated and the only reason a candidate pulls his staff out of a state that early. 

I made a single prediction concerning this election and it was this.  Now I didn't think it was much of prediction because I think anyone with any knowledge would have seen the same thing but tonight it appears with 90+% of the precincts reporting, it is a 53-45 lead.  By my math thats 8%.  How that is in play, I have no idea.  Pundits called the state as soon as the polls closed.  So much for a close race in ND for president. 

Duywane you have my vote! You  you give a dam about the people of North Dakota. unlike Hoeven that Stuck  up Arrogant $#$#$$#. He is nothing more than an "empty suit"  only time you hear anything out of him is when he's up for re election.  Its time to clean house and get rid of the Hoeven Good ole boy network too. and also the 3 stooges Pomeroy,Conrad,Dorgan

Sianna, your reply is great, I agree with you. tonchee!!

dewey - "One of the biggest issues in North Dakota is our increasingly high property tax. With local education being as much as 50% or more of our property tax I would propose legislation to increase state funding of education to alleviate the property tax burden on our state’s home owners."

Every time I see this, I just thin "shell-game".  If not coming from property tax, it is some other tax. We still pay... 

" We also need to look at increasing other sources of alternative energy sources such as wind, bio-fuels, and coal "

These "alternative energies" are another scam we all will pay to fund, none are self sustaining, therefore not "sustainable".....

"I will also dedicate some of this surplus to improve our education system by improving teacher wages to keep our highly qualified teachers in our state. I will also commit to controlling our education spending in a way that allows us to provide a high level of education across all communities in this great state, which will allow all of the children of North Dakota the opportunity for a quality education. The more we can invest in our children today the greater their contribution to the success of this state will be in the future."

It's always "for the children", it's a proven fact that the more money thrown at education, there is no corresponding increase in results....